From Latin licere ('to be allowed'), licence carries a double meaning that has persisted since Roman times: official permission and dangerous freedom from restraint.
A permit or official document granting authorisation to do, use, or own something; freedom to act beyond normal limits.
From Old French licence, from Latin licentia ('freedom, liberty, licence'), derived from licens, present participle of licere ('to be allowed, be permitted'). The Latin licere is of uncertain deeper origin but may connect to a PIE root meaning 'to offer for sale' or 'to be of value'. English borrowed the word in the 14th century with both its senses intact: official permission
British English splits licence (noun) and license (verb) — the same s/c distinction found in advice/advise and practice/practise. The pattern follows French spelling conventions where -ce marks nouns and -se marks verbs. American English simplified both to 'license' for all uses, but in British law, a licence is what you hold and licensing is what the authority