Certification and license are some words that are often misunderstood or misunderstood in the field of examination and practice. Certification and licensing have different definitions per field. While Certification and license may work side by side or sequentially in a series, they are different from each other. So, what is the difference between the two?
Some of the professions that require certification and licensing include healthcare, engineering, law, and accounting. To illustrate the main differences between the two, you can refer to a specialized department for clarification.
What is Certification?
Certification refers to a written guarantee, permit, or official representation proving that an action has been taken, an event has occurred, or legal formalities have been complied with.
Depending on the different fields, as well as the law, the term is also defined as the process by which an entity, institution or non-governmental organization grants recognition to individuals after they meet predetermined qualifications. Qualifications are usually determined by the organization or institution, for example, a medical school or a CPA college.
Obtaining certification is voluntary and not mandatory for a person to practice in a profession (losing it also does not prevent a person from practicing as long as they have a licence). Usually, this is taken as the standard of acknowledgment taken to inform peers, consumers, and other professionals in their field of practice or the training they have undertaken.
Certification Advantage
As functionally defined, certification is:
- Voluntary process.
- Issued by a private or non-governmental organization (by the government in certain cases).
- Issued to provide public information about the person it issues after they have successfully completed the certification process.
What is a License?
A license is defined as the permission that a person obtains from a competent authority to engage in work or business in a particular field. It can also be defined as the process by which a government agency grants official permission to individuals who may wish to engage in a particular profession or occupation. This is usually by certifying that the person has attained the minimum required educational qualifications in that field.
A license can never be issued by a non-governmental agency or entity. It may also be referred to using a different name or title, but all titles will have the legal effect of the true meaning of a license.
Purpose of Certification and Licensing
Certification serves to ensure clients, consumers, and potential members of the public that a professional has met some of the standards set for the profession or field of practice. Instead, licenses are issued to provide a legal definition of which individuals can use a licensed professional degree in certain jurisdictions and fields.
Difference Between Certification And License
Following are some of the differences between Certification and Licensing:
Certification refers to a voluntary mandate used to represent holders to the public, consumers, and employers as evidence that they have met certain standards in their area of practice or work. A license, on the other hand, is a mandatory mandate issued by a particular government agency or entity to identify a person as a licensed professional or practicing law in that field.
The main difference between the two involves the administrative authority. Certification is usually issued by a non-governmental agency, entity, or organization, for example, a nurse’s association or a board of dentists. Instead, the license must be issued by a government agency or entity.
Certification is generally voluntary, meaning that it is not mandatory for someone to practice it in a profession. On the other hand, a license is mandatory, and one cannot practice in a field, for example, health without getting one.
In short: For every profession, there is a minimum qualification that a person must have in order to work in it. This is particularly so for professions that require one to interact with citizens in more specialized ways, such as in the health and legal professions. For each profession, one can obtain a certificate or have a license, but the former is voluntary while the latter is mandatory. The main difference to understand is that the certification comes from a private or non-government entity whereas the license has to be from a government body or entity.
