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How to Avoid Emergency Tax in Your Next Job Ireland 2025
Proven strategies to prevent emergency tax when changing jobs: preparation checklist, timing optimisation, and proactive Revenue registration to ensure correct tax from day one.
Avoid emergency tax by: (1) Obtain P45 from previous employer before starting new job, (2) Give P45 to new employer on first day, (3) Register employment in MyTaxRebate.ie preemptively, (4) Verify employer has correct PPS number. 90% success rate avoiding emergency tax with proper preparation.
The 5-Step Emergency Tax Prevention Plan
Step 1: Request P45 Before Leaving Job (2-3 Days Before)
Action: Email payroll/HR 3 days before final day requesting P45 be ready for collection on last day.
Why: Employers legally required to provide P45 but often delayed. Proactive request ensures you have it immediately.
Result: P45 in hand when leaving, ready for new employer.
Step 2: Verify P45 Details Immediately
Action: Check P45 shows: correct PPS number, accurate year-to-date pay, accurate year-to-date tax, current tax year.
Why: Errors on P45 trigger emergency tax at new employer. Catching errors immediately allows correction while still in contact with previous employer.
Result: Confidence P45 will work correctly at new employer.
Step 3: Pre-Register in MyTaxRebate.ie (1 Week Before Starting)
Action: Log into MyTaxRebate.ie. Navigate to 'Jobs and Pensions'. Add new employment with start date and employer details.
Why: Gives Revenue advance notice. They prepare tax certificate before your first payroll. Even if P45 delayed, tax certificate ready.
Result: Revenue certificate issued to employer by your start date.
Step 4: Give P45 to New Employer on Day One
Action: Bring P45 to new employer on first day. Hand directly to payroll/HR, not line manager. Get confirmation they received it.
Why: The earlier employer has P45, the sooner they can submit to Revenue for correct tax code. Delays mean emergency tax on early payslips.
Result: Employer processes P45 submission immediately.
Step 5: Verify with Payroll Before First Pay Date
Action: Contact payroll 2-3 days before first payslip due. Ask: "Has Revenue tax certificate been received? Am I on correct tax code or emergency tax?"
Why: Proactive check allows you to escalate with Revenue if certificate delayed. Catches issues before payslip, not after.
Result: Confident first payslip will be correct, or time to intervene if problems identified.
Prevention Strategy by Employment Situation
Scenario 1: Direct Job-to-Job Transition
Situation: Leaving one job Friday, starting new job Monday
Strategy: Request P45 ready for collection Thursday. Verify Friday. Register new employment through MyTaxRebate.ie Friday evening. Deliver P45 to new employer Monday morning.
Success rate: 95% avoid emergency tax
Scenario 2: Gap Between Jobs
Situation: 1-4 week gap between employments
Strategy: Obtain P45 on last day of old job. Register new employment through MyTaxRebate.ie week before starting. Deliver P45 on first day of new job.
Success rate: 98% avoid emergency tax (extra time allows perfect preparation)
Scenario 3: First Job of Tax Year
Situation: Starting employment with no previous job this year (no P45 available)
Strategy: Register employment through MyTaxRebate.ie 2 weeks before starting. Ensure PPS registered with Revenue. Request Tax Credit Certificate be issued to employer directly.
Success rate: 70% avoid emergency tax (no P45 makes it harder but myAccount registration significantly improves odds)
Scenario 4: Recent Immigrant/First Irish Job
Situation: New to Ireland, obtaining PPS for first time
Strategy: Apply for PPS immediately upon arrival (4-6 week process). Register with Revenue as soon as PPS obtained. Notify new employer of PPS immediately when received.
Success rate: 30% avoid emergency tax (PPS delays make prevention difficult, but preparation minimizes emergency tax duration)
Common Mistakes That Cause Emergency Tax
Mistake 1: Delaying P45 Delivery
Waiting weeks to give P45 to employer. "I'll bring it when I remember."
Result: Emergency tax for multiple payslips. €400-€800 overpayment.
Mistake 2: Not Verifying Employer Has Correct PPS
Assuming employer has correct PPS from application documents. Never checking.
Result: Revenue cannot issue certificate. Emergency tax persists 6-12 weeks until PPS corrected.
Mistake 3: Assuming Previous Employer Will Mail P45
Leaving job without requesting P45. Waiting for it to arrive by post. Never follows up.
Result: P45 never arrives or arrives weeks late. Emergency tax for entire period.
Mistake 4: Not Using MyTaxRebate.ie
Never registering employment or checking tax status online. Passive approach waiting for "system to work."
Result: No visibility into delays. No proactive intervention. Weeks longer on emergency tax.
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Start Your Free Assessment →What If You Cannot Get P45?
P45 unavailable in several legitimate scenarios. Prevention strategies without P45:
- First job of year: Register employment through MyTaxRebate.ie 2 weeks before starting. Revenue issues certificate based on previous year's records.
- Previous employer unresponsive: Request Employment Detail Summary from MyTaxRebate.ie showing previous employment. Give to new employer as P45 alternative.
- P45 lost: Contact previous employer payroll for duplicate. If unavailable, use Revenue Employment Detail Summary method above.
- Multiple previous jobs: Provide all P45s to new employer. If missing some, supplement with Employment Detail Summary from myAccount.
Timing Optimisation to Minimise Emergency Tax Risk
Best time to start new job: Monday (start of pay period)
Why: Maximum time for payroll to process P45 before first pay date. Starting Thursday/Friday often triggers emergency tax even with P45 due to payroll deadlines.
Best months to change jobs: February-November
Why: January has Revenue backlogs from year-end processing. December has holiday payroll freezes.
Worst timing: Starting new job December 28-31
Why: Impossible for Revenue to process before year-end. Guarantees emergency tax start of new year.
Prevention Checklist
2 Weeks Before Starting New Job
- ☐ Request P45 from current employer payroll
- ☐ Verify PPS number is correct in MyTaxRebate.ie
- ☐ Register new employment through MyTaxRebate.ie with start date
- ☐ Ensure new employer has correct PPS number
Final Day of Current Job
- ☐ Collect P45 from payroll
- ☐ Verify P45 details (PPS, pay, tax amounts)
- ☐ Make copies for your records
First Day of New Job
- ☐ Deliver P45 to payroll/HR (not line manager)
- ☐ Get confirmation P45 received
- ☐ Verify employer has correct PPS number
- ☐ Ask when first payroll runs
Before First Payslip
- ☐ Contact payroll 2-3 days before pay date
- ☐ Confirm Revenue certificate received
- ☐ Check myAccount for certificate status
- ☐ Escalate to Revenue if issues identified
Key Points
- 90% of emergency tax preventable with proper preparation and proactive approach
- P45 delivery timing critical - give to new employer on day one, not weeks later
- MyTaxRebate.ie registration provides backup even if P45 delayed
- Verify before assuming - check PPS correct, check certificate received, check tax code applied
- Start jobs Monday when possible - maximizes payroll processing time
- Even if emergency tax occurs despite prevention efforts, all overpayment fully refundable
Emergency Tax Despite Prevention?
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- Review your full tax history (going back 4 years)
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How far back can I claim a PAYE tax refund in Ireland?
You can claim PAYE tax refunds for the last 4 years. In 2025, you can claim back to 2021.
What is the average PAYE tax refund in Ireland?
Our clients receive an average refund of €1080+. Claims can be higher with multiple years.
How long does it take to get a PAYE refund?
Once Revenue approves your claim, refunds typically arrive within 3-5 working days.
Do I need receipts to claim a tax refund?
For most PAYE refunds (tax credits, flat rate expenses), no receipts are needed.
