If you rent your home in Ireland, there's a good chance Revenue owes you money right now. The Rent Tax Credit is worth up to €1,000 per person (€2,000 for a couple who both pay rent) — yet a huge number of renters have never claimed it. The whole thing takes about ten minutes, and you can backdate it.
This guide walks you through exactly who qualifies, how much you'll get, and every click to claim it through Revenue myAccount.
Quick facts
- Worth
- €1,000 per person · €2,000 per renting couple
- Who
- Anyone paying for private rented accommodation in Ireland
- Time to claim
- About 10 minutes online
- Backdate
- Yes — up to 4 years (2022 onward)
- Where
- Revenue myAccount → Tax Credits
Do you qualify?
You can claim the Rent Tax Credit if you pay rent for a private tenancy that is your home. That includes:
- Rent on your main home (where you live).
- Rent on a second property you use to take part in work or an approved course.
- Rent you pay for a child in approved third-level education (under certain conditions).
It applies to PAYE workers and self-assessed taxpayers alike. The main situations that don't qualify are rent paid to a local authority (council housing), rent covered by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or other state housing supports, and "rent-a-room" arrangements with a close family member.
How much you'll get
For 2025 and 2026 the credit is worth up to €1,000 per person. Because it's a tax credit, it reduces the income tax you owe euro-for-euro — so if you've already paid that tax through your wages, it comes back to you as a refund.
If you're a couple who are jointly assessed and you both pay rent, you can each claim — up to €2,000 combined. The credit is capped at the tax you actually paid, so it's worth claiming every year you were renting.
Claim it step by step
Log in to Revenue myAccount
Go to revenue.ie and sign in to myAccount. No account yet? Click "Register for myAccount" — you'll need your PPS number, and a confirmation code posts out within a few days.
Go to PAYE Services → "Review your tax"
From the myAccount dashboard, open PAYE Services, then Review your tax 2022–2025. Pick the year you want to claim for. You can do each renting year separately.
Request a Statement of Liability
Select the year and choose to complete an Income Tax Return. This is the form where you add credits. (Self-assessed? You'll claim it on your Form 11 instead.)
Add the Rent Tax Credit
In the Tax Credits & Reliefs section, choose You and your family → Rent Tax Credit. Tick it to claim.
Enter your tenancy details
You'll be asked for the landlord's name, the rented property's address, the RTB registration number (if you have it), and the total rent you paid that year. Have a lease or bank statements nearby to confirm amounts.
Submit — and get paid
Finish and submit the return. Revenue issues an updated Statement of Liability, and any refund is paid to the bank account on your record, usually within about five working days. Repeat for each earlier year you rented.
Don't forget to backdate
The Rent Tax Credit has been available since 2022. If you were renting in earlier years and never claimed, you can still go back and claim each of those years — potentially several thousand euro in one sitting. Each year is a separate Income Tax Return in myAccount, but the steps are identical.
Common questions
I share a flat with housemates — can we all claim?
My landlord isn't registered with the RTB. Can I still claim?
I'm on HAP / the council pays part of my rent. Does it count?
How long until I see the money?
Check the official sources
This guide is general information, not financial or tax advice. Rules and amounts can change — always confirm the current details on Revenue.ie before you claim.
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