Licensure is the official process of getting permission from the government or a professional organization to do certain kinds of work. When someone completes licensure, they receive a license proving they've met all the requirements to practice their profession safely and legally.

Doctors, nurses, teachers, electricians, and pilots all need licensure before they can work in their fields. The process usually involves years of education, passing difficult exams, and sometimes completing supervised work experience. A medical student might spend four years in medical school, then complete a residency program, then pass multiple licensing exams before finally receiving medical licensure.

Licensure protects the public by ensuring that people doing important or potentially dangerous work have proven their competence. You wouldn't want someone who just read a book about flying to pilot your airplane, or someone who watched a few surgery videos to operate on a family member. Licensure requirements make sure professionals know what they're doing.

Once you have your license, you're licensed to practice: a licensed electrician can legally wire houses, while an unlicensed one cannot, no matter how skilled they might be.