Definition
The point to which an aircraft is granted an air traffic control clearance, as defined by ICAO. It marks the furthest position along the cleared route that the aircraft is authorized to fly without receiving a further clearance.
Plain English
The spot on your route where your current ATC permission ends. You can fly up to that point, but no further until ATC tells you what to do next.
Context Anchor
You may hear this in instrument clearances or when air traffic control changes the point you are allowed to proceed to.
Derivation
From 'clearance' (permission granted by ATC) and 'limit' (the boundary or end point). Together: the boundary of what ATC has currently allowed you to do.
Why Pilots Care
Determines how far you may proceed without requesting further clearance from ATC, directly affecting route planning and compliance.
Intuition Check
A clearance limit is not a speed limit, altitude limit, or time limit. Here, limit means a location: the point to which the aircraft is cleared.
Example Sentence 1
ATC issued a clearance limit of GIPPER intersection, so the crew planned to hold there if no further clearance was received.
Example Sentence 2
Upon reaching the clearance limit we held as published and contacted approach control for onward instructions.