Licens

Licensing is the authorization granted by a competent authority or owner that permits a person or entity to engage in a defined activity or to use a protected resource. A license sets the conditions under which the activity may occur and often carries legal or contractual obligations and remedies for non-compliance.

Licenses appear in many sectors. Government bodies issue professional and business licenses to regulate safety, taxation, and public welfare, while licenses for vehicles, broadcasts, and spectrum allocate access and enforce standards. Intellectual property licenses allow others to use copyrighted works, patented inventions, or trademarks under agreed terms. Software licenses govern how programs may be used, copied, modified, or redistributed.

License terms commonly specify the scope (what is permitted, where, and for how long), quality standards, confidentiality, warranties, liability, renewal, and termination. They may be exclusive or non-exclusive, transferable or non-transferable, and they may include provisions for fees, royalties, and sublicensing. Public licenses or open licenses (such as Creative Commons) offer more permissive uses with conditions.

Licensing processes typically involve an application or registration, review of qualifications, payment of fees, and compliance with requirements. Licenses can be suspended or revoked for breach, and many jurisdictions provide appeals or review procedures. In the context of IP, licensing arrangements balance the owner’s control with the licensee’s access to use and monetize the work.

See also: permit, authorization, intellectual property license, EULA, royalty.