Arriving & registering4 min readReviewed

Getting a PPS number in Ireland

Your PPS number is your reference for tax, social welfare and most public services in Ireland. If you've just moved here, you apply online on MyWelfare, book an in-person appointment, and bring your ID and proof of address. You can't apply before you move, and until your employer has it, you pay emergency tax. Check what you need.

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3 months
The oldest your proof of address can be
18+ to apply
Parents apply for children born abroad. Babies born here get one at birth registration
1 appointment
In person, booked on MyWelfare with a basic MyGovID (just an email)
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The short answer

  • What: your reference for tax, welfare and public services: 7 numbers and one or two letters.
  • Already have one if you were born in Ireland in or after 1971, started work here after 1979, or get a welfare payment.
  • How: a basic MyGovID, an application on MyWelfare, then an in-person appointment. The number comes by post.
  • Bring: your passport or ID, proof of address under 3 months old, and why you need it.
  • Not before you move: apply once you live here.

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PPS number finder

Whether you need to apply, how, and what to bring.

Who needs the number?
Where was your child born?
Do you have a PPS number yourself?
Where are you now?
Your citizenship
What can prove your address?

    What to bring

        From the Department of Social Protection, Citizens Information and Revenue (2026). Nothing you enter is sent or saved.

        How to apply

        1. Set up a basic MyGovID at mygovid.ie. You only need an email address.
        2. Apply on MyWelfare for a PPS number. If you also need one for your child, apply for both in the same application.
        3. Book an in-person appointment at a PPS Number Allocation Centre as part of the application.
        4. Go to the appointment with your documents.
        5. Your PPS number arrives by post. A Public Services Card is usually issued too, and with it you can set up a verified MyGovID, which you need for things like applying for a driving licence online.

        You must be 18 or over to apply online. If you can’t apply online, you can post form REG1.

        What to bring

        Proof of identity:

        You are Bring
        Irish, born in Ireland Your Irish passport, or an Irish or UK driving licence or learner permit. Your birth record is checked automatically
        Irish by naturalisation Your Irish passport or naturalisation certificate
        Irish by Foreign Birth Registration Your Irish passport, or your FBR certificate (with a driving licence, if you have one)
        British, or born in Northern Ireland Your passport, or your birth certificate and a full driving licence
        EU or EEA Your passport or national ID card
        Any other nationality Your passport, or a 1951 refugee travel document

        Proof of address, showing your name and address and less than 3 months old:

        • a utility bill or bank statement;
        • a lease or tenancy agreement;
        • an official letter, such as from a Government department;
        • a letter from a hotel, hostel, school or landlord confirming you live there;
        • staying with friends or family? Their original household bill, with a note from them saying you live there. They can write it on the bill.

        Why you need it, such as a job offer or contract, a college letter, or a driving licence application.

        A PPS number for your child

        • Born in Ireland: your child gets a number when the birth is registered. You don’t apply.
        • Born here but not registered within 180 days, or born abroad and living here: you apply. Bring your own ID, proof of address, your child’s ID, and a birth or adoption certificate showing you as their parent.
        • A parent must have a PPS number first. You can apply for both of you together, and you both attend the appointment.

        Applying from abroad

        You can’t apply while you’re planning to move here: wait until you live in Ireland. If you live abroad and need a number for an Irish body, such as Revenue or an inheritance under an Irish will, apply online on MyWelfare (uploading copies) or by post, with proof of why you need it and the PPS number questionnaire.

        From Ukraine

        If you came here under temporary protection, don’t apply online. Go to a PPS Number Allocation Centre or your local Intreo office with your temporary protection letter and your ID.

        Your first job and emergency tax

        You can start work before you have your number, but until your employer has your PPS number and your job is registered with Revenue, you pay emergency tax. Once you have your number, register for Revenue’s myAccount and, if it’s your first job here, add it under Add Job or Pension Details. Do it before your first payday if you can.

        Employers should only ask for your PPS number when you’re taking up the job, not when you apply for it.

        Common mix-ups

        Common questions

        What is a PPS number?

        Your Personal Public Service number: 7 numbers followed by one or two letters. You need it for work and tax, social welfare, public health services, school and college, driving licences and other public services.

        How do I get a PPS number?

        Set up a basic MyGovID (you only need an email), apply on MyWelfare, and book an in-person appointment at a PPS Number Allocation Centre. Bring proof of identity, proof of address and why you need it. Your number comes by post.

        Can I get a PPS number before I move to Ireland?

        No. You can't apply while you're planning to relocate. Apply once you're living here. People living abroad can only apply if they need a number for an Irish body, such as Revenue.

        What counts as proof of address?

        A document with your name and address, less than 3 months old: a utility bill, a bank statement, a lease or tenancy agreement, or an official letter. A hotel, hostel, school or landlord can also confirm your address in writing.

        I'm staying with friends. What can I use?

        Their original household bill, with a note from them confirming you live there. The note can be written on the bill itself.

        Can I start work without a PPS number?

        Yes, but you pay emergency tax until your employer has your PPS number and your job is registered with Revenue. If it's your first job here, register it yourself on Revenue's myAccount.

        Does my child need a PPS number?

        A child born in Ireland gets one automatically when the birth is registered. If the birth wasn't registered within 180 days, or your child was born abroad, you apply. A parent needs a PPS number first, and you can apply for both together.

        I arrived from Ukraine. How do I get one?

        Don't apply online. Go to a PPS Number Allocation Centre or your Intreo office with your temporary protection letter and your ID.

        I've lost my PPS number. Where can I find it?

        It's on your Public Services Card, Revenue documents such as your tax credits notice, a medical or GP visit card, or a European Health Insurance Card. Your Intreo office can also find it for you.

        Sources

        All sources checked on 4 Oct 2026.

        1. Get a Personal Public Service (PPS) NumberDepartment of Social Protection
        2. Personal Public Service (PPS) numberCitizens Information
        3. PPS Number Allocation Centres by countyDepartment of Social Protection
        4. Public Services CardCitizens Information
        5. MyGovIDCitizens Information
        6. Emergency TaxRevenue
        Guidance, not advice. This guide explains the published rules in plain English. Rules and processing differ by case, so always check the current official instructions before you apply. On Path is not affiliated with Immigration Service Delivery or the Department of Justice.

        Find your steps.

        Whether you need to apply, how, and what to bring.

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