Service
Licence for the Placement of Tables and Chairs on the Public Road/Footpath
From Cork City Council
Published on
Last updated on
From Cork City Council
Published on
Last updated on
N.B. The following steps must be followed to successfully apply for a Street Furniture Licence. Submitted applications will only be processed when they are completed in full. Draft applications will not be followed up on. If you fail to complete any part of the application before submitting or closing your browser window, you will receive an email informing you that you have a draft application on the system, which you will need to revisit and complete.
1. Create an Account: Applicant must complete a 'one-time' registration process using an active email that is checked regularly for correspondence.
2. Complete Application : All questions on the form must be answered and all required documentation uploaded in order to complete the application.
3. Signature Verification: Before submitting the application, you will be asked to supply a digital signature by typing your name into a text field. You will then receive an email asking you to verify this signature through clicking on a link in the email. You must complete this step to ensure that your application is processed.
Note: The person registering on this platform and applying for the licence will sign the declaration (digitally) and must be the holder of the accompanying insurance policy.
ROADS ACT 1993 - SECTION 71 - PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT ACT 2000 – SECTION 254
For more information on this form including terms & conditions, please consult this document on Cork City Council's website
The placement of furniture on the street, especially pedestrianised streets, fronting restaurants and public houses can enhance the ambience and atmosphere of the streetscape of a modern European City like Cork. It can enable businesses to improve services to their customers, and generate additional revenues. However, responsibilities to road users must not be forgotten. Control is necessary to ensure that unnecessary restriction is not caused, that access for emergency services such as the Fire Brigade and Ambulance is not impeded and that hazards are not posed to pedestrians from any type of obstruction, spillage or overturning. To enable necessary controls to be implemented, Cork City Council has now put in place a licensing system for the placement of tables and chairs on city streets.
Before a Licence is applied for:
Before you apply for a licence, you must agree to accept the General Licence Conditions for Tables and Chairs on Public Roads/Footpaths. This will appear as a screen pop-up after you click/tap on Apply. Asset Management/Roads Maintenance Division, following consultation with An Garda Siochana and the Fire Department, will decide on the area where tables and chairs may be placed. As a general guide a minimum of 1.80m footpath clearance shall be required in front of the licenced area and in pedestrianised streets a continuous channel of at least 3 metres in width is required. This is to facilitate visually impaired persons, wheelchair users, etc.
Street Furniture Licenses must be applied for annually
Please Note: if a licence is granted, this licence will only remain in effect for one calendar year from the 1st. of January to the 31st. of December of that year and will only run-in conjunction with insurance policy dates provided.
Licence Application Procedure:
First time applications or renewal applications which seek to increase the area required for outside furnituremust be accompanied by an accurate dimensioned drawing of the area to be licensed showing the proposed number of tables and chairs, the types of tables, chairs and removable barrier to be used together with all statutory services in the area and obstructions. The Applicant must provide evidence of Employer’s and Public Liability Insurance cover for limits of not less than €13 million and €6.5 million respectively in respect of legal liability for bodily injury or third party property damage claims arising in connection with the activities, the subject of this application, for the duration of the licence period.These policies must be extended to indemnify Cork City Council. Cork City Council reserves the right to review this limit of indemnity for adequacy. The insurance policy shall be submitted for inspection before the Licence will be issued. The licensee is required to maintain a valid policy for the duration of the licence period.
Application Fee
Completed Application Form, Drawing(s), Insurance Declaration and Insurance Policy Details should be included with this application together with a non-refundable Administration Fee of €110. This fee must be paid electronically as part of this online application process.
Business premises are not entitled to place tables, chairs, on the public footpath or street until a licence is granted.
Additional Charges
Successful applicants will be required to pay a Licence Fee of €125 per table and/or per bench/other seating structure not associated with a table. The area must be enclosed by a removable barrier. A fee of €100 for the use of public space also applies per licence. All fees must be paid by the applicant prior to issue of the Licence.
Business premises are not entitled to place tables, chairs, on the public footpath or street until a licence is granted.
Non Compliance with the Licensing Procedure:
Under Section 71 of the 1993 Roads Act any person who without lawful authority or the consent of a Roads Authority erects, places or retains on a public road any structure or thing used for the purpose of advertising, the sale of goods, the provision of services or other similar purpose shall be guilty of an offence. Such an offence is subject to summary prosecution in the District Court and on conviction, to a fine not exceeding €1270, or at the discretion of the Court to a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months or to both such a fine and imprisonment.
Cork City Council expects that business premises will comply voluntarily with the licensing procedure as it now exists.