Planning & Building Services

You must give 7 days notice to the relevant local authority before starting building work. The notice must say that the building will meet fire safety standards and that you will complete any requirements of the Fire Safety Certificate within a set time.

Local authorities maintain a public register of building control activities such as Commencement Notices, 7-Day Notices, Certificates of Compliance on Completion, Disability Access Certificates and Fire Safety Certificates.

Local authorities may take action against those who provide an existing building for sale or let or occupies a new building for the first time which does not have a Building Energy Rating or a Display Energy Rating Certificate registered with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

Local authorities regulate the design and construction of new buildings, altered buildings and buildings undergoing a change of use to ensure they comply with fire safety, accessibility, proper planning and building regulations.

Local authorities may assess applications for a relaxation or exemption from building regulations and may grant or refuse an application based on their assessment.

Builders and assigned certifiers must submit a certificate of completion to the local authority. This certificate confirms that the building complies with regulations before it is occupied or used.

You must submit a commencement notice through the National Building Control Management System before you start building work for which you have received planning permission.

Local authorities monitor CE marking for construction products sold or used. The CE mark indicates that a product meets European health, safety and environmental standards.

You must apply to the local authority for a certificate if you construct a new building, carry out alterations or change the use of a specified existing building. This confirms that a building complies with disability access requirements before it is occupied or used.

You must apply to the local authority for a certificate if you own a non-domestic building or apartment block which was completed without a Fire Safety Certificate to confirm that the building complies with fire safety standards.

You must apply to the local authority for a certificate if you build, extend or substantially alter a building (other than dwelling houses and certain agricultural buildings) to confirm that the proposed works comply with fire safety standards.

Local authorities maintain the EU Information and Communication System for Market Surveillance to ensure information about construction products is shared with other EU countries.

Local authorities maintain a register of multi storey buildings in their area.

You must apply to a local authority for a licence if you want to erect permanent or temporary advertising signs and structures about your business on public roads.

Local authorities may take action against casual traders operating without a licence or in breach of their licence.

You must apply for licence to the local authority if you are a casual trader and you want to sell goods in a public place or designated trading area.

Organisers of outdoor events with an audience of more than 5,000 may have to apply to the local authority for a licence.

You must apply to the local authority if you want to erect a sandwich board display sign on a public road or footpath to promote your business.

Street performers such as buskers, artists, dancers or theatrical performers may apply to the local authority for a licence.

Local authorities may take action against street performers operating without a licence or in breach of their licence.

Local authorities may acquire land or property for development through a compulsory purchase process.

Local authorities may sell, lease or exchange lands or property which they no longer need.

Local authorities may lease land or properties to you for grazing, tillage, commercial or residential use.

Local authorities may work with individuals and groups with interests in Council-owned properties.

Local authorities may take action against owners of places likely to be dangerous to the public such as excavations, quarries, pits, wells, reservoirs and dumps.

Local authorities may take action against owners of unsafe buildings, walls or structures.

You must apply for a fencing licence to the local authority to erect fencing on a public road.

You must apply to the local authority for a permit to use land or property it owns as a venue for filming.

You must notify the local authority if you wish to hold or organise a funfair.

You must apply to the local authority for a licence to erect hoarding on a public road.

You must apply to the local authority for a licence to use mobile equipment such as cranes, cherry pickers or hoists.

Local authorities may investigate and take action against developers of land or property who do have the required permission or have not met the terms of their permission.

Local authorities maintain a public register of planning enforcement actions they carry out.

Local authorities may issue certificates to planning applicants to confirm that development works comply with the planning permission granted to them.

You must apply to the local authority if you want to erect scaffolding on a public road.

Local authorities may take action against owners or occupiers of neglected, unsightly or littered properties.

Owners of land or property which is entered on a local authority derelict sites register may have to pay a levy.

Local authorities maintain a public register of derelict sites.

Local authorities may prepare guidelines for the design and building of new houses in rural areas.

Local authorities may provide financial support to business owners to improve the appearance of shop fronts and commercial properties on public streets.

Local authorities may provide financial support to community and business groups for projects to improve local towns and villages.

The Town Centre First policy aims to create town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community.

You may have to pay the local authority a development levy if you get planning permission to develop land or property.

Builders and developers can apply to a local authority for a refund on development levies where they plan to construct residential units within certain thresholds and in specific locations.

