How long does a tax refund take in Ireland? Tax back timelines

The sequence

1. Submit the Income Tax Return for the year in myAccount (PAYE Services, then Review your tax).
2. Revenue processes it and places a Statement of Liability in My Documents, usually within five working days. You get an email when it is there.
3. If the statement shows Overpaid, the refund is paid by bank transfer within three to five working days.

What slows a refund down

• No bank account on your Revenue record. Add your IBAN in myAccount under My Profile before you file.
• Several active jobs in the year, or credits moved between jobs, which Revenue may check by hand.
• Residency questions, for example if you arrived in or left Ireland during the year.
• An underpayment for another year. The refund is used to reduce what you owe first, and only the balance is paid.
• A return selected for verification, where Revenue asks for receipts for the reliefs you claimed.

Cheques

Revenue pays refunds electronically. If there is no bank account on file the refund waits until you add one, so add it before you file rather than after.