In American English, "license" is used for both the noun and the verb. In British English, "licence" is the noun (a driving licence, a licence to operate) and "license" is the verb (to license a product, to be licensed to drive).
The American English Rule (Simple)
In the US, there's no distinction — "license" covers everything:
- "I need to renew my driver's license." (noun)
- "The state will license new drivers starting at 16." (verb)
This makes American English notably simpler here than British English, since writers never need to pause and check which grammatical form applies.
The British English Rule (Noun vs. Verb)
In the UK (and most Commonwealth countries), the spelling changes based on grammatical function (as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary):
- "I need to renew my driving licence." (noun — spelled with -ce)
- "The council will license new taxi drivers this year." (verb — spelled with -se)
This noun/verb spelling split is the same pattern seen in "practice" (noun) vs. "practise" (verb) in British English, and is similar to other spelling variations like defence vs defense or recognise vs recognize.
Quick Reference Table
| Context | American English | British English |
|---|---|---|
| Noun ("a license/licence") | license | licence |
| Verb ("to license") | license | license |
| Adjective ("licensed") | licensed | licensed |
How to Remember Which Is Which
A simple trick used in British English style guides: "c comes before s" alphabetically, and a noun also comes before a verb in that mnemonic phrase — noun gets the "c" spelling (licence), verb gets the "s" spelling (license). Another way to remember: "advice" (noun) and "advise" (verb) follow the exact same -ce/-se noun-verb split, so if you already know that pair, you can apply the same logic here.
UK context: "You must hold a valid licence before you can legally drive. The DVLA will license you once you pass your test."
US context: "You must hold a valid license before you can legally drive. The DMV will license you once you pass your test."
In the software and technology industry specifically, "license" (American spelling) has become the near-universal standard globally, even in UK-based tech companies, largely because so much foundational software terminology originated from US companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "licence" ever correct in American English?
No — American style guides (AP, Chicago Manual of Style) use "license" exclusively for both noun and verb forms; "licence" would be considered a misspelling in US content.
Does Canada follow British or American rules here?
Canada typically follows the British noun/verb split, using "licence" as the noun and "license" as the verb, consistent with most Commonwealth English conventions.
Which spelling should global software or apps use?
Most global software defaults to American "license" for both forms since it simplifies content across all English variants, though UK-specific localizations often switch to the noun/verb split.
Does Australia follow the same rule as the UK?
Yes — Australian English follows the identical British pattern, using "licence" as the noun and "license" as the verb.
Is there a similar rule for "practice" and "practise"?
Yes — in British English, "practice" is the noun and "practise" is the verb, following the exact same logic as license/licence.
💡 The Takeaway
American English keeps it simple with one spelling for everything. British English splits by grammatical role — "c" for the noun, "s" for the verb, just like advice/advise.
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