Casual trading licence
Limerick City and County Council.
What a coffee or food trailer needs to trade legally in Co. Limerick — where you are allowed to pitch, how far ahead to apply, and who to talk to.
Licensing authority
- Authority
- Limerick City and County Council
- Covers
- Co. Limerick · seat: Limerick city
- Address
- Environment & Climate Action, Merchants Quay, Limerick
- Phone
- 061 556000
- brian.barry@limerick.ie
- Casual trading page
- limerick.ie/council/services/planning-and-placemaking/planning-licences/casual-trading ↗
- Checked
- 2026-08-01
Fees
Limerick City and County Council does not publish a standing fee table online — the rates are set in its casual trading bye-laws. Phone 061 556000 for the current schedule. We would rather leave this blank than print a number that turns out to be wrong.
Where you can trade
Casual trading is lawful only in a designated area. A licence does not let you trade anywhere else in the county.
- → Limerick city centre (weekend street trading)
- → Abbeyfeale Main Square
- → Newcastle West Main Square
Trading in Limerick
A waiting list operates for the city-centre pitches, and the council states plainly that accepting an application does not guarantee a licence. Start with the Expression of Interest form. The Milk Market is not casual trading — it is run by the Limerick Market Trustees on separate stallholder agreements. Contact is the Licence Enforcement Inspector directly.
The rules that apply everywhere in Ireland
These come from the Casual Trading Act 1995 and apply in all 31 council areas, including Limerick.
- 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 Limerick
How much is a casual trading licence from Limerick City and County Council?
Limerick City and County Council does not publish a standing fee table online; the rates are set in its casual trading bye-laws. Contact the council on 061 556000 for the current schedule.
Where can I trade in Limerick with a casual trading licence?
Limerick City and County Council designates these areas: Limerick city centre (weekend street trading); Abbeyfeale Main Square; Newcastle West Main Square. Casual trading is only lawful in a designated area — a licence does not permit trading anywhere else in the county.
How long does it take to get a casual trading licence in Limerick?
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 Limerick?
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.