Emergency tax is a temporary tax status applied when Revenue doesn't have your correct employment details. It results in significantly higher tax deductions until your records are sorted.
📊 Emergency Tax Quick Facts
- What it is: Temporary high-tax status
- Why it happens: Missing tax details with Revenue
- Cost: €100-€700+ per month in overpayments
- Duration: Until your RPN is issued
- Refundable: Yes, 100% of overpayments
What Exactly is Emergency Tax?
When you start a new job, your employer needs your tax credits and rate band from Revenue (called an RPN - Revenue Payroll Notification). If they don't have this, they're legally required to apply emergency tax rates instead.
Emergency tax means:
- Higher tax rates (up to 40% on all earnings)
- No tax credits applied
- Significantly reduced take-home pay
Why Does Emergency Tax Happen?
The most common reasons are:
- New job: Employer hasn't received your RPN yet
- Missing PPS Number: Employer can't request your tax details
- First job: No previous employment records exist
- Returning to Ireland: Records need updating
- Administrative delays: Revenue processing backlog
How Much Does Emergency Tax Cost?
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