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Rent Tax Credit 2026: how to claim your €1,000
If you rent in Ireland and pay income tax, you almost certainly qualify for the Rent Tax Credit. It's worth up to €1,000 a year (€2,000 for jointly assessed couples), it's backdated, and Revenue.ie reports a huge chunk of eligible renters still haven't claimed. This guide takes you through it in plain English, with the exact myAccount path.
What is the Rent Tax Credit?
It's a tax credit introduced in Budget 2023 to give some money back to private-sector renters. Unlike a deduction, it comes off your tax bill directly: claim €1,000 of credit and your tax bill drops by €1,000 (assuming you've paid at least that much in tax that year — you can't get back more than you paid in).
Who qualifies?
- You're paying rent on a property in Ireland that you live in as your main home, or
- You're paying rent on a property your child lives in while attending an approved third-level course, or
- You're paying rent on a property you live in for the purpose of work or an approved course (digs, etc.).
You also need to be paying Irish income tax. The credit can't be more than the tax you've paid.
How much can I claim?
- €1,000 per year if you're single (claim years 2024, 2025, 2026)
- €2,000 per year if you're jointly assessed with a spouse / civil partner
- For earlier claim years (2022, 2023) the amount was lower (€500 / €1,000) — check Revenue's site for exact figures
How far back can I claim?
You can claim retrospectively for the four most recent tax years. So in 2026 you can still claim 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 if you were renting and didn't claim at the time. That can add up to several thousand euro you're owed.
What proof does Revenue want?
Revenue usually doesn't ask for proof up front, but you should keep:
- The landlord's name and address
- The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) registration number, if your tenancy is registered
- The address of the rented property
- The amount paid each year
- Bank statements or receipts showing the rent payments
If you're claiming for a property you rented but no longer live in, you'll still need this information for the years you're claiming.
The myAccount path (about 10 minutes)
- Sign in to Revenue myAccount (you'll need your PPS number, date of birth and password — or use MyGovID).
- From the dashboard, click PAYE Services.
- Choose Review your tax 2022-2025 for past years, or Manage Your Tax 2026 for the current year.
- For past years: click Request Statement of Liability for the year you want to claim.
- You'll be walked through a short questionnaire — when it asks about credits, find Rent Tax Credit and click Add.
- Fill in landlord name, RTB number (if you have it), property address, and amount of rent paid that year.
- Submit. Revenue typically processes within a few weeks; the refund goes to the bank account on file in myAccount.
For the current tax year, you can also add the credit to your tax cert so your monthly take-home goes up rather than getting a lump sum at year-end.
What if I don't have an RTB number?
You can still claim — Revenue allows it. You may be asked to provide your landlord's details so they can verify. Note that landlords are legally required to register tenancies with the RTB, so a missing RTB number may be a sign your landlord isn't compliant.
What if I'm renting in "digs" or a room in someone's house?
You can usually still claim, provided the room is your main residence and you're paying rent (not just sharing bills with family). The "Rent a Room" scheme on the landlord's side doesn't disqualify you on the
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Drop your bank statement into Skint and we'll surface your rent payments — useful evidence for your Revenue claim, and a starting point for your tax-back estimate.
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