English Café: License vs. Licence

Advanced Details: License vs. Licence

LICENCE and LICENSE are easy to confuse. The fact that both words sound the same trips people up time and time again. Here are English Café’s simple tips to remember the difference between LICENCE and LICENSE^*

When to use LICENSE

• LICENSE is a verb that means to give permission.
• Remember the s in license and permission.
• ^*Important note – in the US, both the verb and the noun are spelled LICENSE.

When to use LICENCE

• LICENCE is a noun.
• You need a licence to drive a car.
• Also, remember that a licence is printed on paper, like a certificate.