Every landlord must register each tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board and renew it every year. This guide covers the online steps, the fees and the rent rules that changed in 2026.
Landlords register each tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) online at portal.rtb.ie within one month of the start date. It costs €40 a year, and you must register again on every anniversary of the start date.
Who this is for
This is for private landlords, companies that let homes, and providers of student accommodation, cost rental and Approved Housing Body (AHB) homes. Annual registration has applied since 4 April 2022. You must also update the registration when the rent or other details change.
What you need
- An RTB registration account on portal.rtb.ie
- Your name, address, PPS (Personal Public Service) number and date of birth, or for a company, its name and Companies Registration Office (CRO) number
- The property address and Eircode, type, number of bedrooms and floor area
- The Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate and rating, unless the home is exempt
- The start date, rent, how often it is paid, the deposit and the number of adults and children living there
- Each tenant aged 18 or over: name, date of birth and contact details (PPS number if you have it)
- Your agent's details, if you use one
Step by step: register online
- Log in to your account at portal.rtb.ie and check your My profile details are up to date.
- Click Create a new registration and say if you are the landlord or an agent.
- Confirm your landlord details and add any co-landlords.
- Enter the dwelling details using the Eircode lookup. Check the Eircode carefully, because the address cannot be changed later.
- Enter the tenancy details: rent, payment frequency, deposit, occupants and utilities.
- Add every tenant aged 18 or over, and any agent or management company.
- Review the details and sign the declaration.
- Pay by credit or debit card, PayPal or SEPA bank transfer (under €4,000).
- Wait for the confirmation letter with your RT number (RT-XXXX-XXXXXXXX). The RTB also sends a copy to your tenants.
Step by step: renew every year
- Watch for RTB reminders, sent 30 days before the due date and on the due date.
- Log in and click Manage existing registrations. Filter by Pending Registration.
- Click Register beside the tenancy, update anything that changed, such as the rent, and pay the fee.
You can also post the paper RTB1 form to Residential Tenancies Board, PO Box 13841, Freepost FKY7736, Killorglin, Co Kerry, or email it to registrations@rtb.ie. Sub-tenancies must use the RTB1 form.
How much it costs and how long it takes
| Tenancy type | Fee per year (on time) | Late fee per month | Up to 10 in one building |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private, student or cost rental | €40 | €10 | €170 |
| Approved Housing Body | €20 | €5 | €85 |
What changed in 2026
- From 1 March 2026, Rent Pressure Zones were replaced by national rent control covering all private tenancies.
- You must give a rent setting notice at the start of each tenancy, and send a copy to the RTB. Market-rent resets must quote 3 similar rents from the RTB Rent Register.
- New tenancies from 1 March 2026 run in 6-year cycles. Landlords with 4 or more tenancies can end them only for tenant breach or if the home no longer suits the tenant.
- From 14 September 2026, you send the RTB a copy of a termination or rent review notice within 7 days of serving it.
Common mistakes
- Thinking "Registration paid" means registered. The RTB still checks the application first.
- Forgetting the yearly renewal on the tenancy anniversary.
- Not updating the registration after a rent review or a change of tenant.
- Getting the Eircode wrong. You cannot change the address once registered.
- Trying to register a sub-tenancy online. It must go on the paper RTB1 form.
If something goes wrong
- RTB phone: 0818 30 30 37, 0818 30 30 43 or 01 702 8100, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Webchat runs the same hours.
- Not registering is a criminal offence. You could face a fine of up to €5,000, up to 12 months in prison, or an RTB sanction of up to €15,000 per tenancy.
- You can still register up to one calendar month after the due date, with late fees.
Related guides
- How to get your deposit back
- How to apply for HAP
- How to pay your Local Property Tax
- How to file a Form 11 tax return
- How to claim the Rent Tax Credit
National rent control replaced Rent Pressure Zones. New tenancies follow 6-year cycles.
RTB fixed payment notices began: €100 for registration breaches, €200 for rent breaches.
Budget 2027 raises rent-a-room relief from €14,000 to €16,000. No change to RTB fees was announced.
