RTB registration in Ireland, step by step (2026)

Every new tenancy in Ireland must be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) within one month of the tenancy starting. This isn't optional. It costs €40 per tenancy per year, takes about 15 minutes online, and protects you legally in ways most landlords don't appreciate until they need it.

Here's exactly what to do.

Why it matters (beyond the legal obligation)

Skip the philosophy if you just want the steps, but here are the three reasons RTB registration is genuinely useful to you as a landlord, not just a box to tick:

1. You can't legally take a deposit, increase the rent, or end a tenancy unless the tenancy is registered.
2. Disputes go through the RTB, not the courts. This is fast and cheap (typically 4 to 8 weeks, no solicitor needed) but only if you're registered. Unregistered landlords lose this option and have to use the regular court system, which costs thousands and takes a year or more.
3. Non-registration is now a criminal offence with fines up to €4,000 plus €250 per day of continuing non-compliance. Local authorities and the RTB actively cross-check.

Before you start

Have these ready (the portal will reject the submission if anything's missing):

• The property's full address and Eircode
• BER (Building Energy Rating) certificate number, and rating
• Your details as the landlord (or company details if held in a company)
• The tenant's full name, PPS number, and date of birth
• The tenancy start date
• The monthly rent and the deposit amount
• Bank details for the €40 payment

Tenants are legally required to give you their PPS number for this purpose. If yours refuses, you cannot legally register the tenancy, which means you cannot legally proceed with the let. Walk away from any tenant who refuses.

The 5-step process

Step 1: Create an RTB landlord account

Go to rtb.ie and click "Register a tenancy". If this is your first registration, you'll create an account using your PPS number or your company's CRO number. Verification is by post (a code arrives within 3-5 working days), so do this before the tenancy begins if possible.

Step 2: Add the property

Enter the address, Eircode, and BER details. The portal pulls the BER record automatically from SEAI's database, so the rating shows up if your cert is valid. If you don't have a current BER cert, stop and arrange one with an SEAI-registered assessor before continuing. The cert is mandatory.

Step 3: Add the tenancy

This is the main form. The fields:

• Tenancy start date (when the tenant moves in, not when you signed the lease)
• Number of occupants (adults + children)
• Rent amount per month
• Rent frequency (monthly is standard; if you charge weekly, convert: 52 weeks × weekly rent ÷ 12)
• Deposit amount (typically one month's rent; legally cannot exceed two months under most circumstances)
• Lease type (fixed-term or part 4)
• Number of bedrooms and property type (apartment / house / studio / etc.)

Step 4: Add the tenant details

For every tenant aged 18+, you need:

• Full legal name
• PPS number
• Date of birth
• Contact email and phone number

If the tenancy has multiple tenants on a joint lease, add each separately. They all become parties to the RTB registration.

Step 5: Pay and submit

€40 per tenancy per year. The fee renews annually and the RTB will email you a reminder ~30 days before each renewal. Pay by card; submit. You'll get an email confirmation immediately and a formal registration certificate within 5 working days.

After registration

The RTB sends a letter to the tenants confirming they're registered. This is useful evidence for them too (it confirms the tenancy is legal, which matters for HAP applications, mortgage applications, and immigration purposes).

You don't need to do anything else until either:

• The rent changes (you must notify the RTB within one month of the change taking effect)
• The tenancy ends (you submit a termination form)
• A year passes and you renew

Common questions

What if I'm renting out a single room in my own home? This is "rent-a-room" and is not regulated by the RTB. You don't register and the income up to €14,000/year is tax-free. The catch is the tenant has no legal protections — you can ask them to leave with reasonable notice, but they also have no security.

What if I'm renting to a family member? Still register if it's a formal tenancy with rent. The RTB doesn't care about the relationship; they care about the legal arrangement.

What about an existing tenancy I never registered? Register it now. Late registration costs extra (€80/year per missed year) but the RTB is far more lenient with voluntary late registration than with discovered non-registration.

Can I deduct the €40 from rent or invoice the tenant for it? No. The RTB fee is a landlord obligation. Trying to pass it to the tenant is a breach of the regulations.

Does this apply to short-term lets (Airbnb)? No. Short-term lets under 14 days are a separate regime (often subject to planning permission depending on the local authority). RTB registration is only for tenancies of 6 months or more, or any tenancy intended to be long-term.

What MoveIn does to help

When you list a property on MoveIn as a landlord, we collect your RTB registration number at signup. We don't surface it publicly (it's not consumer-relevant), but having it on file means we can:

• Pre-fill the tenant-facing "RTB registered" trust indicator
• Remind you when renewal is approaching (planned feature)
• Block listings that look like they're trying to avoid registration entirely

If your tenant ever has a dispute and the RTB needs landlord details, your registration number is the lookup. Keep it somewhere easy to find.

The whole process is genuinely about 15 minutes if you have everything ready. The hardest part is getting the tenant's PPS number; once that's in hand, the rest is a form.

If you're about to take your first tenant and you haven't started yet, do the RTB registration the same day you sign the lease. Don't put it off — the one-month deadline starts the day the tenancy begins, not the day you remember.

List your first property on MoveIn for free →