Checked on 23 October 2026
How do you get your PPS number in Ireland?
In Ireland, the identifier you need for almost everything is the PPS number (Personal Public Service number): it is used to work (your employer reports it to the tax authority, the Revenue Commissioners), for public healthcare, social welfare payments or school. You apply for it once you have settled in Ireland, online on MyWelfare.ie with a MyGovID account, then you attend an in-person appointment; the number arrives by post.
- Costs
- No fee is stated on the official pages
- Timeframes
- Varies: online application, in-person appointment, then number sent by post
Steps
- Wait until you are in Ireland. If you plan to settle, you cannot apply for your PPS number before you arrive: applying from abroad is reserved for people who do not live in Ireland and need it for a specific procedure (an inheritance, for example).
- Create a MyGovID account (the basic account is enough). You must be at least 18 to apply online.
- Fill in the online application on MyWelfare.ie and book your appointment at a PPS Number Allocation Centre. You can apply for yourself and your child at the same time.
- Go to the appointment in person (with your child if you are also applying for them), with your documents. This is essential to finalise the application.
- Receive your number by post.
- Give it to your employer when you are hired, not before: an employer must not ask for it during recruitment.
Documents
- ID: valid passport or national identity card (EU citizens other than Irish and British).
- Proof of address in Ireland, in your name and less than 3 months old: bill for the home, official letter, bank statement, lease, or a statement from a third party (hotel or hostel manager, school principal, landlord). If you are staying with relatives: an original household bill and a note from the account holder confirming that you live at that address.
- Reason for the application (for example a job offer).
- For a child: your own ID, the child's, the reason for the application and proof of the family relationship. One of the parents must already have a PPS number.
Costs and timelines
- Cost: the official pages state no fee.
- Timeline: varies depending on available appointments; the number is sent by post after the appointment.
- Format: 7 digits followed by one or two letters.
Common pitfalls
- The "address" circle. You need recent proof of address: think early about getting a lease or a bill in your name, or having your host provide a statement.
- Applying before you move. This is not possible if you are coming to settle: wait until you are in Ireland.
- Asking for a second one. First check whether you already have one (for example if you have worked in Ireland before): your Intreo office can find it for you.
- Giving it to just anyone. Only certain bodies are entitled to ask you for it; if in doubt, ask the Client Identity Services section of the Department of Social Protection.
- Change of address. With a verified MyGovID, you update your address on MyWelfare.ie; otherwise, you must write to the Department of Social Protection with proof.
What changes by country of origin
- EU and EEA citizens: passport or national identity card.
- Swiss citizens: the official list mentions "EU citizens" (identity card or passport) and "non-EU citizens" (passport): take your Swiss passport to avoid any refusal.
- British citizens: valid passport, or a birth certificate showing the mother's maiden name together with a valid full driving licence (or an Irish learner permit).
- Irish citizens returning: you probably already have a PPS number (born in Ireland in 1971 or later, or having worked in Ireland after 1979): find it rather than asking for a new one.