Legal Definitions - mere license

A mere license (sometimes referred to as a bare license) is a simple, temporary permission granted by a property owner to another person, allowing them to enter or use the owner's land for a specific purpose. It is a personal privilege, meaning it applies only to the individual it's given to, and it does not create any lasting legal interest or right in the land itself. Crucially, a mere license can typically be revoked by the property owner at any time, even without a specific reason. These permissions are often informal and can be given verbally or even implied by circumstances.

Here are a few examples to illustrate this concept:

• Social Visit: Imagine you invite a neighbor over to your house for a cup of coffee. Your invitation grants your neighbor a mere license to enter and be on your property for the duration of their visit. They do not gain any ownership rights, long-term claim, or permanent access to your land. You retain the right to ask them to leave at any point, and if they refuse, their presence would then become unauthorized, potentially constituting trespass.

• Utility Meter Reading: A representative from the local gas or electric company needs to access your backyard to read your utility meter. By virtue of their job and common understanding, they have an implied mere license to enter your property for the specific, limited purpose of reading the meter. This permission does not allow them to stay longer than necessary, explore other parts of your property, or use it for unrelated activities. If you had a "No Trespassing" sign or explicitly denied them entry, their license would be revoked, and they would not be permitted to enter.

• Public Park on Private Land: A private landowner opens a portion of their large estate to the public as a walking park during daylight hours, purely out of goodwill and without charging an entry fee. Each person who enters the park is granted a mere license to be on the property for recreational walking. This permission is temporary, specific to the park's operating hours and designated areas, and does not give visitors any permanent rights to the land. The landowner can close the park at any time, or ask any individual to leave if they violate park rules, thereby revoking their license.