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How to get a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number
From Department of Social Protection
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If you have recently arrived in Ireland from Ukraine under the EU Temporary Protection Directive, you should not apply online for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number. Instead, you should call to one of our department’s offices. The department has put in place special arrangements to deal with your PPS Number application and help with your income support needs, if any.
A Personal Public Service (PPS) Number is a unique reference number that helps you access social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland.
You can find a list of State agencies that use PPS Numbers here
A PPS Number is always 7 numbers followed by either one or two letters.
PPS Number, formally known as RSI has been in place since 1979. Most Irish Nationals will already have a PPS Number. Irish Nationals born since 1971 should have a PPS Number unless they are from Northern Ireland or have worked abroad since then. Any customer in insurable employment in Ireland at any time since 1979 should already have a PPS Number.
In order to get a PPS Number, you must provide evidence of
- your identity
- why you need a PPS Number
- your address
| If you are: | You will need to produce the following as evidence of your identity: |
| An Irish citizen born in the Republic of Ireland | Your birth certificate and photographic ID, such as your passport or driving licence |
| An Irish citizen via naturalisation or Foreign Birth Registration | Your current passport or Certificate of Naturalisation OR your Foreign Birth Registration certificate AND Irish or UK driving licence or Irish learner driving permit |
| An Irish citizen born in Northern Ireland or a UK citizen | Current passport OR your birth certificate showing your mother’s birth surname AND your current driving licence |
| EU/EEA citizens (other than Irish and UK) | Current passport or national identity card |
| Non-EU/EEA citizens | Current passport |
The following are not accepted as evidence of your identity:
- baptismal certificate
- employment identity cards or personal letters
- copies of certificates or documents
- expired documents (For Irish and UK citizens, passports expired within the last 12 months may be accepted)
If you are applying for a PPS Number to take up employment, you must have a signed offer of employment from your employer confirming when your job is due to start or when it started. This letter should be on company headed paper with the employer’s contact details and employer/company registered number. You do not need a PPS Number if you are looking for work or for an employer to make an offer of employment.
Some other examples of why you may need a PPS Number are:
- to apply for a social welfare payment
- to access medical services
- to apply for or exchange a driver’s licence
- to access other public services
- to register for a course in a school or college
You need to show evidence of your address.
The document must show your name and address and not be older than 3 months.
You can use any of the following documents to do this:
- household utility bill
- an official letter or document
- a financial statement
- property lease or tenancy agreement
- confirmation of address by a third party such as a hotel or hostel administrator or manager, school principal or property owner*
*If you are staying with friends or relatives, an original household bill plus a note from the bill holder confirming your residency at the bill address is acceptable. This note can be written on the bill itself.
An online PPS Number application service is available at mywelfare.ie for people living in Ireland who are at least 18 years of age.
In order to apply for a PPS Number online, you will need to have a basic MyGovID account. If you do not have a MyGovID account get one here.
You will need to upload photos or copies of:
You should ensure that all the documents that you upload are easy to read.
If you have any queries about your PPS Number application please contact your local PPS Number allocation centre.
Children born in the Republic of Ireland are usually given a PPS Number when their birth is registered with the General Register Office (GRO). This means you do not need to apply for a PPS Number for a child born in the state. However, if the birth is not registered within 3 months, a parent or guardian must make an application.
PPS Numbers for children living in, but not born in the Republic of Ireland, must be applied for by the parent or guardian. One of the parents or guardians must have a PPS Number for the child to be registered.
The parent, foster parent or guardian should complete an application form REG1M (below) for a PPS Number for their child aged under 18 years, and provide evidence of:
- their own identity
- the identity of the child
- the requirement for a PPS Number
- the relationship between the parent or guardian and the child
Evidence of address should also be provided.
You should submit the completed PPS Number application for the child to the PPS Number allocation centre.
After you have submitted the application, and once everything is in order, the department will post a letter to you with details of the PPS Number.
A person who is under 18 years of age is considered as a child for PPS Number allocation purposes.
If you are living outside Ireland and require a PPS Number for an interaction with a specified body in Ireland such as the Office of the Revenue Commissioners for reasons such as Taxation, Probate and the buying of property, you need to complete an application form Application form for a PPS Number (REG1) and also provide the following:
- Evidence of your address
- Proof of your identity
- Proof of reason for why a PPS Number is required
- PPS Number Exceptional Registration Application Form
- Consent form signed by you if the PPS Number is to be given to a third party representative, for example, a solicitor or accountant
- Questionnaire
Completed forms should be emailed to CIS@welfare.ie or posted to;
Department of Social Protection,
Shannon Lodge,
Carrick on Shannon,
Co. Leitrim, N41 KD81,
Republic of Ireland.
If you have any queries about your PPS Number application please contact your local PPS Number allocation centre.
