1. An official who can give validated assent to a business or to an individual to participate in some activity: The local municipal official from the health department can act as the licenser for tattoo parlors.
2. A government agent who is in a position to warrant, to allow, or to legalize something; especially, with a formal document: When Joan moved to her new neighborhood, she was told that she needed to go to the licensor at the city hall to get an ownership tag for her dog.