no license

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "no license" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it in a sentence like: "Today we are celebrating the launch of our new product, and we've decided to provide it with no license fees."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

No license required.

The New York Times

No diploma — no license.

The New York Times

Still no license.

The New York Times

No license is required.

The New York Times

No license has been issued.

The New York Times

"Another had no license plates.

The New York Times

No license, no credit cards, no watch.

The New Yorker

"There was no license to torture".

The New York Times

No license or diploma is required.

The New York Times - Arts

No license is needed to kill them.

The New York Times - Food

No license required; no harvest -- no charge".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In American English, use the spelling "license" for both the noun and the verb. In British English, remember that the noun is spelled "licence" while the verb remains "license".

Common error

While having "no license" often implies an illegal state, it can also refer to activities where a license is simply not required by law, such as recreational crabbing or using walkie-talkies. Always clarify whether the absence of a license is a violation or a permitted exemption to avoid ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "no license" functions primarily as a noun phrase consisting of the negative determiner "no" and the noun "license". In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often appears as a direct object (e.g., "had "no license"") or within a prepositional phrase to describe the state of an entity. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness in various syntactic positions, especially in reporting legal or regulatory statuses.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "no license" is a robust and essential term in English, used across a wide spectrum of contexts from criminal justice to software development. Ludwig AI highlights its prevalence in high-authority news outlets, where it often describes legal infractions or regulatory exemptions. While simple in structure, it carries significant weight in defining the boundaries of legal and professional authority. Writers should remain mindful of the "license" versus "licence" spelling distinction between US and UK English to maintain regional accuracy. Overall, it serves as a precise tool for communicating the absence of formal permission or documentation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unlicensed

Uses a single adjective to describe the state of lacking a license.

without a permit

Focuses on the specific document required for certain activities.

not licensed

Uses a verbal phrase to state the status of an entity or person.

no authorization

Broadens the scope to include any form of official permission.

lacking a license

Emphasizes the deficiency or absence of the required document.

without certification

Often used in professional contexts where a certificate is the required credential.

unauthorized

Focuses on the illegality or lack of approval for an action.

no permit

A more concise and often more casual way to describe missing paperwork.

non-licensed

Technically categorizes something as not belonging to a licensed group.

not authorized

A direct negation of approval, common in legal and security contexts.

FAQs

How to use "no license" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a person or object lacking permission, such as "He was caught driving with "no license"" or "The software was released with "no license fees"".

What can I say instead of "no license"?

Depending on your context, you might use "unlicensed", "without a permit", or "unauthorized".

Which is correct, "no license" or "no licence"?

Both are correct. Use ""no license"" for American English audiences and "no licence" for British English contexts.

Is it "no license" or "not licensed"?

Both are grammatically valid. Use ""no license"" as a noun phrase to denote the absence of the document, and "not licensed" as an adjective phrase to describe the status of a person or business.