Tax Relief · Health Costs

Medical Expenses Tax Relief Ireland 2026

Revenue pays back 20% of qualifying medical costs you paid out of pocket. No upper limit. Claim for yourself and your whole family — back 4 years.

Rate: 20%Upper limit: NoneBack-claim: 4 yearsSource: Revenue.ie

Key facts — Medical Expenses Relief

Relief rate20% of cost
Upper limitNone
Claim for family?Yes
Back-claim years4 years
Tax rate appliedStandard (20%)
Where to claimmyAccount

What qualifies

What does not qualify

Qualifying dental procedures

While routine dental (check-ups, hygienist, basic fillings, extractions) does not qualify, these specific procedures do:

ProcedureQualifies?
Orthodontic treatment (braces)Yes
Crowns and veneersYes
Bridgework and denturesYes
Root canal treatmentYes
Surgical extractionsYes
Routine check-upNo
Teeth cleaning (hygienist)No
Standard fillingsNo

How to calculate your relief

The calculation is straightforward: multiply your qualifying out-of-pocket costs by 20%.

Medical expenseAmountRelief (20%)
GP visits × 4€240€48
Consultant fees€350€70
Physiotherapy × 6 sessions€420€84
Prescription glasses€280€56
Dental crown€900€180
Total example€2,190€438

Subtract any amounts reimbursed by your health insurer before calculating — you can only claim what you paid yourself.

How to claim

  1. Log in to Revenue myAccount

    Go to revenue.ie and sign in with your MyGovID or PPSN details.

  2. Go to PAYE Services → Review Your Tax

    Select the tax year you want to claim for (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026).

  3. Select Health in the reliefs section

    Add the total qualifying medical expenses for the year. Include expenses for all family members paid by you.

  4. Submit and receive refund

    Revenue processes most claims within 5–10 working days. You do not need to upload receipts, but keep them for at least 6 years.

⚠️ You can back-claim for 2022 only until 31 December 2026. After that, the 2022 refund is permanently lost.
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 medical expenses qualify for tax relief?

Qualifying expenses include GP visits, consultant and specialist fees, physiotherapy, optical (glasses/contact lenses if prescription), hearing aids, dental treatment (not routine check-ups or cosmetic), prescribed medicines, and certain nursing home costs. Hospital expenses also qualify.

Can I claim for my family members?

Yes. You can claim on your own return for medical expenses paid on behalf of any person — your spouse, civil partner, children, or any other individual. There is no requirement that you are related to them, only that you paid the costs.

Is there an upper limit on medical expenses relief?

No. There is no cap on the amount of medical expenses you can claim. You receive 20% back on all qualifying out-of-pocket costs. The only condition is that the expenses were not reimbursed by health insurance or any other source.

Can I claim expenses that my health insurance covered?

No. You can only claim the portion of expenses that you paid yourself — the excess not covered by insurance, VHI, Laya, Irish Life Health, etc. If insurance covered everything, there is nothing to claim.

Do I need to upload receipts to Revenue?

You do not need to upload receipts when submitting the claim via myAccount. However, Revenue may request them afterwards to verify the claim, so keep all receipts for at least 6 years.

Does dental treatment qualify?

Routine dental treatment (check-ups, cleaning, filling, extraction) does not qualify. However, specific dental procedures qualify — crowns, veneers, bridgework, orthodontic treatment, dentures, root canal treatment, and surgical procedures. Ask your dentist for a list of qualifying treatments.

Related guides

Disclaimer: General information only. Verify qualifying expenses at revenue.ie. 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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