Casual trading licence
Donegal County Council.
What a coffee or food trailer needs to trade legally in Co. Donegal — where you are allowed to pitch, how far ahead to apply, and who to talk to.
Licensing authority
- Authority
- Donegal County Council
- Covers
- Co. Donegal · seat: Lifford
- Address
- County House, Lifford, Co. Donegal
- Phone
- 074 915 3900
- Casual trading page
- donegalcoco.ie/en/services/planning/development-management/licensing/casual-trading ↗
- Checked
- 2026-08-01
Fees
Donegal County Council does not publish a standing fee table online — the rates are set in its casual trading bye-laws. Phone 074 915 3900 for the current schedule. We would rather leave this blank than print a number that turns out to be wrong.
Trading in Donegal
Casual trading sits under Planning — Development Management — Licensing on the Donegal site. Donegal is geographically enormous and a licence is tied to a designated location, so operators working both Letterkenny and a coastal pitch such as Bundoran or Inishowen usually need more than one. The northern Wild Atlantic Way is the main seasonal corridor.
The rules that apply everywhere in Ireland
These come from the Casual Trading Act 1995 and apply in all 31 council areas, including Donegal.
- Casual trading in the Republic of Ireland is governed by the Casual Trading Act 1995. Selling food or goods in a public place without a licence from the relevant local authority is an offence under section 3.
- You apply to the local authority for the area where you want to TRADE — not where the trailer is stored or where the business is registered. Trading across three councils means three separate licences.
- Applications must be made at least 30 days before the first day you intend to trade (section 4). Several councils run a single annual window instead, so a late application can mean waiting a full year.
- Each council makes its own bye-laws under the Act. Those bye-laws set the fees, define the designated trading areas, and fix the permitted hours — which is why the numbers on this page differ so much between neighbouring counties.
- Casual trading is only lawful in a designated trading area. Trading in a public place that has not been designated is not covered by a licence, however valid that licence is elsewhere.
- Under section 4(2A), inserted by section 141 of the Finance Act 1996, the council notifies the Revenue Commissioners of the name, address and tax reference number of every licence holder. Most councils ask for a tax clearance certificate up front.
- A casual trading licence is separate from your food-business obligations. A food trailer must also be registered with the HSE Environmental Health Service on behalf of the FSAI, normally at least 28 days before you start trading.
- Some sales are exempt from the Act, including growers selling their own produce such as soft fruit and loose-skinned potatoes. Selling prepared food from a trailer is not exempt.
Questions about trading in Donegal
How much is a casual trading licence from Donegal County Council?
Donegal County Council does not publish a standing fee table online; the rates are set in its casual trading bye-laws. Contact the council on 074 915 3900 for the current schedule.
Where can I trade in Donegal with a casual trading licence?
Donegal County Council designates its trading areas in its casual trading bye-laws. Ask the council for the current list of designated areas and which bays are actually free before you apply — in several councils the good pitches are held long-term.
How long does it take to get a casual trading licence in Donegal?
Apply at least 30 days before your first trading day, as required by section 4 of the Casual Trading Act 1995. Processing typically takes several weeks, and some councils only accept applications in one annual window — check before you plan around a start date.
Do I need anything else besides the licence to run a food trailer in Donegal?
Yes. You must register the food business with the HSE Environmental Health Service on behalf of the FSAI, normally at least 28 days before trading. You will also need public liability insurance (€6.5m is the common minimum), an RGI certificate for any LPG appliance, and a tax clearance certificate.