Tax Relief · Employment

Flat Rate Expenses Ireland 2026

Revenue allows specific occupations to deduct a fixed annual amount from taxable income — no receipts needed. Check your occupation and claim what you are owed.

No receipts neededBack-claim: 4 yearsSource: Revenue.ie 2026

How it works

Receipts required?No
How it reduces taxDeducted from income
Standard rate savingrate × 20%
Higher rate savingrate × 40%
Back-claim4 years
Where to claimRevenue myAccount

Flat rate amounts by occupation — 2026

These are Revenue's official rates. The relief reduces your taxable income by the flat rate amount. The actual money back = flat rate × your tax rate (20% or 40%).

OccupationFlat rate (€/yr)Saving at 20%Saving at 40%
Nurse / Midwife€733€147€293
Primary Teacher€518€104€207
Secondary Teacher€518€104€207
Defence Forces€1,016€203€406
Garda Síochána€244€49€98
Journalist€243€49€97
Factory Worker (general)€241€48€96
Shop / Retail Assistant€121€24€48
Bar Staff€60€12€24
Airline Cabin Crew€64€13€26
Electrician€153€31€61
Carpenter / Joiner€204€41€82
Plumber€204€41€82
Motor Mechanic€204€41€82
Bricklayer / Mason€204€41€82
Painter / Decorator€204€41€82

Source: Revenue Commissioners, Tax and Duty Manual — Flat Rate Expenses 2026. Check revenue.ie for the full list of all occupations and sub-categories.

Back-claim example — nurse, 5 years

YearFlat rateSaving at 20%Saving at 40%
2022€733€147€293
2023€733€147€293
2024€733€147€293
2025€733€147€293
2026€733€147€293
Total (5 years)€735€1,465
⚠️ The deadline to claim flat rate expenses for 2022 is 31 December 2026. After that, you permanently lose the 2022 refund.

How to claim flat rate expenses

  1. Log in to Revenue myAccount

    Go to revenue.ie. Sign in with MyGovID or your PPSN, date of birth, and phone number.

  2. Go to PAYE Services → Review Your Tax

    Select the year you want to review. Start with 2022 to ensure you don't miss the deadline.

  3. Find Employment → Flat Rate Expenses

    Select your occupation from the dropdown. Revenue assigns the correct amount automatically.

  4. Submit and repeat

    Submit the claim. Repeat for each year (2022–2026). Refunds are paid within 5–10 working days.

D’Emilia Accounting

We review your PAYE taxes — up to 4 years, all credits (medical, flat-rate, remote working and more). Most clients get back more than they expect.

FAQ

What are flat rate expenses?

Flat rate expenses are fixed annual allowances set by Revenue for specific occupations. They represent the typical work-related costs that employees in those occupations incur — tools, uniforms, professional subscriptions — without needing receipts. Revenue deducts the amount from your taxable income, reducing your tax bill.

Do I need receipts to claim flat rate expenses?

No. Flat rate expenses are a fixed Revenue-approved amount for your occupation. You do not need to keep or submit receipts. Simply claim the relevant occupation when doing your PAYE tax review via myAccount.

How much do I save?

The saving depends on your tax rate. On the standard rate (20%): a nurse claiming €733 saves €147. On the higher rate (40%): the same nurse saves €293. The flat rate reduces your taxable income, so the actual tax saved = flat rate amount × your tax rate.

What if my occupation is not on the list?

If your occupation is not covered by a specific flat rate agreement, you may still be able to claim actual work-related expenses — tools you had to buy, professional subscriptions, uniforms not provided by your employer. These need to be reasonable, work-related and verifiable.

Can I claim for previous years?

Yes. You can back-claim flat rate expenses for the current year and the 4 preceding years. In 2026 that means 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. If you have never claimed, you may be owed several years of refunds.

How do I claim flat rate expenses?

Log in to Revenue myAccount at revenue.ie. Go to PAYE Services → Review Your Tax. Select the tax year and find the Employment section. Add your occupation's flat rate expense. Repeat for each year you want to claim.

Related guides

Disclaimer: Rates based on Revenue.ie 2026. Always verify current rates at revenue.ie before claiming. Not tax advice.

Reviewed by

Vitor Alves

Founder of D’Emilia Accounting

Tax adviser and accountant helping immigrants and businesses in Ireland since 2019.

Last reviewed: June 25, 2026 · Editorial policy

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