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Opening a bank account in Ireland – ID, proof of address and how to break the catch-22

Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →

To open a bank account in Ireland you need proof of address, and to get proof of address you usually need somewhere to live first. Here is what an Irish bank can actually ask for, which documents from Revenue and the Department of Social Protection unlock it, and where the Irish Residence Permit fits in.

Smiling woman holding a bank card to a payment terminal at a cafe table
Photo: Drobot Dean/Adobe Stock

Opening a bank account in Ireland is rarely hard because of money; it is hard because of paper. Anti-money-laundering law obliges every bank to see a photo ID and a separate proof of address less than six months old, and newcomers arrive with a passport and little else. One recent change helps: since 13 January 2025 non-EEA newcomers register at Burgh Quay, Dublin, for the Irish Residence Permit (IRP), which banks may accept as photo ID.

What ID and proof of address do Irish banks accept?

The Central Bank of Ireland does not prescribe which documents a bank must take; each provider decides, and Citizens Information lists the examples below. The same document cannot serve as both, the names must match, and for a joint account both of you show both. If you lack the standard documents, ask the bank about alternatives; there is a dedicated guide for refugees and international protection applicants.

PurposeExamples banks may acceptAge limit
Photo IDValid passport; valid driving licence; Irish Residence Permit; Irish Government Travel Document; Temporary Residence CertificateMust be valid
Proof of addressCurrent utility bill; current car or home insurance policy; a government department document showing your address; a Tax Credit Certificate or Statement of Liability from RevenueLess than 6 months old (12 months for an insurance policy)

Source: Citizens Information and the Central Bank of Ireland, read 24 September 2026.

Breaking the catch-22: which document unlocks which

Each authority has its own idea of how fresh a proof of address must be. Get the document with the most lenient rule first and let it generate the next one.

Who asksProof of address must beNote
PPS numberNo older than 3 monthsStaying with friends or relatives: an original household bill plus a note from the bill holder is accepted
Public Services CardDated within the last 6 monthsPhotocopies, work ID cards and Garda age cards are not accepted
BankLess than 6 months old12 months for an insurance policy; Revenue tax documents count
HSE (Health Service Executive), ordinary residenceDated within the last 12 monthsLease, bank statement, utility bill, insurance policy or government document
Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), change of addressDated in the last 3 monthsA legal duty under section 9 of the Immigration Act 2004 for IRP holders

Source: the Department of Social Protection, Citizens Information, the HSE and Immigration Service Delivery, read 24 September 2026.

Take Anna, who arrives from Portugal for a job in Galway and sleeps on a friend's sofa. Her friend's electricity bill, with a note confirming she lives there, is enough for the PPS number: she applies on MyWelfare, attends her appointment at the Galway Intreo Centre on Fairgreen Road, and the number arrives by post. With it she registers for Revenue myAccount and registers her job; a copy of her Tax Credit Certificate is a proof of address a bank may accept. Whether a bank also takes the letter that brought her PPS number is the bank's own call.

The basic bank account: free banking for at least a year

If you are legally resident in the EU and have no other current or payment account in Ireland, you can open a basic bank account: free for everyday banking for at least the first year, and for up to five years if the amount paid in each year is less than the minimum wage. No overdraft, no cheque book, and only one such account.

Current accounts are offered by banks, credit unions and An Post. The bank must give you a fee information document before opening and a statement of fees at least once a year. MABS has a helpline on 0818 07 2000, and under the Central Bank's Switching Code a new bank must have your account running within 10 days of the agreed switching date.

PPS number, Public Services Card or IRP – which do you need first?

The PPS number (Personal Public Service number) is seven digits followed by one or two letters. You cannot apply before you are in Ireland, and you get one only when you need it for a public service: taking up a job counts, looking for one does not. The Public Services Card (PSC) proves your identity for public services and carries the PPS number on the back. The IRP proves a non-EEA national is legally in Ireland; ISD says it is not an identity card, yet banks list it among the photo IDs they may accept.

DocumentWhoHowThen
PPS numberAnyone who needs it for a public service; from 18 in your own nameOnline on MyWelfare with a basic MyGovID account, then an in-person appointmentPosted to you, not issued on the spot
Public Services CardAnyone residing at an address on the island of IrelandA 15-minute appointment: photo and signature taken; bring photo ID and proof of address within 6 monthsPosted within 7–10 working days to an Irish address only; valid 10 years
Irish Residence PermitNon-EEA nationals aged 16 or over staying more than 90 daysBook through the ISD Customer Service Portal after arrival; register at Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, within 90 days; €300 by card, waived for under-18s among othersCard posted within 10 working days; renewals online, from 12 weeks before expiry

Source: the Department of Social Protection, MyGovID and Immigration Service Delivery, read 24 September 2026.

Revenue myAccount, emergency tax and your first payslip

Revenue myAccount is the single login for PAYE services, Local Property Tax and tax credits. Registering takes your PPS number, date of birth, phone number, email and home address; instant access needs two of an Irish driving licence number, payslip information or a notice of assessment, so most newcomers choose the password by post.

Register your first job yourself in myAccount, under Jobs and Pensions, with the employer's tax registration number, start date, pay frequency and, as a recent arrival, your arrival date; later jobs are registered by the employer. Do it before your first pay day. Without a PPS number all pay is taxed at 40 per cent with no credits; with a PPS number but an unregistered job you get the single person's weekly band of €846.16 at 20 per cent for four weeks, then 40 per cent on everything, plus emergency USC (Universal Social Charge) at a flat 8 per cent in 2026. Private renters claim the Rent Tax Credit of €1,000 a year here too, available for 2022 until 2028.

Your credit history starts at zero: the Central Credit Register

Ireland has no private credit-scoring bureau; the Irish Credit Bureau stopped providing ratings on 30 September 2021 and deleted its records. Credit reports are held by the Central Credit Register, run by the Central Bank, which records loans of €500 or more and gives no score. A loan is included only if you lived in Ireland when you applied or the agreement is governed by Irish law, so your foreign mortgage will not follow you.

Lenders must check the register for any loan of €2,000 or more, without your consent; employers and landlords cannot see it. It has recorded loans since 30 June 2017 and keeps each for five years after the last payment. Your own report is free, requested online with proof of identity, address and PPS number.

What to do now

StepWhatWhen
1Secure any address – a friend's home counts – and a household bill with a note from the bill holderFirst week
2Apply for the PPS number on MyWelfare and attend the appointmentOnce you have a job offer or another public-service reason
3Non-EEA nationals: book Burgh Quay through the ISD portalWithin 90 days of arrival
4Register for Revenue myAccount and register your first jobBefore your first pay day
5Open a basic bank account with photo ID and a proof of address under 6 months oldOnce a Revenue or government document shows your address

Source: Citizens Information, the Department of Social Protection, Revenue and Immigration Service Delivery, read 24 September 2026.

Official sources

The official pages this guide is based on, read 24 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.

Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice for your individual situation. Check with the authority named above before you act – rules change, and your case may differ.