Licence is the British spelling; license is American

Licence (with a c) is the correct spelling in British English, Australian English, and Canadian English. License (with an s) is the correct spelling in American English. Both refer to the same thing — an official document or permission — but the spelling depends on which English-speaking country's conventions you follow.

The difference matters most if you are writing for a specific audience or organisation. A British company's website should use "licence". An American government form uses "license". If you are unsure which to use, check the style guide or standard spelling of the organisation you are writing for.

The confusion exists because English has two separate words with different meanings in British English, but Americans merged them into one spelling. Understanding the split — and when each applies — prevents spelling errors in formal writing.

Key Takeaways

  • British, Australian, and Canadian English spell it "licence" (with a c); American English spells it "license" (with an s).
  • The noun and verb forms are spelled differently in British English: "a driving licence" (noun) but "to license a business" (verb).
  • In American English, both the noun and verb use "license" with an s.
  • If you are writing for a specific country or organisation, match their standard spelling rather than mixing both forms.

How the British spelling works: noun versus verb

In British English, the distinction between noun and verb creates two separate spellings. The noun — the document or permission itself — is spelled "licence". You hold a driving licence, a business licence, or a television licence. The verb — the action of granting permission — is spelled "license". A government body licenses a restaurant. A company licenses software to users.

This noun-verb split follows a pattern in British English where words ending in -ce are nouns and words ending in -se are verbs. Other examples include "practice" (noun) and "practise" (verb), or "information" (noun) and "advise" (verb). Once you recognise the pattern, the spelling becomes predictable.

Australian and Canadian English follow the same rules as British English, so if you are writing for those countries, use "licence" for the noun and "license" for the verb.

How American spelling works: one spelling for both

American English simplified the system by using "license" (with an s) for both the noun and the verb. You have a driver's license. The state licenses restaurants. The software company licenses its product. There is no distinction between the two forms — Americans spell both the same way.

This simplification happened gradually over the 19th and 20th centuries as American English developed its own conventions. American dictionaries and style guides — including Merriam-Webster and the Associated Press Stylebook — standardise on "license" for all uses.

When to use each spelling

Use "licence" if you are writing for a British, Australian, or Canadian audience, publication, or organisation. This includes websites, documents, and communications aimed at those regions. Government forms, official documents, and business writing in those countries will all use "licence".

Use "license" if you are writing for an American audience or organisation. This includes American government forms, American company websites, and any writing that follows American English conventions. Most online content in the United States uses "license".

If you are writing for an international audience with no specific country focus, choose one spelling and stick with it throughout the document. Mixing "licence" and "license" in the same piece looks like an error, even though both are correct in their respective contexts.

Common words that follow the same pattern

The licence/license split is part of a larger pattern in British versus American English. Several other word pairs follow the same noun-verb rule in British English but merge into one spelling in American English:

  • Practice (noun, British) and practise (verb, British); practice (both, American)
  • information (noun, British) and advise (verb, British); advise is the verb in both, but Americans also use "information" for the noun
  • Defence (noun, British) and defense (American)
  • Offence (noun, British) and offense (American)

Learning the licence/license rule helps you spot and remember these other differences. The pattern is consistent: British English often uses -ce for nouns and -se for verbs, while American English tends toward a single, simpler spelling.

How to remember which is which

A useful memory trick: in British English, the noun "licence" has a c, just like the word "certificate" — both are documents you hold. The verb "license" has an s, just like the word "permission" — both describe an action.

Another approach: if you know the country, the spelling follows automatically. British = c. American = s. Write down which English convention your audience uses, and the spelling becomes a straightforward lookup rather than a guess.

If you are using a word processor or online writing tool, check the language settings. Setting your spell-checker to British English will flag "license" as an error and suggest "licence". Setting it to American English does the opposite. This automatic checking prevents accidental mixing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is one spelling more correct than the other?

No. Both are correct within their own English-speaking regions. "Licence" is standard in Britain, Australia, and Canada. "License" is standard in the United States. Neither is objectively more correct — they are regional conventions. Use whichever matches your audience's location or your organisation's style guide.

What if I am writing for an international company?

Check the company's style guide or existing documents. Most international companies pick one standard and use it everywhere. Some American companies use American spelling globally. Some British companies use British spelling globally. Consistency within your organisation matters more than which version you choose.

Do spell-checkers catch this difference?

Yes, but only if your spell-checker is set to the correct language variety. A spell-checker set to American English will flag "licence" as wrong. A spell-checker set to British English will flag "license" as wrong. Check your tool's language settings to match your intended audience.

Does this spelling difference explore to related words like "licensed" or "licensing"?

Yes. In British English, "licensed" (adjective or past tense verb) and "licensing" (present participle) both use the s from the verb form "license". So you write "a licensed restaurant" or "the licensing process" in British English, just as you would in American English, because the base verb is "license".

What about "licensee" or "licensor"?

These derived words use the s spelling in both British and American English. A "licensee" is someone who holds a license/licence. A "licensor" is someone who grants one. The s is standard in both regions for these related terms.