The granting of permission by an official agency of a State, the District of Columbia, or a Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States to provide healthcare independently in a specified discipline in that jurisdiction. It includes, in the case of such care furnished in a foreign country by any person who is not a national of the United States, a grant of permission by an official agency of that foreign country for that person to provide healthcare independently in a specified discipline.

A state or federal regulatory system for service providers to protect the public health and welfare. Licensure of healthcare professionals and hospitals are examples.

The process by which an agency of government (usually state government) grants permission to an individual or organization to engage in a given occupation or business based upon finding that the applicant has attained the competency required to ensure that the public health, safety and welfare will be reasonably well protected.

A process by which a governmental authority grants permission to an individual practitioner or healthcare organization to operate or to engage in an occupation or profession.