Street Trading

The Street Trading Act (Northern Ireland) 2001

What is Street Trading?

Street trading is selling any goods or supplying a service in a street or public place. A Street Trading Licence is required to sell goods in a public place.

What is Not Street Trading?

The following are some activities, which are not street trading for the purposes of the Street Trading Act:

• Rounds men such as milk men, bread men, coal men, etc
• traders who sell items or provide services on a door-to-door basis
• trading at or adjoining premises used as a petrol filling station
• trading at or adjoining premises used as a shop – provided it forms part of the business of the premises, and it takes place during the time when the premises are open to the public for business
• the activity must not obstruct the footpath.
• Buskers don't need a licence, but if they want to sell items like CDs they must apply for a licence.

Stationary street trading

The Council can only grant Stationary Street Trading Licences for designated street trading sites. A list of current available stationary street trading sites is available in the downloads section.

Any vacant stationary street trading sites will be listed on this website page.

Stationary Street Trading licences are issued for a period of 12 months, with licences expiring on 31 March of each year.

Designation of New Street Trading Sites

Council will consider the designation of new sites once a year, the deadline for potential site details to be submitted for consideration is 31 October each year.

The designation of new street trading sites will be dealt with in accordance with the Street Trading Designation Policy.

If there is an area you would like us to consider designating as a stationary street site, please complete the Street Trading application form and submit to the Licensing Section along with a site location map showing the exact location of the proposed site.

If the Council designate a street trading site following your suggestion, you will still have to apply for the site by making a street trading licence application. The allocation and selection of licences will be carried out in accordance with Council policy.

Mobile street trading

All mobile traders, including ice-cream vans and mobile shops, must have a mobile trading licence which allows them to trade within the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. 

If you're applying for a mobile trading licence, you must tell us the route that you propose to trade from in your application form. You must also give details of the days and times you intend to trade.

Temporary licence for events

If you want to trade at a one-off event, you must have a temporary licence.

Apply well in advance of your event, as we assess all applications separately and liaise with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other statutory bodies to decide if your proposal will cause any inconvenience to the public.

Temporary licences for events are only valid for up to seven days. We can only grant traders five temporary licences in one year.

Street trading opportunities

Any street trading opportunities and vacant stationary pitches will be advertised on the Council’s website and social media.

The allocation and selection of licences will be carried out in accordance with Council policy.

Street Trading Fees

Cheques should be made payable to: Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

Street Trading Policies

Click here for Temporary Street Trading Policy
Click here for Stationary Licence Policy
Click here for Mobile Licence Policy
Click here for Street Trading Designation Policy
Click here for Enforcement Policy
Click here for Dealing with Changed Circumstances Policy
Click here for Stall Design and Trading Policy

Enforcement Action Against Illegal Traders

Any person trading illegally may be prosecuted with a maximum fine of £1,000 and may have goods seized.

How to Apply

Application forms can be obtained by clicking in the downloads section below or from the Council's Downpatrick or Newry offices at the following addresses:

T: 0330 137 4030