authority

I have the authority to penalise the staff in my department, but not the authority to sack them.

Authorities say the suspect fled on foot.

the world's foremost authority on orangutans

Some thinkers regard appealing to authority as a logical fallacy; others regard it as a legitimate form of argument.

New York Port Authority

Authority to construct eight carriages, to test the new design in public service, had already been given; but of course complete working drawings had first to be prepared.