How to Get a PPS Number in Ireland (2026): Documents, Appointment and Emergency Tax

Last updated: 1 November 2026 | Checked against Citizens Information’s PPS number page (edited 5 August 2026), the Department of Social Protection’s “Get a PPS Number” page on gov.ie (updated 30 January 2026) and Revenue’s emergency tax pages.

A PPS number is the first thing you need after you arrive in Ireland to work. Your employer needs it to pay you through Revenue, and without it your pay is taxed at the emergency rate. This guide explains how to apply, which documents to bring, what counts as proof of address when you have just arrived, and how to get off emergency tax.

What Is a PPS Number?

A Personal Public Service (PPS) number is your reference number for social welfare, tax and public services in Ireland. It is always 7 numbers followed by one or 2 letters, for example 1234567FA. It is sometimes called a PPSN.

You use it to:

• Start a job, so your employer can register you with Revenue
• Apply for or exchange a driving licence
• Apply for a social welfare payment
• Register the birth of your child
• Register for a course in a school or college

Employers should not ask for your PPS number while you are applying for jobs. They should only ask for it when you are actually taking up the job.

Who Can Apply, and When

You must be in Ireland to apply. Citizens Information says you cannot apply for a PPS number if you intend to relocate to Ireland: you must wait until you arrive. So if you are moving for work, plan to apply in your first days here.

The only exception is for people living abroad who need a PPS number to deal with a state body in Ireland, for example as a beneficiary under an Irish will. They can apply online at MyWelfare or by post.

How to Apply for a PPS Number: Step by Step

1. Create a MyGovID account. A basic MyGovID account is enough to apply online. You must be at least 18.
2. Fill in the online application on MyWelfare (mywelfare.ie). You can apply for yourself and for your child.
3. Book an in-person appointment. If you live on the island of Ireland, you choose a location, date and time at a PPS Number Allocation Centre. You must attend the appointment to complete your application.
4. Bring your documents (see the list below).
5. Wait for your number by post. When your application is complete, your PPS number is posted to you.

Can’t apply online? Download the REG1 application form and apply by post. The email service is no longer available.

Arrived from Ukraine under the Temporary Protection Directive? Do not apply online. Go to one of the Department’s PPS Number Allocation Centres instead.

Documents You Need

You must show three things: your identity, your address, and why you need a PPS number.

1. Proof of identity

gov.ie suggests bringing other helpful documents to the appointment, such as a European Health Insurance Card, a bank card and statement, a student card or evidence of employment from Revenue.

2. Proof of address

The document must show your name and address and be no older than 3 months. Accepted examples:

• A household utility bill
• A bank statement
• A property lease or tenancy agreement
• An official letter or document, including from a government department or agency
• Official confirmation of your address from a third party, such as a hotel or hostel manager, a school principal or administrator, or an accommodation or property owner

Just arrived and staying with friends or family? An original household bill in their name, with a note from the bill holder confirming you live there, is accepted.

Staying in a hotel or hostel? Ask the manager for a letter confirming your address. That counts as third-party confirmation.

3. Why you need a PPS number

Bring evidence of your reason. For most people moving to Ireland the reason is a job, so bring a document that shows it, such as your employment contract. The official pages do not list specific documents for this, so bring whatever best shows your reason, and check the MyWelfare form when you apply.

Starting Work Before Your PPS Number Arrives: Emergency Tax

You can start a job before you have a PPS number, but your pay will be taxed on the emergency basis until your employer gets a Revenue Payroll Notification (RPN) for you.

How to get off emergency tax

1. Give your PPS number to your employer as soon as it arrives.
2. Register for Revenue’s myAccount.
3. Register your job: in myAccount, go to PAYE Services and choose Add Job or Pension Details. You need your PPS number, your employer’s tax registration number and your start date.
4. Your employer can then download your RPN and stop emergency tax.

Will you get the money back? Yes, usually. Once your employer has a cumulative RPN, they recalculate your tax from January and refund any income tax and USC you overpaid on your next payday. For a previous year, you claim it back by filing an income tax return in myAccount.

To see what your pay should be once you are on the correct tax, use our Ireland salary calculator.

PPS Numbers for Children

Children born in Ireland are given a PPS number when their birth is registered with the General Register Office (GRO). You need to apply for a child’s PPS number if:

• The birth was not registered within 180 days, or
• Your child lives in Ireland but was born abroad.

One parent or guardian must have a PPS number. Bring evidence of your relationship to the child, such as a birth or adoption certificate. You and your child must both attend the appointment.

Lost Your PPS Number?

Your PPS number is printed on your Public Services Card, tax assessment, PAYE Notice of Tax Credits and Temporary Payment Card. If you can’t find it, contact your Intreo Centre or local Social Welfare Branch Office, and staff there can find it for you.

Your First Weeks in Ireland: What Comes With the PPS Number

If you are moving for work on an employment permit, the PPS number is one step in a short list:

1. Arrive and start work. You get permission to stay at the airport (see our Stamp 1 guide).
2. Apply for your PPS number and give it to your employer.
3. Register your job in Revenue’s myAccount to get off emergency tax.
4. Register your immigration permission and get your IRP card.

Still job hunting? See the jobs in Ireland for foreigners, the Ireland work visa guide and our minimum wage guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a PPS number in Ireland?

Apply online at MyWelfare with a MyGovID account, or by post on the REG1 form. If you live in Ireland, you then attend an in-person appointment at a PPS Number Allocation Centre with your photo ID, proof of address and evidence of why you need the number.

Can I apply for a PPS number before I move to Ireland?

No. Citizens Information says you must wait until you are in Ireland to apply.

Is there a fee for a PPS number?

Neither Citizens Information nor the Department of Social Protection’s service page lists any fee for a PPS number.

How will I receive my PPS number?

When your application is complete, your PPS number is sent to you by post.

What does a PPS number look like?

It is always 7 numbers followed by one or 2 letters.

Can I work without a PPS number?

You can start work, but you pay emergency tax: 40% income tax on all your pay and 8% USC until your employer receives a Revenue Payroll Notification for you. Overpaid tax is normally refunded through payroll once that is sorted.

What can I use as proof of address if I just arrived?

A letter from the manager of your hotel or hostel, your tenancy agreement, or a household bill from the person you are staying with plus their note confirming you live there. The document must be no older than 3 months.

I lost my PPS number. How do I find it?

Check your Public Services Card or Revenue documents, or contact your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

Sources

• Citizens Information: Personal Public Service (PPS) number
• Department of Social Protection: Get a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number
• Revenue: Emergency tax rules, getting off emergency tax and refunds of emergency tax

This guide is general information. QuickHireAlert is an independent publisher and is not part of the Department of Social Protection or Revenue. Check the official pages before you apply.