Than why don’t I have a Florida driver’s certificate?Feel free to use them interchangeably. Everyone will know what you mean. A license is the intangible grant of permission. The certificate is the material record that you have been granted the license.
Damn... sounds like they made the Sport license (okay, certificate) complicated.
Because someone screwed up, and the screw up has been perpetuated. It's not evident in normal conversation that "license" is the wrong word because the word now has two meanings. The definition has changed over time to incorporate the written certificate of the license as well as the permission itself.Than why don’t I have a Florida driver’s certificate?
Because someone screwed up, and the screw up has been perpetuated. But also, you have a license, as well. So it's not evident in normal conversation that you used the wrong word. And, as I said, everyone knows what you mean. So, the definition has changed over time to incorporate the written certificate of the license.
https://thelawdictionary.org/license/
What is LICENSE?
In the law of contracts. A permission, accorded by a competent authority, conferring the right to do some act which without such authorization would be illegal.
What is CERTIFICATE?
A written assurance, or official representation, that some act has or has not been done, or some event occurred, or some legal formality been complied with.
A license is merely permission, and can be granted without any assurance that the issuing body has verified that the holder is competent to exercise the granted privileges. A certificate, OTOH, is a representation that the issuing body has verified competence.
It would be more proper to issue drivers' certificates, since all states require a test to demonstrate competence. My fishing license, though, is appropriate as no one from the state is assuring that I know how to tie a clinch knot, make a double-haul fly cast, or net a fish.
But there is nothing about the definition of "certificate" which necessarily requires or implies verification of competence.
You can have certificates of title, incorporation, or even birth.
Because I'm betting it has the word "license" printed on it.Than why don’t I have a Florida driver’s certificate?
Because I'm betting it has the word "license" printed on it.
![]()
Nah. If the FAA called it a license, the rules would most likely be exactly the same.No. I recall the GADO boss having his father's original pilot's license hanging on the wall which was issued by the Aero Club of America. That's what got the conversation going as we were over there to get our A&P test authorization cards. I seem to remember him stating the Aero Club was the only game in town until around '27 or '28 when the CAA was formed. Where true or not it made for an interesting conversation that I still remember to today. But I've also read somewhere a license violation requires a court setting and a certificate violation only requires an administrative setting. So that would be close.
So I guess you aren't confused after all.Nope. The initial Sport Pilot cert must include an endorsement for the aircraft for the aircraft flown on the checkride, and that comes from a DPE or the FAA.
So I guess you aren't confused after all.
But that's not always true, and hence the confusion.
I have a Sport Pilot Certificate. On the back, it does NOT list "ratings." Instead, it very specifically says "SPORT ENDORSEMENT(S) AIRPLANCE SINGLE ENGINE LAND."
If I were to add on, say, ASES, it would be an endorsement, not a rating.
Using both in conversation: cool vs nerdy.
"I've got my pilot's license." = a rare person might be semi-interested.
"Well, actually, what I've got is my pilot's certificate. You see, the term 'license', does not apply, because " = people are already done listening.
If you are at a party And someone says, “so, you have your pilots license?”
Yeah but I was referring to REAL pilot certificates. Y'all don't have ratings cause you don't rate.
I reply, “Not just a pilot’s license. I have a sport pilot’s license.” Naturally, the typical uninformed non flying person begins thinking of air races, aerobatics,...
![]()
I have a whole wall covered with those things!this certificate is issued to those beating dead animals.....
![]()
I'm going to use that!Using both in conversation: cool vs nerdy.
"I've got my pilot's license." = a rare person might be semi-interested.
"Well, actually, what I've got is my pilot's certificate. You see, the term 'license', does not apply, because " = people are already done listening.
I'm going to use that!![]()
Get it right. I'm a geek, not a nerd (although I don't have a Mac)No need. We already know you’re a nerd.
![]()
Get it right. I'm a geek, not a nerd (although I don't have a Mac)
Get it right. I'm a geek, not a nerd (although I don't have a Mac)
![]()
Well that settles it; I'm both a geek AND a nerd!![]()
I still have an old laptop that runs Linux. It's hooked up to my stereo system for streaming music. Was also hooked up to my TV pre-FireStick.My laptop once ran Linux.