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Flat rate expenses in Ireland: find your allowance

Revenue's agreed yearly amounts for jobs with work costs. Search your job, then claim for each year.

Flat rate expenses (FRE) are yearly amounts Revenue has agreed for certain jobs, for costs such as tools, uniforms and registration fees. If your job is on the list, you can claim its allowance for each year. Search for yours:

Job20262025202420232022
Agricultural Advisers (employed by Teagasc)€671€671€671€671€671
Archaeologists: (Civil Service)€127€127€127€127€127
Architects employed byCivil Service€127€127€127€127€127
Architects employed byLocal Authorities€127€127€127€127€127
Airline Cabin Crews€64€64€64€64€64
Bar trade Employees€93€93€93€93€93
Building IndustryBricklayer€175€175€175€175€175
Building IndustryFitter mechanic, plasterer€103€103€103€103€103
Building IndustryElectrician€153€153€153€153€153
Building IndustryMason, roofer slater, tiler, floor layer, stone cutter€120€120€120€120€120
Building IndustryDriver, scaffolder, sheeter, steel erector€52€52€52€52€52
Building IndustryProfessionals: engineers, surveyors, etc.€33€33€33€33€33
Building IndustryGeneral operatives (labourers etc. incl. Public Sector)€97€97€97€97€97
Bus, rail and road operatives in Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnód Éireann€160€160€160€160€160
Cardiac Technicianswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms€310€310€310€310N/A
Cardiac Technicianswhere obliged to supply but do not launder their own uniforms€252€252€252€252N/A
Cardiac Technicianswhere obliged to launder uniforms supplied€58€58€58€58N/A
Cardiac TechniciansFemale-where obliged to supply and launder their own uniformsN/AN/AN/AN/A€212
Cardiac TechniciansMale-where obliged to supply and launder their own uniformsN/AN/AN/AN/A€107
Carpentry and joinery tradesCabinet makers, Carpenters, Joiners€220€220€220€220€220
Carpentry and joinery tradesPainters, Polishers, Upholsterers, Wood Cutting Machinists€140€140€140€140€140
Civil ServiceArchitectural Technologists & Assistants€166€166€166€166€166
Civil ServiceClerks of Works (incl. Senior and District Inspectors)€142€142€142€142€142
Civil ServiceEngineering Technicians for Archaeologists, Architects, Engineers and Surveyors€166€166€166€166€166
Civil ServicePark Rangers and constables employed by the Office of Public Works€77€77€77€77€77
Clergymen (Church of Ireland)€127€127€127€127€127
Consultants (hospital) ( Deduction includes subscription to the Irish Medical Council)€695€695€695€695€695
Cosmetologists - Obliged to supply and launder their own white uniforms€160€160€160€160€160
Defence Forces Personnel (All enlisted personnel not in receipt of Uniform Replenishment Allowance)€150€150€150€150€150
Dentists in employment€376€376€376€376€376
Dietitians who pay the statutory registration fee to CORU€100€100€100€100€100
Dockers€73€73€73€73€73
Doctors (hospital, including consultants)Deduction includes subscription to the Irish Medical Council.€695€695€695€695€695
Draughtsmen (Local Authority)€133€133€133€133€133
Driving InstructorsThis amount represents an annual allocation of half the biannual statutory ADI fee payable to the Road Safety Authority€125€125€125€125€125
Engineer employed byCivil Service€166€166€166€166€166
Engineer employed byLocal Authorities€127€127€127€127€127
Engineer employed byEircom, Coillte, OPW€166€166€166€166€166
Engineering Industry [and Electrical Industry from 1997/98]Skilled workers who bear the full cost of own tools and overalls€331€331€331€331€331
Engineering Industry [and Electrical Industry from 1997/98]Semi-skilled workers who bear the full cost of own tools and overalls€254€254€254€254€254
Engineering Industry [and Electrical Industry from 1997/98]All unskilled workers and skilled or semi-skilled workers who do not bear the full cost of own tools and overalls€219€219€219€219€219
FirefightersFull-time€272€272€272€272€272
FirefightersPart-time€407€407€407€407€407
Fishermen in Employment€318€318€318€318€318
Foresters employed by Coillte€166€166€166€166€166
Freelance actors chargeable to PAYE€750€750€750€750€750
Grooms (Racehorse Training)€294€294€294€294€294
Home Helps (Employed directly or indirectly by Health Boards)€256€256€256€256€256
Hospitals Domestic Staffwho are responsible for providing and laundering their own uniforms (To include general operatives, porters, drivers, drivers, attendants, domestics, laundry operatives, cooks, catering supervisors, waitresses, catering staff, kitchen porters)€353€353€353€353€353
Hospitals Domestic Staffwho are obliged to launder the uniforms supplied (To include general operatives, porters, drivers, drivers, attendants, domestics, laundry operatives, cooks, catering supervisors, waitresses, catering staff, kitchen porters)€185€185€185€185€185
Hospitals Domestic Staffwhose uniforms are supplied and laundered free (To include general operatives, porters, drivers, drivers, attendants, domestics, laundry operatives, cooks, catering supervisors, waitresses, catering staff, kitchen porters)€93€93€93€93€93
Hotel industryHead hall porter€90€90€90€90€90
Hotel industryHall porter€64€64€64€64€64
Hotel industryHead waiter€127€127€127€127€127
Hotel industryWaiter€80€80€80€80€80
Hotel industryWaitress€80€80€80€80€80
Hotel industryChef€97€97€97€97€97
