Permit vs. License — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Permit and License
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Definitions
Permit
To allow the doing of (something); consent to
Permit the sale of alcoholic beverages.
License
A license (American English) or licence (British English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).A license is granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement between those parties. In the case of a license issued by a government, the license is obtained by applying for it.
Permit
To grant consent or leave to (someone); authorize
Permitted him to explain.
License
Official or legal permission to engage in a regulated activity
"He believed that the subcommittee gave him license to interrogate anyone about any possible links to communism" (Donald A. Ritchie).
Permit
To afford opportunity or possibility for
Weather that permits sailing.
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License
A document, card, plate, or tag that is issued as proof of official or legal permission
A driver's license.
Permit
To afford opportunity; allow
If circumstances permit.
License
A contract allowing someone to use a proprietary product or service
Has a site license for that software.
Permit
A document or certificate giving permission to do something
A building permit.
License
Freedom of action or permission to act
"Doctors labeled many of the organs of the immune system 'functionless' ... giving surgeons license to remove them with abandon" (Andrew Weil).
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Permit
A carangid fish (Trachinotus falcatus) of the western Atlantic Ocean, having a laterally compressed silvery body and a deeply forked tail and valued as a food and game fish.
License
Poetic license.
Permit
(transitive) To allow (something) to happen, to give permission for.
License
Lack of due restraint; excessive freedom
"It is important to preserve freedom only for people who are willing to practice self-denial, for otherwise freedom degenerates into license and irresponsibility" (Milton Friedman).
Permit
(transitive) To allow (someone) to do something; to give permission to.
License
Heedlessness for the precepts of proper behavior, especially with regard to sex
"noir stories of the consequences of sexual license" (Foster Hirsch).
Permit
(intransitive) To allow for, to make something possible.
License
An excuse or justification to do something wrong
People who see low-fat labels as a license to eat larger amounts.
Permit
(intransitive) To allow, to admit (of).
License
To give or yield permission to or for
"Deep down I wondered what licensed me to speak" (Jan Clausen).
Permit
To grant formal authorization for (something).
The Building Department permitted that project last week.
License
To grant a license to or for; authorize.
Permit
To attempt to obtain or succeed in obtaining formal authorization for (something).
We've been busy permitting the State Street development.
License
A legal document giving official permission to do something; a permit.
Permit
To hand over, resign (something to someone).
License
The legal terms under which a person is allowed to use a product, especially software.
Permit
An artifact or document rendering something allowed or legal.
A construction permit can be obtained from the town offices.
Go over to the park office and get a permit for the #3 shelter.
License
Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behaviour or speech).
Permit
A learner's permit.
License
Excessive freedom; lack of due restraint.
Permit
(obsolete) Formal permission.
License
To authorize officially.
I am licensed to practice law in this state.
Permit
A pompano of the species Trachinotus falcatus.
License
(transitive) (applied to a piece of intellectual property)
Permit
To consent to; to allow or suffer to be done; to tolerate; to put up with.
What things God doth neither command nor forbid . . . he permitteth with approbation either to be done or left undone.
License
To give formal authorization to use.
It was decided to license Wikipedia under the GFDL.
Permit
To grant (one) express license or liberty to do an act; to authorize; to give leave; - followed by an infinitive.
Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.
License
To acquire authorization to use, usually in exchange for compensation.
The filmmakers licensed several iconic 80's songs for the soundtrack.
Permit
To give over; to resign; to leave; to commit.
Let us not aggravate our sorrows,But to the gods permit the event of things.
License
(transitive) To give permission or freedom to; accept.
Permit
To grant permission; to allow.
License
To permit (as grammatically correct).
No English adverbs have mandatory complements, and most don't even license optional ones.
Permit
Warrant; license; leave; permission; specifically, a written license or permission given to a person or persons having authority; as, a permit to land goods subject to duty.
License
Authority or liberty given to do or forbear any act; especially, a formal permission from the proper authorities to perform certain acts or to carry on a certain business, which without such permission would be illegal; a grant of permission; as, a license to preach, to practice medicine, to sell gunpowder or intoxicating liquors.
To have a license and a leave at London to dwell.
Permit
A large pompano (Trachinotus goodei) of the West Indies, Florida, etc. It becomes about three feet long.
License
The document granting such permission.
Permit
A legal document giving official permission to do something
License
Excess of liberty; freedom abused, or used in contempt of law or decorum; disregard of law or propriety.
License they mean when they cry liberty.
Permit
The act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization
License
That deviation from strict fact, form, or rule, in which an artist or writer indulges, assuming that it will be permitted for the sake of the advantage or effect gained; as, poetic license; grammatical license, etc.
Permit
Large game fish; found in waters of the West Indies
License
To permit or authorize by license; to give license to; as, to license a man to preach.
Permit
Consent to, give permission;
She permitted her son to visit her estranged husband
I won't let the police search her basement
I cannot allow you to see your exam
License
A legal document giving official permission to do something
Permit
Make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen;
This permits the water to rush in
This sealed door won't allow the water come into the basement
This will permit the rain to run off
License
Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behavior or speech)
Permit
Allow the presence of or allow (an activity) without opposing or prohibiting;
We don't allow dogs here
Children are not permitted beyond this point
We cannot tolerate smoking in the hospital
License
Excessive freedom; lack of due restraint;
When liberty becomes license dictatorship is near
The intolerable license with which the newspapers break...the rules of decorum
License
The act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization
License
Authorize officially;
I am licensed to practice law in this state
