Who is classified as a licensee in premises liability?

A licensee in premises liability law is someone who enters a property with the permission of the property owner, but who does not provide any benefit to the owner, unlike an invitee who does provide such a benefit. In this context, a social guest—who is present at the property with the owner's permission—fits the definition of a licensee. The property owner has a duty to warn the licensee of any known dangers that could cause harm, but they are not responsible for providing the same level of care as they would for an invitee.

The other categories mentioned in the options refer to different classifications of individuals on premises. Individuals entering for commercial benefit would typically be considered invitees, as they are providing a benefit to the property owner. A person without any invitation would be classified as a trespasser and does not have the rights or protections afforded to licensees or invitees. Lastly, anyone entering for lawful purposes could encompass both licensees and invitees, but does not specifically categorize someone as a licensee without the explicit permission of the property owner.