Board Approval of Stock Options is a legal process by which a corporation's board of directors is given the authority to approve the granting of stock options to employees. Stock options give employees the right to purchase a certain number of shares of the company's stock at a pre-determined price over a certain period of time. There are two types of Board Approval of Stock Options: private and public. Private Board Approval of Stock Options is when a privately held company's board of directors approves the granting of stock options. Public Board Approval of Stock Options is when a publicly traded company's board of directors approves the granting of stock options. Both types of Board Approval of Stock Options involve the board of directors reviewing the terms of the stock option grant, approving the grant, and signing off on the grant.