Registering a tenancy

Landlords must register residential tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) every year and update the RTB if information about a tenancy changes.

The RTB uses this information to keep a public register of tenancies. The register shows the address of the property and the number of bedrooms. It does not show the identity of the landlord or the tenants, or the amount of rent paid.

Since 4 April 2022, landlords have to register their tenancies annually. Tenancies must be registered every year, within a month of the date of when the tenancy began.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 sets out the requirement for tenancies to be registered annually.

Under residential tenancies legislation, most privately rented properties must be registered with the RTB. This includes properties rented out by approved housing bodies and student-specific accommodation.

Residential tenancies legislation does not apply to the following types of rented property, so these tenancies do not need to be registered with the RTB:

• Business lettings
• Holiday lettings
• Formerly rent-controlled properties or long-occupation lease tenancies – separate legislation applies to them
• Owner-occupied accommodation (for example, if you rent a room in your landlord's home)
• Properties where the spouse, parent or child of the landlord lives. This applies to informal family arrangements where there is no tenancy agreement in writing. However, the legislation does cover formal agreements between family members, for example, where a lease has been signed.
• Social housing provided by local authorities

Landlords are responsible for registering tenancies. New tenancies must be registered by the landlord within a month of the start of the tenancy. After that, landlords must re-register the tenancy every year that the same tenancy continues. This must be done within a month of the date of when the tenancy first began.

For example, if a new tenancy begins on 4 July 2024, the landlord must register the tenancy by 3 August 2024 (within one month of the tenancy start date). If the tenancy continues for the next 12 months, the landlord must register the tenancy again by 3 August 2025, and then every year by 3 August while the tenancy continues.

Annual registration has applied since 4 April 2022. The RTB will remind landlords when their tenancy is due for annual registration, if they have up-to-date contact information for the landlord.

The tenant must give their details to the landlord, including their Personal Public Service number (PPS number) so the landlord can register the tenancy.

Private landlords and approved housing bodies must provide the following information when registering:

• The address of the rented home
• The name, address and PPS number of the landlord (or registered number, if a company)
• The approved housing body (AHB) number, if a housing association
• The name and PPS number of each tenant
• A description of the property (for example, a 2-reception, 3-bedroom semi-detached house)
• The date the tenancy started
• The rent and how often it is paid
• The local authority area the property is in
• The term of the lease if it is a fixed-term lease
• If it is a sub-letting
• The Building Energy Rating (BER) if applicable
• Details of any management company or authorised agent

The RTB website has a checklist of the information you need to provide when registering a tenancy.

The RTB needs additional information when registering student-specific accommodation, so it uses a slightly different process. For more information about registering student-specific accommodation see the RTB’s website.

Telling the RTB about changes to rent

If the amount of rent changes, the landlord must tell the RTB of the change within one month. Read more in our document on rent increases.

The RTB can take action against landlords who do not notify the RTB about changes in rent.

You can view the public register to check that your tenancy has been registered. The RTB can take action against landlords who do not register tenancies. Read more on the RTB’s website.

Even if your landlord hasn’t registered your tenancy, you can still use the RTB’s dispute resolution service. Landlords can only use this service if they have registered the tenancy.

The fees for registering a tenancy with the RTB are different depending on the type of tenancy. For example, the fee to register an AHB tenancy is different to the fee to register a private rented tenancy. There are certain exemptions from annual registration fees, see below.

Registration fees for private, student-specific and cost rental tenancies

The basic fee for registering a private rented, student-specific or cost rental tenancy with the RTB is €40 a year. This applies if the RTB gets the completed application within a month of the start of the tenancy. There is a late fee of €10 per month for each month that the registration is late.

If you are registering up to 10 tenancies in the same building at the same time, you can pay a combined fee of €170, if you register on time.

Registration fees for approved housing bodies (AHBs)

The standard fee for registering an AHB tenancy is €20 a year. This rate applies if the tenancy is registered within a month of the start of the tenancy. There is a late fee of €5 per month for each month that the registration is late.

If you are registering up to 10 AHB tenancies in the same building you can pay a combined fee of €85, if you register them on time.

Late fees

If you are late registering a tenancy, late fees apply for each month that the registration is late.

Late fees resumed since 1 March 2024

Late fees were paused for a period because there were issues registering tenancies using the new annual registration system. The charging of late fees restarted on 1 March 2024.

Late fees will not be applied for the period when annual registration late fees were initially introduced and then paused.

The RTB has more information about how the recommencement of late fees applies to upcoming and late registrations since 1 March 2024.

For more information about late registration fees see rtb.ie.

Exemptions from annual registration fees

There is no fee if you have to register a new tenancy for rented accommodation that has already been registered in the last 12 months. This only applies if you register the new tenancy within a month of the start of the tenancy.

Before annual registration, tenancies were registered each time a new tenancy began. For example, when new tenants moved in under a new lease. An ongoing tenancy was also re-registered after 6 years. This is known as a ‘Further Part 4’ tenancy.

There is a temporary exemption from annual registration fees for landlords who have ‘Further Part 4’ tenancies. This means they do not have to pay annual registration fees for the time remaining on their ‘Further Part 4’ tenancy. So, if there are 3 years left on a ‘Further Part 4’ tenancy, the landlord does not have to pay annual registration fees for those 3 years. The tenancy must still be registered annually.

This temporary annual registration fee waiver is set out in the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2021.

For more information on annual registration and the temporary fee exemption, see the RTB’s website and their Annual Registration Guidance for Landlords and Tenants (pdf).

Penalties for not registering a tenancy with the RTB

Landlords who do not register a tenancy can be fined up to €4,000 and face imprisonment for up to 6 months on conviction. A further penalty of €250 for each day of non-registration can be applied. In addition, the landlord will also have to pay the RTB's legal costs. Read more about these penalties on the RTB’s website.

Information sharing

The RTB can share information with local authorities, which enforce the regulations relating to standards and rent books. It can also share information with the Department of Social Protection and the Revenue Commissioners.

You can register a tenancy online or by post or email.

You register online using the RTB’s online system. You need to create an RTB online account before you can register a tenancy. You can get information on the RTB’s website about how to do this. If you need to create an online account for an approved housing body (AHB) you should contact AHB@rtb.ie.

To register a tenancy by post or email download the Tenancy Registration Application Form (pdf), complete it and send it back to the RTB. You can return it by post to the RTB’s address below or email it to registrations@rtb.ie. You should keep a copy of the form and proof of postage.

There is a different process for registering tenancies in student-specific accommodation. See the RTB’s website for information on how to do this.

If you have questions about the registration process you can email registrations@rtb.ie.

When a tenancy has been registered and the fees paid the RTB will send letters to the landlord and tenants confirming that the tenancy has been registered.

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