Regulations · permits
How the HSA asbestos permit system works.
From December 2025, contractors performing notifiable asbestos work in Ireland must hold a permit issued by the HSA. Here is what that means for you as a property owner: what to ask for, what to verify, and what to refuse.
- Effective from
- December 2025
- Normal notification lead time
- 10 days
- Issuing body
- HSA
- Permit number
- Available on site
Verified: October 2026
On this page
What a HSA permit actually is
A HSA asbestos permit is an authorisation issued by the Health and Safety Authority for a specific contractor, for a specific job, at a specific site, for a specific duration, so each new job requires a new permit application.
Before December 2025, Ireland operated a notification system: the contractor told the HSA work was happening and could proceed. Under S.I. No. 632/2025, this changed to a permit system: no permit, no work. It is a criminal offence to begin notifiable asbestos work before the required permit number has been received.
How a permit application works
The contractor (not the property owner) submits the application. The submission goes to
asbestos.notif@hsa.ie using the HSA's 2025 Notification Form, at least
10 days before work begins. The HSA can agree in writing to a shorter
period through its waiver process. The application package includes:
- Plan of Work: describes the job, the methodology, the containment, and the disposal route.
- Site-specific Risk Assessment: covers operatives, occupants, and any passive-exposure risk.
- Training records: evidence operatives are trained appropriately for the work.
Once the HSA processes the application and is satisfied with the documents, a unique permit number is issued. HSA guidance says the permit number should be available on site for inspection.
What to ask the contractor
As the property owner, the things to ask for and verify are:
- Whether the work is notifiable, and, if it is, written confirmation that the contractor will complete the HSA process before work begins.
- The permit number: the contractor must have it before notifiable work starts, and HSA guidance says it should be available on site for inspection.
- The Plan of Work: a brief written summary of the methodology, containment, and disposal facility.
- The disposal facility name: the permitted waste collector and the authorised receiving site.
- The clearance arrangement, including the independent analyst and four-stage clearance where the assessed work requires them.
Non-notifiable work
Some asbestos work is non-notifiable: typically small quantities of bonded asbestos cement, intact and undisturbed, removed with the right controls but without a full permit application. Even non-notifiable work is regulated:
- Operatives still need appropriate training.
- The waste must still be transported by a holder of a Waste Collection Permit.
- It must still be disposed of at an EPA-authorised facility.
- You should still receive a hazardous-waste consignment note.
The line between notifiable and non-notifiable is set by the regulations and the contractor should be able to explain which side a given job sits on. If they cannot explain it, that is itself a problem.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What asbestos work needs a HSA permit?
Notifiable asbestos work, which covers most insulation, sprayed coatings, lagging and asbestos insulating board (AIB), requires a HSA permit. Non-notifiable work (such as small quantities of bonded asbestos cement) does not require a permit, but the waste must still be transported and disposed of through a permitted waste collector to an authorised facility. In practice, almost all friable removal in Ireland requires a permit.
Who applies for the permit: me or the contractor?
The contractor applies. The submission is the contractor's responsibility and includes the HSA notification form, Plan of Work, site-specific Risk Assessment and training records. At quote stage, ask for written confirmation of whether the work is notifiable. If it is, ask for the job-specific permit number before work starts.
How long does a permit take to issue?
Notifications must normally be submitted at least 10 days before work begins. The HSA can agree in writing to a shorter period through its waiver process. Once the HSA processes the application and is satisfied with the supporting documents, a unique permit number is issued.
How do I verify a contractor has a valid permit?
Ask the contractor for the permit number before work begins. HSA guidance says the permit number should be available on site for inspection. If you have doubts, contact the HSA. A permit covers one job, on one site, for a set period, so each new job needs a new permit.
What happens if work starts without a permit?
From December 2025 it is a criminal offence under S.I. No. 632/2025 to begin notifiable asbestos work before the required permit number has been received. The HSA can issue improvement notices, prohibition notices, or pursue prosecution. If a contractor proposes to start work without showing you the permit number, do not let them.