myAccount is Revenue's online service for employees. It is where you register a new job, claim tax credits, check what your employer has reported, and file your annual return. For a newcomer it is also the single most effective tool for avoiding emergency tax, because it lets you tell Revenue about your job even before your employer's payroll catches up. This guide lists what you need, walks through registration and job set-up step by step, and explains the Revenue Payroll Notification that ties it all together.
What you need before you start
The PPS number is the critical piece. Apply for it as soon as you have an address in Ireland (there is a separate guide in the Paperwork section). If you already have a PPS number from an earlier stay, it is still valid; do not apply for a new one.
Step 1: register for myAccount
- Go to revenue.ie and choose "myAccount", then "Register now".
- Enter your PPS number, date of birth, name, address, mobile number and email.
- Choose a verification route. If you have a verified MyGovID (the account you may already have created for your PPS number application) you can sign in with it instantly. Otherwise Revenue can verify you online against information it holds, or it posts a temporary password to your address within a few working days.
- Log in, set your own password and complete two-factor authentication.
Register even if you have not started work yet. An existing account means you can act the moment your first payslip looks wrong.
Step 2: register your job
Most employers register new starters with Revenue through their payroll software before the first payday, and if yours does, the job will already appear under "PAYE Services" in myAccount. If it does not, add it yourself:
- In myAccount open PAYE Services and choose Update Job or Pension Details.
- Select "Add job" and enter the employer registration number, your start date and how often you are paid.
- Confirm whether this is your only employment. If you also have a second job or a pension, you can split your credits and rate band between them here.
- Submit. Revenue creates or updates your record and makes a new Revenue Payroll Notification (RPN) available to the employer straight away.
The RPN is what stops emergency tax. Your employer's payroll requests it electronically each pay run; it carries your annual credits (normally the Personal and Employee credits, €2,000 each in 2026), your standard rate band (€44,000 for a single person), your USC bands and whether calculations are cumulative or on a week 1 basis. Until an RPN exists, the payroll has nothing to go on and must apply emergency rates: 20% then 40% with no credits if it has your PPS number, or 40% on everything if it does not, plus 8% USC in both cases.
Step 3: check the first payslip
Once you have been paid, log in and open Manage Your Tax 2026. It shows the credits and rate band allocated to your job. Compare it with your payslip: the tax credit for the period should be visible (about €333 a month for a single employee) and the deductions should look like roughly 14% of gross on €35,000, not 40%. If emergency tax was applied, do nothing except confirm the RPN has now issued; the cumulative calculation on your next payslip repays the excess automatically. If several weeks pass with no correction, ring Revenue's PAYE helpline or use the "My Enquiries" service inside myAccount.
Step 4: claim your credits and keep it updated
While you are in Manage Your Tax, claim anything you are entitled to so it flows into your payslips immediately: the Rent Tax Credit (up to €1,000 for a single person in 2026), the remote working relief, flat-rate expenses for your occupation, and if you are married or in a civil partnership, tell Revenue so the joint assessment options are opened. Update your address when you move. In January each year, open the Preliminary End of Year Statement and file your return to receive the Statement of Liability and any refund due. Also consider registering for the Revenue app or enabling notifications, since Revenue communicates through the My Documents inbox rather than by post.
If you are self-employed or have a second job
Sole traders and contractors register for income tax through Revenue Online Service (ROS) rather than myAccount, and pay preliminary tax each October. If you are both employed and self-employed, you can use both. If you have two PAYE jobs, allocate your credits and rate band between them in myAccount, otherwise the second employer will receive an RPN with nothing left and deduct 40%.
