Street Trading

There are three categories of Street Trading:

• A stationary licence to trade for a designated permanent pitch
• A licence to trade as a mobile trader on a route
• A temporary licence for special events

A Guide to Street Trading Legislation

Licence summary
Any person selling or offering a service in a street or public place, must have a street trading licence under The Street Trading Act (Northern Ireland) 2001. You must obtain a licence from your local district council.

If you wish to apply for a street trading licence for the sale of SERVICES eg face painting, shoe shine, fortune telling, then follow this process. If you wish to apply for a street trading licence for the sale of GOODS eg balloons, clothes, food, toys, then contact the local council directly.

Applications must be made in writing (including by electronic means) and will be subject to a fee.
You must comply with any conditions attached to a licence.

Eligibility Criteria
An applicant must have reached school leaver’s age and be an individual.
The street that the applicant wishes to trade on must be a street designated to allow street trading pitches or is designated to ban the sale of articles, things or services.

Regulation Summary
A summary of the regulation relating to this licence

Application Evaluation Process
Applications must include:

• the name, address and date of birth of the applicant
• if the applicant wishes to be a stationary or mobile trader, details of the street and location of the pitch or the areas the applicant wishes to trade
• the days and times they wish to trade
• descriptions of articles, things or services intended to be traded and any item that will be used in connection with the trading
• storage arrangements

Applicants may be required to provide two photographs with their applications.

Applications to vary a condition must specify how the applicant wants the condition to be varied.

A council must give a written notice within a reasonable time of its decision.

A council will grant an application unless there are grounds for refusal. Grounds for refusal are:

• the applicant is not eligible
• the application is to trade in a place that would breach the law
• the applicant wishes to trade in a street that is not designated to allow street trading, or the article, thing or service goes against any term of the designation
• the location is unsuitable
• the space or area proposed is not suitable for the applicant or would interfere with people and vehicles
• the types of services; articles or things proposed to be traded would affect the area proposed
• the applicant has provided false information
• the applicant is unsuitable to hold a licence
• the applicant has failed to carry out requirements of a previous street trading licence
• the applicant has had a previous street trading licence revoked through failure to pay fees
• the applicant has failed to provide further information requested
• the applicant has failed to provide for suitable storage
• Applications can also be made for temporary licences but an applicant cannot have more than five temporary licences in one year.

Fee

Will Tacit Consent Apply?
No. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the local authority within a reasonable period, please contact it.

Apply online
Apply to become a street trader
Application to change a street trading licence

Forms to Download, Print and Post
Application for Stationary Street Trading
Application for Mobile Street Trading
Application for Temporary Street Trading

Failed Application Redress
Please contact your Local Authority in the first instance.
The council will serve a notice of its intention to refuse an application for a licence. Representations can be made in writing to the council within 21 days of the date of the notice.
If the council upholds their decision appeals can be made to the local Magistrates court within 21 days of the notice of the decision.
If an application for a temporary licence is refused the applicant can appeal to the local Magistrates court within 21 days of the date of the notice of the decision.

Licence Holder Redress
Please contact your Local Authority in the first instance.
A licence holder may apply to vary a condition attached to a licence. Applications are made to the district council.
The council will serve a notice of its intention to refuse an application for variation of a licence, to grant an application subject to conditions, to vary conditions without an application or to revoke a licence. Representations can be made in writing to the council within 21 days of the date of the notice.
If the council upholds their decision appeals can be made to the local Magistrates court within 21 days of the notice of the decision.

Consumer Complaint
We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you – preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

Other Redress
eg about noise, pollution, etc. Also should one licence holder complain about another.

Trade Associations
None