License

From The IT Law Wiki

A license is an agreement by the owner of property (including intellectual property), under which a third party is permitted to exploit that property in a manner which it could otherwise not legally do.

An intellectual property license is a grant of permission to use the owner's proprietary interest. It does not convey ownership rights in the intellectual property, which remain with the licensor. A license is necessary if, without one, the licensee would be liable for infringement of an intellectual property right.

A software license, for example, may authorize the licensee to access, use, distribute, perform, modify, and/or reproduce the software, but expressly limit the access or authorized uses or expressly grant fewer than all rights in the software, whether or not the licensee has title to a licensed copy.

The term also includes an access contract, the lease of a computer program, and the consignment of a copy.