RTB registration: what it means for tenants
Every private tenancy in Ireland must be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board — by the landlord, every year. Here's what that means for you, why it's the real reason you're asked for your PPS number, and how to check your own tenancy.
Updated 14-Aug-2026 · General information for renters, not legal advice
The rules, tenant's-eye view
- ✓Your landlord must register the tenancy with the RTB within one month of it starting — and renew that registration every year
- ✓The standard fee is €40 per tenancy per year, paid by the landlord — never by you
- ✓The registration form asks for each tenant's name and PPS number — which is why a landlord legitimately asks for yours once a tenancy is agreed
- ✓Registration is the landlord's legal obligation; you don't have to do anything to make it happen
🪪 When to share your PPS number — and when not to
Registration is the legitimate reason a landlord needs your PPSN — after you've agreed a tenancy. Nobody needs it to show you a property or process an application, and handing it to strangers is how identity theft starts. Our documents guide covers what's reasonable to share at each stage.
Checking your own tenancy
The RTB publishes a public register of tenancies at rtb.ie — search your address and see whether a registered tenancy exists for it. It shows the tenancy, not your personal details. Worth doing a month or two into a new tenancy: a landlord who registers on time is usually a landlord who runs everything else properly too.
If your address isn't there, the consequences fall on the landlord, not you: late registration costs them more (€80 per missed year), and an unregistered landlord can't bring a dispute to the RTB — while you still can. A tenant's access to the RTB's dispute resolution service doesn't depend on the landlord having done their paperwork.
Why the RTB matters when something goes wrong
The RTB is where rental disputes in Ireland actually get resolved — deposits not returned, invalid notices of termination, rent set above the caps, substandard conditions. It's designed to be used without a solicitor, for a small fee, through mediation or adjudication, and its orders are enforceable. Knowing your tenancy is registered — and that the service exists — changes the balance of a difficult conversation with a landlord before anyone files anything.
🔵 Registration cuts both ways — and that's good
HomePass verifies both sides of the market: tenants prove identity, employment and income; landlords and agents prove who they are too — private landlords show ownership proof (an RTB registration is one accepted document), and letting agents have their PSRA licence checked against the public register. A market where everyone is checkable is safer for everyone in it.
Sources: rtb.ie and citizensinformation.ie. Summarised as of 14-Aug-2026.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my landlord want my PPS number?
Because they legally must register your tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board within a month of it starting, and the registration form asks for each tenant's name and PPSN. That is the legitimate reason to share it — once you have actually agreed a tenancy. You should not need to hand over your PPS number just to view a property or make an application.
How do I check my tenancy is registered with the RTB?
The RTB publishes a searchable public register at rtb.ie — look up your address and see whether a registered tenancy is shown for it. The register shows that a tenancy exists at the address; it does not publish your name or personal details.
What happens if my landlord never registered the tenancy?
The obligation — and the consequences — sit entirely with the landlord: late registration costs them extra, and an unregistered landlord cannot bring their own case to the RTB. Your protections don't disappear: a tenant can still use the RTB's dispute resolution service even if the landlord failed to register.
Does RTB registration cost the tenant anything?
No. The registration fee (€40 per tenancy per year at the standard rate) is the landlord's to pay, every year. Nothing about registration should ever appear as a charge to you.
What does the RTB actually do for tenants?
The Residential Tenancies Board is the public body that regulates renting in Ireland: it registers tenancies, publishes rent data, and — most importantly when things go wrong — runs a dispute resolution service that both tenants and landlords use instead of the courts, covering deposits, notices of termination, rent disputes and standards.
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