How Irish Businesses Can Find Out What Licences They Need

Before any business can legally operate in the Republic of Ireland, no matter how small or large that business might be, what products or services it sells, and whether it is foreign-owned or owned locally by Irish citizens, it must first obtain the necessary company registration licence.

Additionally, certain types of businesses will also need to obtain various other necessary permits and licences to operate legally within Irish borders. The fundamental requirement for all businesses is a business licence.

Let’s dive in to discover more about how Irish businesses can find out what licences they need to obtain to ensure they operate well within the boundaries of Irish law, where they can apply for them, and how much certain licences cost.

An Irish business licence – what exactly is it?

In the Republic of Ireland (aka Ireland), a business licence is a legal document that gives business owners/entrepreneurs the legal right to operate their businesses. Without obtaining a business licence, you would be breaking the law.

Additionally, depending on the nature of your business, you may also need to obtain certain specific permits. Some people confuse licences and permits, but they are not the same.

For example, operators often require licences in certain industries where there is a possibility for harm, such as cosmetology or businesses that sell alcohol. Licences for these types of businesses are more general and require a specific level of competency.

For example, to obtain one of these licences, written or practical tests are often required to show an acceptable competence level before they are issued. In comparison, health permits are specifically geared more towards safety measures.

Take a beauty parlour, for example. The owner of one of these establishments must obtain both a business and health permit to operate legally, and the technicians working in that place of business must have the appropriate licence to practice.

Businesses can also apply for funding. However, foreign-controlled iGaming sites licenced outside of Irish borders and not licenced to operate in Ireland wouldn’t be able to apply for additional funding.

They would have to find a common funding source for gambling products and services offered on their site from other sources. They may have to secure funds either from investors, in the form of a loan, or both.

To discover exactly which type of licences and permits your business needs to operate within the law, you must apply on the official ‘Irish Point of Single Contact’ website, which is part of the EUGO network.

They have a complete list of business licences and permits from A to Z and provide all the information you would need as a business owner for the following key areas:

• Relevant contact details for pursuing additional enquiries
• Secure external links to official websites with the latest accurate information
• Information and further details of the business permits and licences currently issued by Government Departments and Offices under their remit

The most common licences/permits are for Company Registrations, Tourism, Transport, Excise, Private Security, and Miscellaneous (e.g., Auctioneer’s Licence or Estate Agents Licence), as well as the Occasional Trading Licence, Music and Singing Licence (Public), Copyright, Patents, Trademarks, and Designs.

There are also a few additional permits and licences that are  required for restaurants and food premises, information technology, premises or websites offering real-money gambling, sites serving/selling tobacco or alcohol products, oil and gas, telecommunications (including radio and television), and pharmaceutical companies.

How your business can get a permit or licence to operate

For any business to legally operate in Ireland, the owner of that business must obtain the Business Name Registration Licence, and applying for one is relatively easy. You must start by getting in touch with the Office of Companies Registration to obtain the necessary forms for your business.

As a sole trader, you would need the RBN1 form. For a partnership, it’s the RBN1A form, and for a corporate body, it’s the RBN1B form.

When you have filled out all of the required fields with the most accurate and honest information, you must submit the form within four weeks to the Companies Registration Office (CRO) – Ireland’s central repository of public statutory information on Irish business names and companies.

When sending in the forms, don’t forget to send either €40 for a paper filing registration fee or just €20 for filing them digitally/electronically.

What are the approximate costs in Ireland for a few of the most popular business licences?

For a few of the most popular business licences, such as a retailer’s off-licence (Revenue), hotel licence (Fáilte Ireland), and publican’s licence (National Excise Licence Office), it costs €250.

For an estate agent’s licence – Property Services Regulatory Authority, it’s €100 per employee and €1,000 per company.

Final note

After successfully applying for and obtaining the correct business licenses and/or permits, you can launch your business operation and start legally trying to grow your empire using your best strategies.