Local authorities prepare development contribution schemes with rates for planning development contributions. You can have an input into the schemes through consultation.

Local authorities maintain a public register of quarry operators.

Local authorities set requirements for naming and numbering housing estates and must approve final proposals from residents and developers.

Local authorities must give public notice, under Part 8 of the planning laws, when they propose to build housing, roads, bridges, tunnels, fire stations, libraries or public swimming pools. You can have an input into the proposal through consultation.

Local authorities may issue certificates of exemption, under Part 5 of the planning laws, to developers for smaller residential developments which are excluded from social and affordable housing requirements.

You can comment on, make an observations on, or object to, current planning applications to the local authority.

Local authorities may require developers to lodge a cash sum, insurance company bond or other security which can be used to carry out works if a development does not meet required standards.

Local authorities may refund or return unused planning bonds where completed works have been carried out to the required standard.

Local authorities may issue certificates of exemption for developments that do not need planning permission.

Local authorities provide information and advice on historic, current or planned development.

You must apply for planning permission if you want to build or demolish property, or significantly alter the use of land or property unless the development is exempt.

You can apply to the local authority to extend the duration of a grant of planning permission if the work is not complete before the grant of planning permission expires.

Local authorities may hold pre planning meetings or consultations if you want information and advice about the planning process before making an application.

Local authorities may prepare guidelines for the design and building of new houses in housing estates.

Local authorities may assess proposed wastewater treatment and disposal systems on sites being considered for single houses.

You must apply for a licence to the local authority if you want to place a skip on a public road or footpath.

Local authorities may carry out strategic environmental assessments to evaluate the environmental impact of implementing their development plan. You can have an input into these assessments through consultation.

Local authorities may carry out assessments to determine flood risk in an area. You can have an input into the assessments through consultation.

You must apply to the local authority for a licence to place furniture such as tables and chairs on the public footpath outside your premises.

Local authorities may issue certificates to residents to confirm that the local authority has taken charge of the roads and services within a housing estate.

Developers or the majority of home owners can request the local authority to take charge of the roads and services within a housing estate.

You can make an observation to a local authority on the potential transboundary environmental impact of developments on neighbouring EU states.

Local authorities may manage or complete unfinished private housing estates.

Local authorities may take action against owners of vacant sites that could be suitable for housing development.

Owners of land or property which is entered on a local authority vacant sites register may have to pay a levy.

Local authorities maintain a public register of vacant sites.

Local authorities may accept comments and objections from owners of land or property that is being considered for entry onto the vacant sites register.

Local authorities prepare development plans for land use and development management. You can have an input into the plans through consultation.

Local authorities prepare local area plans for land use and development management. You can have an input into the plans through consultation.

Local authorities may prepare strategies for retail development. You can have an input into the strategies through consultation.

Local authorities may prepare plans for the preservation or improvement of areas of architectural importance. You can have an input into the plans through consultation.

Local authorities may prepare long terms plans for specific types of strategic development. You can have an input into the plans through consultation.

Local authorities may prepare plans for strategic development zones. You can have an input into the plans through consultation.

Local authorities may prepare plans for urban development. You can have an input into the plans through consultation.

Local authorities may prepare statements on village design.

Local authorities may prepare strategies for wind energy. You can have an input into the plans through consultation.

Local authorities support the use of the Irish language in Gaeltacht areas by providing planning, infrastructure, community, economic, social and cultural development services through Irish.

Local authorities may set up committees to promote and preserve the use of Irish placenames in housing developments and provide a free translation service for business owners who want to erect Irish language signage.

Local authorities enforce language conditions for housing developments in Gaeltacht areas and work with developers to ensure a percentage of houses are occupied by Irish speakers to protect and preserve the Irish language and culture.

This is the full list of all services provided by Planning & Building.

Local authorities may provide planning reports and information to government departments and other agencies.

Local authorities collects planning data and give it to relevant agencies.

Local authorities may designate areas of outstanding natural beauty or special recreational value as Special Amenity Areas. You can have an input into the designations through consultation.

Local authorities assess relevant planning applications to measure the impact on special areas of conservation (SACs). Habitats and species which must be protected in SACs include bogs, sand dunes, lakes, rivers, woodlands, otters, salmon and bottlenose dolphins.