IANAL, however my understanding of "license" is permission from authority to do that which would otherwise be illegal or not permitted.
Yes you are correct, the legal definition is:
LICENSE. Certificate or the document itself which gives permission. Aldrich v. City of Syracuse, 236 N.Y.S. 614, 617, 134 Misc. 698. Permissionor authority. Independent School Dist.,Class A, No. 1, Cassia County v. Pfost, 51 Idaho 240, 4 P.2d 893, 897; Monsour v. City of Shreveport, 194 La. 625, 194 So. 569, 571; Platt v. Bender, La.App., 178 , So. 678, 682.(Blacks Law 4th edition, P1067)
So by definition, it presumes the act is otherwise not permitted.