A Personal Public Service (PPS) number in Ireland is the equivalent of the National Insurance number in Northern Ireland.

It is a unique identifier for use in any transactions you may have with public bodies e.g. to claim benefits or to register with the Revenue Commissioners.

A PPS number is always made up of 7 digits and 1 or 2 letters.

How to get your PPS number

Children born in the Republic of Ireland are usually given a PPS Number when their birth is registered with the General Register Office (GRO).

If you don’t have a number you can

• Download the relevant application forms(opens in new tab)
• Contact your local registration Centre (opens in new tab)

You will be asked to produce documentary evidence of identity and residence. The complete list of documents required can be found on the Department of Social Protection web page – PPS Number – How to Apply(opens in new tab)

How to find your PPS Number

Your PPS number can be found on tax documents and it is often used on correspondence from a social welfare or tax office. It may also be on your payslip, medical card or European Health Insurance Card.

Frontier workers

Please note that the PPS number is only valid in the Republic of Ireland.  To work in Northern Ireland you will need to apply for a National Insurance number. Please see the following Border People webpage for further information: National Insurance Number.

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.

You can find more information about applying for a PPS number from outside Ireland on gov.ie

See Also:

• Department of Social Protection – Get a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number
• Citizen’s Information website – Personal Public Service Number

Page last checked: December 2024

This webpage is for general information purposes only and while we endeavour to keep it up-to-date, errors may occur. It is very important that you check with the relevant body to ensure the information is current and is applicable to your situation.

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