Licensing and the courts
Licensing in the courts broadly refers to the regulation of the sale and consumption of alcohol in licenced premises such as public houses, hotels and restaurants; and in private clubs such as GAA or Rugby clubs.
You can also apply for licences such as music and singing licence, dancing licences, lottery and bingo licences through the courts.
The following acts govern licensing in Ireland:
- Intoxicating Liquor Act 1833 to 2003
- Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2003
- Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2019
It is important to know that the ordinary (7-day) publicans licence which allows a licence holder to sell alcoholic drinks on a premises during regular opening hours is renewed annually through Revenue.
Register of licences
The court office maintains a register of licences and register of clubs. If you need to find out the name of a licensee or basic information on a licence, you can search the register. Any person is permitted to inspect this register on payment of the relevant fee (€35) by attending the court office. If you have an account on CSOL, you can conduct this search yourself. To learn more, please see our dedicated page.
Which courts deal with licensing matters
The District Court facilitates several types of applications such as renewals, transfers, objections, and exemptions under licensing law. The District Court also holds the annual licensing court every September.
For a brand new licence, applications are heard at the Circuit Court. Generally, to get a brand new licence, you must extinguish (legally terminate) an existing on-licence or off-licence.
How to make your licensing application
There are two ways that you can make your licensing application. The primary way to make an application is on CSOL if you have a registered account (legal practitioners only). The alternative option is to make a manual application and pay through the court office.
To complete your licensing application, you can:
- Download the application form (District Court applications, annual licensing court applications or Circuit Court applications), or;
- Visit your local court office and they can assist you in completing an application.
Who can help
The licensing laws in Ireland can be complex and involve a numbers of different acts and statutes over a number of years. Therefore, you may want to consider seeking legal advice for a better understanding of what is involved.
It is also important to know that only legal practitioners can access the e-licensing system, CSOL (Courts Service Online).
Learn more about licensing in the District Court >
