Trading Online Voucher 2026: The Complete Guide for Irish Businesses
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The Trading Online Voucher (TOV) is the single most useful grant for Irish small businesses that want to sell online. It covers up to €2,500, or 50% of eligible expenditure, to develop your website and digital marketing, and it is delivered through your Local Enterprise Office (LEO). This guide explains exactly how the scheme works in 2026, who qualifies, and how to apply without losing weeks to paperwork.
What the Trading Online Voucher is
The TOV is a government grant administered by Ireland’s 31 Local Enterprise Offices. In the LEO’s own words, the scheme is designed to assist small businesses with up to 10 employees to trade more online, boost sales, and reach new markets.
Two things make it different from other grants:
- It comes with training and advice, not just money. Your LEO wants you to succeed online, and the scheme includes guidance as part of the package.
- It is a reimbursement grant. You pay your supplier, then claim back 50% of the eligible cost, up to a maximum of €2,500.
How the money works
The grant pays 50% of eligible costs, capped at €2,500. The maths is simple:
| Project cost | Voucher pays | Your business pays |
|---|---|---|
| €1,500 | €750 | €750 |
| €3,000 | €1,500 | €1,500 |
| €5,000 | €2,500 | €2,500 |
| €10,000 | €2,500 | €7,500 |
Notice the cap. A €5,000 project is the sweet spot: the State covers exactly half. Above that, the voucher still pays €2,500 but your share grows.
Who qualifies
Eligibility is set by your Local Enterprise Office, and the headline rules published by the LEO network are:
- Up to 10 employees at the time of application.
- Trading for at least 6 months, generally with turnover under €2 million.
- A limited existing online trading presence. The scheme exists to bring businesses online, so if you already run a full e-commerce operation you may not qualify.
Because every LEO applies the criteria to real businesses rather than checkboxes, the practical advice is: call your local office, describe your business, and ask directly whether you are in scope before you invest time in an application.
What the voucher covers
The LEO describes the voucher as supporting businesses to develop their website or digital marketing strategy. Typical eligible spend includes:
- A new website or a rebuild of an outdated one
- E-commerce functionality: product pages, cart, checkout, payments
- Online booking and enquiry systems
- Digital marketing: SEO, social media advertising, content
What it generally does not cover are day-to-day running costs such as hosting renewals or general office overheads. Your LEO approves the spend plan, so always confirm line items before you commit.
Can you get a second voucher?
Yes, in many cases. Businesses that used a first voucher well can often apply again for a second project. The rules have changed a few times over the years, so confirm the current position with your own LEO rather than relying on anything you read elsewhere, including this guide.
How to apply, step by step
- Find your LEO. There are 31 offices, one for every county and city. Use the LEO website’s Find Your Local Enterprise Office tool.
- Book the training or advice session. Attendance is part of the scheme and a genuinely useful step.
- Get supplier quotes. Approach suppliers who have delivered voucher-funded projects before; they will format quotes the way the LEO expects.
- Apply. Submit your application with the quotes and your spend plan.
- Wait for approval. Your LEO issues an approval letter before you start the work. Do not begin before approval or you risk the claim.
- Build, pay, claim. Complete the project, pay your supplier in full, then submit invoices to claim your 50% refund.
Getting the most out of your €2,500
The biggest mistake we see is treating the voucher as free money for a brochure site. The voucher is worth exactly as much as the revenue the resulting website generates. Three rules:
- Build for conversion, not for vanity. Every page needs a job: phone call, booking, sale. Our conversion optimization service exists because pretty sites that convert poorly are expensive in lost revenue.
- Pair it with a supplier who understands the scheme. Claim-ready quotes, correct invoices, and LEO-friendly scopes save more time than the grant is worth.
- Do not skip the marketing half. A voucher-funded website with no traffic plan is a shop in the middle of a field. See our guide on winning AI search for where Irish visibility is heading.
While you are with your LEO, ask about its other digital supports, such as Digital for Business, which often complement the TOV.
How BuiltBrilliant helps with voucher projects
We build voucher-funded websites for Irish SMEs: fast web design and development, e-commerce storefronts, and WordPress to modern stack migrations that LEOs approve because the spend is clear and claimable. One example: we rebuilt a client’s aging WordPress site into a fast static storefront, cutting page load times and lifting conversions, fully within the voucher’s rules.
If you are planning a voucher application, book a call and we will help you scope the project so it qualifies first time.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Trading Online Voucher worth?
Up to €2,500, with 50% co-funding from your business. A €5,000 website project gets €2,500 from the State; a €1,500 project gets €750.
Who is eligible for the Trading Online Voucher?
Small businesses with up to 10 employees, generally trading for at least 6 months with turnover under €2 million and a limited existing online presence. Your Local Enterprise Office confirms the exact criteria for your case.
What can I spend the voucher on?
Developing your online trading capacity: website design and build, e-commerce functionality, and digital marketing such as SEO or social advertising. Your LEO approves the spend plan before you start.
Do I have to pay for the project first?
Yes. The TOV works as a reimbursement: you pay your supplier, submit the invoice, and your LEO refunds 50% of eligible costs up to €2,500.
Can I get a second Trading Online Voucher?
Businesses that used a first voucher well may be able to apply again. Ask your LEO about the current second-voucher rules before you start a new project.
How long does the application take?
Typically a few weeks to a couple of months depending on your LEO, including the required training or advice session. Applying with clear supplier quotes speeds things up.