(*Litterae Dimissoriae*), in the canon law, a letter given by a bishop to a candidate for holy orders having a title in his diocese, directed to some other bishop, and giving permission for the ordination of the bearer.

When a person produces letters of ordination or tonsure conferred by any other than his own diocesean, he must, at the same time, on pain of nullity, produce the letter dimissory given by his own bishop. Letters dimissory cannot be given by the chapter, *sede vacante*; this being deemed an act of voluntary jurisdiction, which ought to be reserved to the successor.