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Emergency Tax in Ireland: Why It Happens & How to Get a Refund
If you have ever started a new job in Ireland and been shocked by how little your first pay packet was, there is a good chance you were placed on emergency tax. Emergency tax is a temporary measure that Revenue requires employers to apply when they do not have the correct tax details for an employee. It often results in significantly higher deductions than the employee should actually pay. The good news is that emergency tax is fully refundable once the situation is resolved. This guide explains why it happens, how the rates work, and the exact steps you need to take to get your money back.
What is emergency tax?
Emergency tax is a set of higher-than-normal tax rates that employers must apply when Revenue has not issued a Revenue Payroll Notification (RPN) for an employee. The RPN tells the employer what tax credits and standard rate cut-off point to use when calculating the employee's tax. Without it, the employer has no way to know the correct deductions, so Revenue requires them to apply emergency rates as a precaution.
Emergency tax is designed to prevent a situation where an employee pays too little tax and is hit with a large bill at the end of the year. By applying higher rates from the outset, Revenue ensures that any adjustment will be in the employee's favour - resulting in a refund rather than an underpayment. While this is prudent from a revenue-collection perspective, it can cause genuine financial hardship for employees who are unaware of what is happening or how to resolve it.
Why does emergency tax get applied?
There are several common scenarios that trigger emergency tax:
- New job without registration: You start a new job but have not registered the employment with Revenue through myAccount, or your employer has not requested an RPN.
- First job in Ireland: You are new to the Irish tax system, do not yet have a PPS number registered with Revenue, or have not set up myAccount.
- PPS number not provided: You have not given your PPS number to your employer, so they cannot request your RPN.
- Multiple employments: You start a second job but have not informed Revenue, so no RPN is issued for the new employment.
- Returning to Ireland: You have been working abroad and your Irish tax record has lapsed or become dormant.
- Revenue system delays: Occasionally, even when everything is done correctly, there can be a short delay in Revenue issuing the RPN.
How emergency tax rates work
Emergency tax applies in stages, becoming more punitive the longer the situation goes unresolved. The exact treatment depends on how many pay periods have passed since the employment started.
First pay period (week 1 / month 1)
In the first pay period, the employee is given a proportion of the standard rate cut-off point and tax credits for a single person on a week-1 or month-1 basis. This means:
- Monthly employees receive €3,500 taxed at 20% (one-twelfth of the €42,000 SRCOP), with the balance at 40%.
- Monthly tax credits of approximately €312.50 (one-twelfth of €3,750) are applied.
For the first pay period, emergency tax is not dramatically different from the correct tax for a single person. The main issue is that it does not account for any additional credits or an increased SRCOP that the employee might be entitled to.
Second and subsequent pay periods
From the second pay period onwards, the position worsens significantly. If the RPN has still not been issued:
- No tax credits are applied.
- The standard rate cut-off point is still applied on a week-1/month-1 basis, but without credits the tax bill increases substantially.
After four weeks (or the second month)
If the situation remains unresolved after four weeks (for weekly-paid employees) or the second month (for monthly-paid employees), the most punitive emergency rates kick in:
- All income is taxed at the higher rate of 40%.
- No tax credits are applied.
- No standard rate cut-off point is applied.
At this stage, the employee is paying 40% income tax on every euro earned, plus USC and PRSI. For someone earning €4,000 per month, the emergency tax alone would be €1,600, compared to approximately €525 under normal taxation for a single person. The difference of over €1,000 per month is why resolving emergency tax quickly is so important.
How much extra do you pay on emergency tax?
The following table illustrates the monthly impact of emergency tax compared to correct taxation for a single person earning €50,000 per year.
| Scenario | Monthly Income Tax | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Correct taxation (single, standard credits) | €654 | - |
| Emergency tax (month 1) | €747 | +€93 |
| Emergency tax (month 2 - no credits) | €1,060 | +€406 |
| Emergency tax (month 3+ - 40% flat) | €1,667 | +€1,013 |
As the table shows, the financial penalty escalates rapidly. After just three months on emergency tax, the employee has overpaid by approximately €1,512 in income tax alone. Adding the USC and PRSI components (which are generally unaffected by emergency tax), the total take-home pay can be dramatically lower than it should be.
