How long does planning permission take in Ireland?

What is the standard decision period?

Section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 says a council must make its decision within 8 weeks, beginning on the date it receives the application. This applies where the application is made in line with the planning rules and meets the requirements of the Regulations.

The council also cannot decide until a minimum period has passed. Anyone can make a written submission within 5 weeks of the council receiving the application, so the council waits for that period to end.

An invalid application does not start the clock. See How to apply for planning permission.

What happens if the council asks for further information?

Within the 8 weeks, the council can ask in writing for further information or evidence. This is common. It might ask for revised drawings, a clearer site plan or a report.

• If you respond: the council must decide within 4 weeks of the notice being complied with.
• If the reply has significant additional data: the council can ask you to publish a new notice. It must then decide within 4 weeks beginning on the day you tell it that the notice has been published. Members of the public can comment on the new material.
• If an environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement is involved: the periods are 8 weeks rather than 4.
• If you do not respond: under the Regulations, the application is declared withdrawn after 6 months from the date of the request.

Further information adds time, because the decision period restarts once you reply, and a new notice adds more.

What is unsolicited further information?

This is information you send the council without being asked. The Regulations treat any further information the council receives, whether requested or not, in the same way where it contains significant additional data: the council may need to notify the public again. Councils differ in how they handle it, and it may not be considered. Talk to the case planner before you send anything extra.

Can the decision period be extended?

Yes. If you give the council written consent within the first 8 weeks, the period for deciding is extended by the period you agreed to. The consent must be in writing and must reach the council within the first 8 weeks.

What if the council misses the deadline?

If a council fails to decide in time, it must still go on to decide and it must pay the applicant a sum set out in the Act. In many cases, if the council fails to decide within a further 12 weeks, a decision to grant permission is deemed to have been made, and people who made submissions have 4 weeks to appeal it. These rules do not apply where an environmental impact assessment, a screening for one, or an appropriate assessment is required. Because the rules are technical, speak to your council or an adviser if this happens.

What happens after a decision?

The council sends a notice of its decision to you and to anyone who made a submission. It must state the main reasons and considerations behind the decision and any conditions. It also tells people how to appeal.

The 4-week appeal window

You, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála. The appeal must be made within 4 weeks beginning on the day of the council’s decision, and a late appeal is invalid. An Coimisiún Pleanála states that it aims to decide appeals within 18 weeks, although it cannot always do so. See Appeal a planning decision.

When is the permission actually granted?

If nobody appeals, the council makes the grant as soon as may be after the appeal period ends. If there is an appeal, the council can make the grant only once the appeal is withdrawn, dismissed or decided. If the appeal body grants permission, it makes the grant after its decision.

When can I use my permission, and for how long?

A permission lasts for 5 years from the date of the grant, unless the decision specifies a different period. The council or the appeal body can set a different period when it decides. For residential development, the Act limits any specified period to no more than 10 years, and the minimum for any development is 2 years.

• If you have not started the development in that time, the whole permission ceases to have effect.
• If you have started, the part not completed in that time ceases to have effect.

You can apply to extend the duration in some circumstances. The fee for a section 42 application is €62 according to Wexford County Council. The conditions are strict, so apply well before the permission runs out.

Rules are changing, so check the current timetable

The Planning and Development Act 2024 sets out new decision procedures, but they are being commenced in stages. The Irish Statute Book, updated to 21 October 2026, lists the repeal of sections 32 to 93 and sections 125 to 145 of the 2000 Act, which cover permission decisions and appeals, as not yet commenced. The time limits in this guide are the 2000 Act and the 2001 Regulations as they stand. Check the planning pages on gov.ie and your council’s website for any change.

Check before you apply

Delays often start with problems that could have been spotted early, such as zoning, a protected structure or a nearby nature site. These affect what the council asks for and how long it takes. A pre-planning report checks zoning, protected structures and nature sites at an address, and you can read more on the pre-planning report page. Rules depend on your exact site, so confirm with your council.