unapproved; unauthorized; without official permission
Describes something that lacks formal approval or authorization, often used in legal, administrative, or institutional contexts.
その施設は無認可のまま運営されていた。
The facility was operating without official approval.
Unlicensed daycare centers have become a problem.
未認可 means 'not yet approved', implying that approval is expected in the future, while 無認可 simply means 'unapproved' without that expectation.
Formed from the prefix 無 (mu, 'without') and 認可 (ninka, 'approval, authorization').