How to resolve emergency tax - step by step
Resolving emergency tax is straightforward once you know the process. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Get your PPS number
If you do not already have a Personal Public Service (PPS) number, you need to obtain one. Irish citizens are assigned a PPS number at birth. If you are a foreign national, you can apply for a PPS number at your local PPS Registration Centre. You will need proof of identity (passport), proof of address in Ireland, and evidence of why you need a PPS number (such as an employment contract or job offer letter).
Step 2: Register on Revenue myAccount
Go to revenue.ie/myaccount and register for an account using your PPS number and a MyGovID login. If you do not have a MyGovID account, you will need to create one first at mygovid.ie. The verification process requires photo ID and may take a few days.
Step 3: Register your new employment
Once logged into myAccount, navigate to "Manage Your Tax" and then "Update Job or Pension Details." Enter your employer's name, their tax registration number (which should be on your payslip or available from your employer), and your start date. Submit the request.
Step 4: Revenue issues the RPN
Revenue will process your request and issue an RPN to your employer, usually within a few days. The RPN contains your correct tax credits and standard rate cut-off point. Your employer will apply these from your next pay date.
Step 5: Automatic refund
Because the PAYE system operates on a cumulative basis, any emergency tax overpaid will be automatically refunded through your pay. Once your employer receives the correct RPN, they will recalculate your year-to-date tax liability, determine that you have overpaid, and refund the excess in your next pay packet. You do not need to apply for a separate refund - it happens automatically through payroll.
Emergency tax and USC
Emergency USC rates can also apply if Revenue does not have your details. In the first pay period, the standard USC rates are applied. From the second pay period onwards, the top USC rate of 8% may be applied to all income. This compounds the effect of emergency income tax, further reducing your take-home pay.
As with emergency income tax, overpaid USC is refunded automatically once the correct RPN is issued and your employer recalculates on a cumulative basis.
Emergency tax for people returning to Ireland
If you have been living and working abroad and return to Ireland to take up employment, you may find yourself on emergency tax even if you previously had an Irish PPS number and myAccount. This happens because your tax record may have been marked as dormant during your absence.
To resolve this, log into myAccount (or register again if your account has expired) and register your new employment as described above. You may also need to confirm your tax residency status with Revenue, particularly if you were working in a country with which Ireland has a double taxation agreement. In most cases, the process is the same as for any new employment, and the emergency tax will be refunded once your details are updated.
Preventing emergency tax
The best way to deal with emergency tax is to prevent it from being applied in the first place. Here are the key actions to take before or immediately after starting a new job:
- Ensure you have a valid PPS number and have registered on Revenue myAccount.
- Give your PPS number to your new employer on or before your first day.
- Log into myAccount and register the new employment as soon as you accept the job offer.
- If you are leaving a previous employment, ensure your former employer has notified Revenue (a P45 is no longer issued, but your former employer should submit a final payroll notification).
- Check myAccount after a few days to confirm that the RPN has been issued to your new employer.
If you follow these steps proactively, it is unlikely you will ever be placed on emergency tax. The entire process can be completed online in under 15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get an emergency tax refund?
Once Revenue issues your correct RPN to your employer, the refund is typically included in your next regular pay packet. If you register your employment on myAccount today, Revenue usually processes the RPN within 1-5 working days. Your employer then applies the correct credits and the cumulative system automatically calculates the refund. In total, you can expect to see the refund within one to two pay cycles.
Can I call Revenue to resolve emergency tax?
Yes. You can contact Revenue's PAYE helpline to resolve emergency tax over the phone. However, using myAccount is usually faster and can be done at any time. If you cannot access myAccount (for example, because you have not yet verified your MyGovID), calling Revenue is a valid alternative. Have your PPS number, employer's details, and your start date ready when you call.
What if I was on emergency tax for a full year and never resolved it?
If you were on emergency tax for an entire year without resolving it, you will have significantly overpaid tax. You can still claim a refund by registering on myAccount and requesting an end-of-year review (a "Statement of Liability") for the year in question. Revenue will recalculate your tax for the full year using the correct credits and rate bands, and issue a refund for the overpayment. You can claim refunds for up to four years after the tax year in question.