“Casual Trading” means selling goods on the public road or at a place where the public has access as of right and any other place that is a designated casual trading area.  Casual trading in the Dublin City Council area is regulated by Casual Trading bye-laws made under the Casual Trading Act 1995 . 
A casual trading licence is a requirement under the Casual Trading Act to sell goods on the public road.  It is an offence under this Act to trade without a valid casual trading licence. Casual trading is divided into Designated area trading and Event trading.

Designated Area trading

Designated Area trading is where certain streets are designated as casual trading areas, to sell certain types of goods. The Casual Trading Control & Designation bye-laws  lists all areas designated as casual trading areas, the type of goods that can be sold and the times of trading. An annual licence is issued to trade in these areas.
At present there are waiting lists for all designated trading areas. Anyone interested in putting their name on the waiting list should contact the Culture, Recreation & Amenity Department, Casual Trading Section, Block 4, Ground Floor, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, or email, casualtrading@dublincity.ie  with their request to go on the waiting list, stating the area they wish to be considered for and their contact details.
The current waiting period for the Merrion Square Art Market where artists sell and Exhibit their own original paintings and drawings is approx 1- 2 years. 

Currently there are no designated daytime trading locations for hot/cold food units on the streets.  (See event trading for two outdoor local growers/producers markets).

The current Casual Trading fees bye-laws list the fees for each designated trading area.  An Irish Personal Public Service Number (PPS No.) in the case of an individual, or Tax Reference No., in the case of a company, must be supplied by the applicant before a licence can be issued.

Public Liability Insurance cover is also a requirement indemnifying Dublin City Council to the sum of €6.4m.  The trader must source this type insurance him/herself from any Insurance company.
  

Event Trading

An event casual trading licence is required by every individual who wishes to sell goods at the vicinity of an event for the day or days the event is taking place.  Traders selling hats, flags, scarves, headbands, etc. must sell from the hand, a table or stall of any kind in not allowed.   Licences are also issued for the sale of hot food/ice-cream etc., from individual hot food units, e.g. trikes, burger bars and larger mobile catering units.

Please click here for the procedure when applying for an event trading licence to sell goods from the hand at events and concerts.

For Current Event Trading Licence Fees see second schedule –Casual Trading fees bye-laws

Dublin City Council are currently running two outdoor local/growers producers markets in Coppinger Row beside Powerscourt and Smithfield at the tree grove beside the luas line.  (See Dublin City Council Guidelines for local/growers producers markets).   Traders who wish to apply to trade at these markets should email their details to casualtrading@dublincity.ie

Additional information required for the sale of hot food:

As the volume of applications received to sell hot food at these events greatly exceeds the number of trading pitches available a licence to trade at these events cannot be guaranteed. 

All traders require public liability insurance cover indemnifying Dublin City Council to the value of €6.4m. 

Traders in foodstuffs must register with the Health Services Executive and must comply with the requirements of the Local H.S.E Environmental Health Office in relation to the statutory control of food.  For further details contact the Health Service Executive, Ormond House, Ormond Quay, Dublin 1., phone  01 8286702  

Please click here for Fire Safety Regulations in relation to the sale of hot/cold food from mobile catering units. 

Contact Numbers for other Local Authorities and other Market operators:

Dublin is divided into four council areas. As casual trading arrangements may be different in each council area, you might either browse their web sites or contact them at the numbers listed below: