BISS replaced the old Basic Payment Scheme. Most other farm schemes hang off it too, because you apply for them with your BISS application. Getting BISS right is the base everything else sits on.
Quick facts
- Maximum a year
- €66,000
- Minimum
- €100
- Advance
- May be paid in October
- Balancing payments
- From December
- 2026 closing date
- 15 May 2026 (late until 9 June)
- Apply on
- MyAgFood.ie
Who qualifies for BISS
- At least one eligible hectare
- A registered herd number, or one applied for before midnight on 15 May 2026
- You are an active farmer
To be an active farmer you need at least some stock or farming activity. "Have a minimum stocking rate of 0.10 livestock units per hectare (the equivalent of at least one ewe per hectare)" You must also be doing other farming activities, such as crops, hay, silage or topping.
"You do not have to own the land to qualify for BISS, but you must have control over it, for example, by leasing or renting it."
Which land counts
An eligible hectare is agricultural land used for farming: arable land, permanent crops, permanent grassland, agroforestry and paludiculture on rewetted peat. Keeping land in good condition counts too, such as cutting hedges, mulching and topping.
You do not have to measure it. "Eligible hectares are automatically calculated using the best imagery available and displayed on the BISS online system."
Hedges, drains, small ponds and stone walls do not knock land out. "Beneficial features can make up to 50% of a land parcel without affecting the eligibility of the land for BISS." Above half, the support is reduced.
Roads, yards, buildings, sports pitches and ponds over 0.2 hectares are taken off.
How much you get, and when
"You get 1 payment entitlement for 1 eligible hectare of land." What each entitlement is worth depends on your past direct payments and any National Reserve allocation. Values are being moved towards a national average each year, called convergence.
"You can check the value of your entitlements on your MyAgFood.ie account." Use them or lose them: "These entitlements must be used in 2 years."
"The maximum amount you can get in one year is €66,000." "The minimum is €100."
"An advance payment may be made in October. Balancing payments under the BISS start in December."
Applying, late changes and help
For 2026, "The final date for applying was midnight on Friday, 15 May 2026." Late applications were taken until 9 June, with a penalty.
Late changes cost money. "The penalty is 1% payment reduction for each working day the amendment is late."
You apply on MyAgFood.ie. An FAS approved advisor can do it for you, but "You will have to pay the FAS advisor for this service." The Department also runs in-person farmer clinics in April and May.
Young farmers under 40 can get extra support on top of BISS, through the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers and the National Reserve. See our farm families guide.
Common questions
How much is the BISS payment?
It depends on your eligible hectares and the value of your entitlements. The maximum in one year is €66,000 and the minimum is €100.
When is the BISS advance paid in 2026?
Citizens Information says an advance payment may be made in October, and balancing payments start in December.
Do I need to own land to get BISS?
No. You must have control of it, for example by leasing or renting it.
What happens if I don't use my BISS entitlements?
Entitlements must be used within 2 years. If you do not use them, you lose them to the National Reserve.
Is it too late to apply for BISS 2026?
Yes. The closing date was 15 May 2026, and late applications were accepted until 9 June 2026 with a penalty.
Who can apply for BISS for me?
A Farm Advisory System (FAS) approved advisor, which you pay for, or you can get help at a Department farmer clinic.