Personal Public Service (PPS) number

Your Personal Public Service (PPS) number is a unique reference number that helps you access social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland.

A PPS Number is always 7 numbers followed by either one or 2 letters. It is sometimes called a PPSN.

You have a PPS number if:

• You were born in Ireland in or after 1971
• You started work in Ireland after 1979
• You are getting a social welfare payment
• You are taking part in the Drugs Payment Scheme

PPS numbers are printed on the following documents:

• Public Services Card
• Public Services Card
• Drugs Payment Scheme Card
• Medical Card
• GP visit card
• European Health Insurance Card
• Tax Assessment
• PAYE Notice of Tax Credits
• Temporary Payment Card

If you do not know your PPS number, contact your Intreo Centre or local Social Welfare Branch Office and staff there can find your number for you.

I have the same PPS number as my husband

If your PPS number is the same as your husband’s PPS number, but the last letter is W, you must get a new PPS number in the following circumstances:

• Your spouse is deceased
• You are divorced or separated
• You were issued with a Social Insurance number before 1979

You can contact Client Identity Services in the Department of Social Protection (see contact details below) for help. Read more about the phasing out of W Numbers on Gov.ie.

You need your PPS number to use certain public services. Only certain services are allowed to ask for your PPS number.

For example, if you are starting work, you need a PPS number to register with the Revenue Commissioners. However, when you are looking for work, employers should not ask for your PPS number when recruiting. An employer should only ask for your PPS number when you are actually taking up employment with the company.

You can use your PPS number for:

• All social welfare services
• The Free Travel Pass
• Pupil ID
• Public health services, including the medical card and the Drugs Payment Scheme
• Child immunisation
• Schemes run by the Revenue Commissioners, such as mortgage interest relief
• Housing grants
• Driver theory testing and driving licences

If you are unsure whether a particular organisation, person or agent is allowed to ask for (or use) your PPS number, contact Client Identity Services in the Department of Social Protection (see contact details below).

To get a PPS number, you must show proof of:

• Your identity
• Why you need a PPS number
• Your address

Proof of your identity

Proof of your address

You must show proof of your address using any of the following documents (the document must show your name and address and not be older than 3 months):

• A 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, a school principal or administrator, or accommodation or property owner*

*If you are staying with friends or relatives, you can use an original household bill, plus a note from the bill holder confirming your residency at the bill address. This note can be written on the bill itself.

If you change your address

If you have your PPS number and a verified MyGovID then you can update your address using MyWelfare.ie.

If you change your address and you don't have a verified MyGovID, you should write to the DSP giving your name, PPS number, old and new address, and proof of your new address (such as a utility bill). The Department of Social Protection (DSP) will then update your record.

You can scan your completed forms, and email or post them to Client Identity Services (see address below).

A person who is under 18 years of age is considered a child for PPS number applications.

Children born in Ireland are given a PPS number if they are registered with the General Register Office (GRO) within 3 months of their birth. In this case, you do not need to apply for your child’s PPS number.

You must apply for a child’s PPS number if:

• The child’s birth is not registered within 3 months
• The child is born in Ireland and both parents’ addresses are outside Ireland
• The child is living in Ireland, but not born in Ireland

One of the parents or guardians must have a PPS number for the child to be registered and linked with their data.

Applying for a child's PPS number

To get a PPS number for a child, a parent or guardian should complete an application form REG1M (pdf) and provide proof of:

• Their own identity
• The child’s identity
• The need for a PPS number
• The relationship between the parent (or guardian) and the child
• Their address

You should submit the completed application form to your nearest PPS Number Allocation Centre.

After your application is processed, the DSP will post a letter to you with your child’s PPS Number.

Applying online

You can fill in your application for a PPS number online using MyWelfare.ie. You will need to attend an in-person appointment to complete your application.

To start your application online, you must:

• Be living in Ireland
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have a basic MyGovID account.

When filling in the online form, you must upload:

• A copy of your photo identity document (passport, driving licence, ID card, etc.) If you do not have valid documents, you should provide whatever ID documents you do have
• Proof of why you need a PPS number
• Proof of your address

The documents you upload must be easy to read.

Once you fill in your online application and upload your documents, the DSP will contact you with details of your in-person appointment.

Applying from outside Ireland

You can apply for a PPS number if you are living outside Ireland and need a PPS number for an interaction with a specified body in Ireland. For example, someone who is a beneficiary under an Irish will may need a PPS number before a grant of probate can issue.

The DSP's Client Identity Services (CIS) has a service for non-resident applicants who need a PPS number and cannot attend at a designated PPS Registration Centre.

You cannot use this service if you are living in, or intend to relocate to, Ireland for any period of time. Read our page about PPS numbers for returning Irish emigrants and their families.

If you are living in Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom and are working in Ireland (a cross-border worker), you must apply for a PPS number at a designated PPS Number Allocation Centre.

Find more information about applying for a PPS number from outside Ireland on Gov.ie.

How do I get a PPS number for a person who has died?

Sometimes, a PPS number may be needed for a person who has died, usually when dealing with grant of probate.

In these cases, you should send a copy of the death certificate and details about why you need the PPS number to the DSP's Client Identity Services (see contact details below).