Legal Definitions - provisional

The term provisional refers to something that is established, agreed upon, or put into place for a limited time or with specific conditions attached. It signifies that the arrangement is not final and may be altered, confirmed, or revoked once certain criteria are met or further information becomes available.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• A university might offer a student provisional admission to a degree program.

  This admission is provisional because it is conditional. For instance, the university might grant admission based on predicted grades, but the final acceptance is contingent upon the student achieving specific scores in their final high school exams or submitting all required official transcripts by a certain deadline. If these conditions are not met, the provisional admission can be withdrawn.

• After passing an initial driving test, a new driver might be issued a provisional driving license.

  This license is provisional because it is temporary and often comes with specific conditions or restrictions. For example, it might limit the driver to certain hours, require them to be accompanied by an experienced driver, or impose a lower speed limit for a set period. After successfully completing this provisional period without incident, the driver can then apply for a full, unrestricted license.

• When applying for a mortgage, a bank might give a potential homeowner provisional loan approval.

  This approval is provisional because it is conditional. It indicates that the bank is likely to lend the money, but the final approval and the actual release of funds are contingent upon the applicant providing all necessary documentation (such as income verification, property appraisal, and a clear credit history) and meeting any other specific terms set by the bank. Until all conditions are satisfied, the approval is not final.