Ask any public law practitioner what kills more strong cases than anything else and the answer is the same: the calendar. Judicial review time limits are short, strictly enforced, and start earlier than most people assume. Here is the complete map.
Judicial review time limits are strict, are sometimes much shorter than three months, and can run from an earlier date than you expect. The courts can refuse late applications even within the stated period if you have not acted promptly. Nothing on this page calculates your deadline. If you believe a decision affecting you may be unlawful, contact a solicitor immediately.
The General Rule: Three Months
Order 84, rule 21 of the Rules of the Superior Courts: the application for leave must be made within three months from the date when grounds for the application first arose. Two traps hide in that sentence. First, “grounds first arose” is not necessarily the date on the decision letter — a procedural defect may have crystallised weeks earlier. Second, the three months is a ceiling on top of a separate expectation of promptness: courts have refused relief to applicants who sat on their rights even inside the window.
Planning: Eight Weeks (and a New Regime)
Section 50 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 gives most planning challenges 8 weeks from the decision, with leave only on substantial grounds. Decisions made under the Planning and Development Act 2024 are instead challenged under Part 9 of that Act (in operation since 1 August 2025), with its own strict limits and no leave stage. Which Act governs your decision is itself a legal question during the transition — see the 2024 Act changes explained.
Immigration: 28 Days
Section 5 of the Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act 2000 applies a 28-day limit to challenges to many specified immigration and protection decisions — deportation orders prominent among them. Twenty-eight days to find a solicitor, assemble papers, brief counsel and plead grounds is exactly as tight as it sounds. Our practice: immigration and asylum judicial review.
Procurement: About 30 Days
Challenges to public contract awards under the Remedies Regulations generally must be brought within around 30 days of when the applicant knew or ought to have known of the grounds, with standstill mechanics adding further urgency.
The Practical Rules
- Record the date you received every adverse decision — envelope, email timestamp, all of it;
- Call a solicitor in days, not weeks — preparation consumes the window fast;
- Never self-assess the start date — grounds can arise earlier than the letter;
- Never plan around an extension — they are discretionary and exceptional.
For the category-by-category picture, try the free Time Limit Checker, then confirm your actual position with advice.
Your Clock May Already Be Running
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About the Author
Richard O’Shea, Solicitor practises with Mary Molloy Solicitors (established 1981), advising clients across Ireland on judicial review, public law, immigration and litigation. Richard holds a Diploma in Mediation from the Law Society of Ireland and acts in challenges to decisions of Government departments, tribunals, local authorities and other public bodies. Contact Richard on 01 5827148 or richardoshea@marymolloysolicitors.com.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Every farm and family situation is different, and you should obtain advice on your own circumstances before acting. In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.