Register to vote in Ireland

Registering to vote is free and takes about 10 minutes online. This guide shows you how to register, pre-register at 16, change your address and beat the deadline before an election.

You register to vote online at voter.ie or on a paper form called the ERF1, sent to your local council. It is free, and you can do it any time of year.

What changed in 2026: checktheregister.ie is now called Voter.ie. All councils moved to the new national system between May and the end of September 2026, and the old site is being phased out. Your existing registration carries over.

Who can register

• You must normally live at an address in Ireland. You can only be registered at one address.
• You must be 18 to vote. You can pre-register at 16 or 17 and you are added to the live register on your 18th birthday.
• If you have no fixed address, you can still register by writing "no fixed address".
• Most Irish citizens living abroad cannot register. Irish officials on duty abroad, and their spouse or civil partner, are the exception.

What you need

• Your name and current address, with your Eircode
• Your PPSN (Personal Public Service Number). It is used to confirm who you are and is never published on the register.
• Your date of birth and nationality
• An email address
• Optional: a verified MyGovID account. You can use it to register, but you do not have to.
• If you have no PPSN: photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, to show a witness

Step by step: register online

1. Go to voter.ie. Links from checktheregister.ie still bring you there.
2. Search for your address first to check you are not already registered.
3. Choose to register, or to update your details if you find an old entry.
4. Enter your name, address, Eircode, date of birth, nationality, PPSN and email. You can also sign in with a verified MyGovID.
5. Submit the form and keep the confirmation email.
6. Check your entry again on voter.ie a few weeks later, and always before an election.

Step by step: register on paper

1. Download the ERF1 form or ask your council for one.
2. Fill in page 1 with your details, including your PPSN if you have one.
3. If you have no PPSN, bring the form and photo ID to a Garda station or council office and sign page 2 in front of a staff member.
4. If illness or disability stops you going in person, ask a registered doctor, such as your GP, to certify page 2.
5. Post it to your local council with "Electoral Register" on the envelope and a standard stamp.

Changing your address or details

Moved house? Update your address on voter.ie, or send a new ERF1 to your council. Students can register at home or at their term address, but not both.

If you become an Irish citizen, you must update your nationality with proof, such as your naturalisation certificate or a copy of your new passport photo page. This lets you vote in more elections.

How much it costs and how long it takes

Common mistakes

• Waiting until an election is called. If your form arrives late, you cannot vote in that election.
• Forgetting to update your address after moving. You can only vote at the polling station for your registered address.
• Registering at two addresses. You can only be on the register once.
• Not updating your nationality after becoming an Irish citizen, so you miss out on Dáil and presidential votes.
• Leaving out your PPSN and not getting the form witnessed, so it cannot be processed.

Related guides

• How to get a PPS number
• How to get a verified MyGovID
• How to apply for a postal vote
• How to become an Irish citizen