Mobile home in the garden: is planning permission needed?
A mobile home placed in the garden to live in is not covered by the 2026 exemption for a home in the back garden, which says the building cannot be temporary, "such as a caravan or mobile home". The rule for sheds and similar structures does not allow anyone to live in them either. Unless another exemption applies to your case, that means you need to apply for planning permission.
What the law says
- Placing it counts as development. Under section 3 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, when land becomes used for placing or keeping vans, tents or other objects, movable or not, for caravanning, camping or habitation, the use of the land is taken to have materially changed. A material change of use is development.
- Development needs permission unless it is exempt. Section 32 of the same Act requires planning permission for any development that is not exempted development.
- The garden-house exemption excludes it. Class 3A, in force since 27 July 2026, allows a detached house of 32 to 45 m² in the back garden, but paragraph 5 says the house must not be temporary in nature, giving a caravan or mobile home as examples. See the rules for a garden home.
- The shed rule excludes living in it. Class 3 (sheds, stores and similar structures) says the structure cannot be used for human habitation (sheds and garden rooms).
Keeping a caravan in the garden
Class 8 of Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 deals with keeping or storing a caravan, campervan or boat within the grounds of a house. Its conditions date from 2001; the Legislation Directory, updated to 21 October 2026, lists no amendment to Class 8:
- no more than 1 caravan, campervan or boat;
- not used to store, display, advertise or sell goods, or for any business;
- not kept or stored for more than 9 months in any year, and not lived in while it is kept there.
The text names caravans, campervans and boats. It does not mention mobile homes, so whether a given mobile home falls under it is a question for the council.
Getting an answer for your case
If you are not sure whether what you plan is exempt, you can ask your council for a declaration under section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. To place a mobile home to live in, apply for planning permission to your council or through planning.localgov.ie; application fees and decision times are on this site.
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