Generally, Permit is a verb. (pronounced "per-MIT") And generally, permission is the noun. However, "permit" can also be a noun, and in this case, it refers to a specific piece of paper or document which grants permission. It is pronounced "PER-mit". So a "permit" (noun) refers to some document or artifact granting formal permission. This is a permit: http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.46163707.jpg It grants the person who has it permission to drive.

"Permit" as a noun means an official written statement or certificate that gives you the right or permission to do something. Examples: a fishing permit (= a piece of paper that you need to go fishing); a residence permit (= a document that gives you the right to stay in a foreign country); if you're an American, you need a work permit to work in Europe. Permission is being allowed to do something. Example: You need to get permission to photograph here. So, permit is a piece of paper and it's countable. Permission is a concept and it's uncountable. Note that the usual pronunciation for "permit" as a noun is "PERmit" ( stress on the first syllable, unlike the verb "perMIT"), though -as usual- North Americans pronounce it whatever way they like: PERmit, perMIT, (as for teenage girls,maybe even pearmit, parmit, pormit, promit, promiscuous and so on) :P

Please permit me to ask for permission.

permit=to allow someone to do something or it can mean a beginners driver license. Permission= is much the same I would say permit is a shorter version of permission :)