Ask any newcomer what they wish they had done first, and the answer is usually the same: get the PPS number. In Ireland this seven-digit-plus-letters code is the key to almost everything. Your employer needs it to report your pay to Revenue, the HSE uses it for medical cards, schools ask for it for children, and it is how you claim tax credits. This guide covers the PPS number from the application to the traps.
What is a PPS number?
PPS stands for Personal Public Service number. It is Ireland's personal identifier for tax, social welfare and public services. It is 7 digits followed by one or two letters. Revenue (the tax authority), the Department of Social Protection and the HSE all use it to identify you, and unlike a tax code in some countries it also unlocks welfare and health entitlements.
It is not a card: it is a number, usually first seen on a letter. The card some people carry, the Public Services Card, is a separate document that confirms your identity to public bodies.
How do you apply for a PPS number?
The process has three steps and one requirement that catches people out: you apply once you are in Ireland.
- Create a MyGovID account. The basic account is enough for the application, and you need to be at least 18 to apply online.
- Complete the online application on MyWelfare.ie and book your appointment at a PPS Number Allocation Centre. You can apply for yourself and for your child in the same session.
- Attend the appointment in person with your documents. This step is mandatory to finalise the application. If you are applying for a child, bring the child.
The number then arrives by post. Waiting time depends on appointment availability, and the official pages do not give a fixed delay.
Which documents do you need?
- Photo identity: a valid passport or national identity card for EU citizens other than Irish and British.
- Proof of address in Ireland, in your name, less than three months old. This is the document that sinks most applications.
- A reason for the application, for example a job offer.
- For a child: your identity, the child's identity, the reason and proof of your relationship. One parent must already hold a PPS number.
Accepted proof of address includes a household bill, official post, a bank statement, a lease, or a letter from a third party such as a hotel manager, a school principal or a landlord. If you live with friends or family, the Department accepts an original bill in the household's name together with a note from the account holder confirming you live there.
What if you are British, Swiss or returning to Ireland?
Rules differ slightly by nationality:
- EU and EEA citizens: passport or national identity card.
- Swiss citizens: the official list mentions identity cards for EU citizens and passports for non-EU citizens. Take your Swiss passport to avoid a refusal.
- British citizens: a valid passport, or a birth certificate showing your mother's maiden name together with a full valid driving licence (or an Irish learner permit).
- Irish citizens coming home: you probably already have a PPS number if you were born in Ireland in 1971 or later, or worked in Ireland after 1979. Look it up rather than asking for a new one.
If you are unsure whether you ever had one, your local Intreo office, the public employment and welfare service, can find it.
Nothing here is difficult, but it is sequential, and a missing proof of address delays everything behind it. If you are not sure which of your papers will pass, Moovy can check your situation against the official lists before you book the appointment.
How do you solve the proof-of-address loop?
The loop is simple to describe: you need a PPS number for a job, a bank account wants proof of address, and the proof of address needs a lease or a bill. Three ways out:
- Ask whoever hosts you for a letter. A short, signed note from a landlord, a school or an accommodation manager, with their contact details and the date you moved in, counts as third-party proof.
- Put a bill in your name early. A phone contract, electricity account or broadband bill all work, as long as it is under three months old at the appointment.
- Sign a lease first. If you are still searching, our guide to renting in Ireland explains how to do it without paying a deposit too soon.
What happens after you receive the number?
Give it to your employer when you are hired, not before. An employer must not ask for it during recruitment. Then register your job in myAccount on revenue.ie to avoid emergency tax, the temporary higher rate applied when Revenue has no record of you. The rest of the first-day checklist is in working in Ireland.
You will also need it for the medical card and Drugs Payment Scheme (see healthcare in Ireland) and for many bank products. If you move house, update your address on MyWelfare.ie if you have a verified MyGovID; otherwise write to the Department of Social Protection with proof of the new address.
How long does the PPS number process take?
The official pages give no fixed delay. Two things drive the timing: how soon you can get an appointment at a PPS Number Allocation Centre, and how quickly the number then arrives by post. In practice, you should treat the PPS number as the first deadline of your move rather than something to handle once you are settled. If you have a job offer with a start date, tell your employer when you applied, and ask whether they can start your payroll while the number is on its way. Many employers have dealt with this before.
While you wait, keep your documents together in one folder: passport or identity card, the proof of address, your job offer letter, and for a child the birth certificate and proof of your relationship. Bring originals to the appointment. If the proof of address is a letter from a host rather than a bill, write the date you moved in on it and check that it carries a name, address and signature.
Which organisations may ask for your PPS number?
Not everyone. Your employer needs it to report your pay, Revenue uses it for tax, the Department of Social Protection for welfare, and the HSE for health services such as the medical card and the Drugs Payment Scheme. Schools often ask for a child's number, and banks sometimes ask for it, for a mortgage for instance. A shop, a landlord or a gym has no reason to hold it. If you are unsure about a request, contact the Department of Social Protection's Client Identity Services before you answer.
Keep in mind the difference between the number and the Public Services Card. The card confirms your identity to public bodies and is needed for some services, such as exchanging a driving licence online. Your PPS number is the identifier; the card is one of the ways of proving who you are.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Applying before you move. This is not possible for people settling in Ireland.
- Asking for a second number. If you have worked in Ireland before, you already have one.
- Giving it to anyone who asks. Only certain bodies may request it. If unsure, ask the Department of Social Protection's Client Identity Services.
- Forgetting to update your address. An old address on file delays letters from Revenue and welfare offices.
- Using an unverified account to change your address. Without a verified MyGovID you must send proof by post.
The number itself costs nothing. The time goes into the address proof and the appointment, so start the paperwork the week you arrive.