Hotel industryManager€191€191€191€191€191
Hotel industryAssistant Manager€127€127€127€127€127
Hotel industryTrainee Manager€78€78€78€78€78
Hotel industryKitchen Porter€21€21€21€21€21
JournalistsJournalists, including those in public relations area of Journalism€381€381€381€381€381
JournalistsJournalists who receive expense allowances from their employers€153€153€153€153€153
Local AuthoritiesExecutive Chemists€115€115€115€115€115
Local AuthoritiesParks Superintendents€40€40€40€40€40
Local AuthoritiesTown Planners€115€115€115€115€115
Medical Scientists who pay the statutory registration fee to CORU€100€100€100€100€100
Mining Industryminers/shift bosses underground, mill process workers/shift bosses and steam cleaners€1312€1312€1312€1312€1312
Mining Industrysurface workers€655€655€655€655€655
Motor repair and motor assembly tradesAssembly workers, greasers, storemen and general workers who bear the full cost of own tools and overalls€52€52€52€52€52
Motor repair and motor assembly tradesAssembly workers, greasers, storemen and general workers who do not bear the full cost of own tools and overalls€42€42€42€42€42
Motor repair and motor assembly tradesFitters and mechanics who bear the full cost of own tools and overalls€85€85€85€85€85
Motor repair and motor assembly tradesFitters and mechanics) who do not bear the full cost of own tools and overalls€42€42€42€42€42
Nurseswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniformsAmount includes the Annual Retention Fee payable to NMBI€733€733€733€733€733
Nurseswhere obliged to supply their own uniforms but laundered freeAmount includes the Annual Retention Fee payable to NMBI€638€638€638€638€638
Nurseswhere obliged to launder the uniforms suppliedAmount includes the Annual Retention Fee payable to NMBI€353€353€353€353€353
Nurseswhere uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospitalAmount includes the Annual Retention Fee payable to NMBI€258€258€258€258€258
NursesShort Term Contracts through an Agency€80€80€80€80€80
Nursing Assistants (including attendants, orderlies and nurses' aides)where obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms€526€526€526€526€526
Nursing Assistants (including attendants, orderlies and nurses' aides)where obliged to supply their own uniforms but laundered free€440€440€440€440€440
Nursing Assistants (including attendants, orderlies and nurses' aides)where obliged to launder the uniforms supplied€234€234€234€234€234
Nursing Assistants (including attendants, orderlies and nurses' aides)where uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital€93€93€93€93€93
Occupational Therapistswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€410€410€410€410€217
Occupational Therapistswhere obliged to supply but not launder their own uniforms and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€352€352€352€352€153
Occupational Therapistswhere obliged to launder uniforms supplied and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€158€158€158€158N/A
Occupational Therapistswhere obliged to pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU only€100€100€100€100N/A
Occupational Therapistswhere uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital€52€52€52€52€52
Optometrists in employment (includes CORU)Registration Fee - once off fee paid initially in year 1€250€250€250€250€250
Optometrists in employment (includes CORU)Retention Fee - payable in 1st year and each subsequent year€285€285€285€285€285
Optometrists in employment (includes CORU)Restoration Fee - payable to re-register with the Opticians Board€279€279€279€279€279
Dispensing Opticians in employment (includes CORU)Registration Fee - once off fee paid initially in year 1€200€200€200€200€200
Dispensing Opticians in employment (includes CORU)Retention Fee - payable in 1st year and each subsequent year€225€225€225€225€225
Dispensing Opticians in employment (includes CORU)Restoration Fee - payable to re-register with the Opticians Board€215€215€215€215€215
Panel Beaters / Sheet metal Workerswho bear full cost of own tools and overalls€78€78€78€78€78
Panel Beaters / Sheet metal Workerswho do not bear full cost of own tools and overalls€40€40€40€40€40
Pharmacists€400€400€400€400€400
Pharmaceutical Assistants (formerly known as Assistant Pharmacists)These amounts represent the Annual Retention Fee payable to the PSI€200€200€200€200€200
Phlebotomistswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms€310€310€310€310€270
Phlebotomistswhere obliged to supply but do not launder their own uniforms€252€252€252€252€220
Phlebotomistswhere obliged to launder the uniforms supplied€58€58€58€58€50
Physiotherapistswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€410€410€410€410€381
Physiotherapistswhere obliged to supply but do not launder their own uniforms and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€352€352€352€352€318
Physiotherapistswhere obliged to launder the uniforms supplied and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€158€158€158€158N/A
Physiotherapistswhere obliged to pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU only€100€100€100€100N/A
Physiotherapistswhere uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital€64€64€64€64€64
Pilots (Airline Pilots Association)€275€275€275€275€275
Plumbing tradesPlumber (non-welder)€177€177€177€177€177
Plumbing tradesPlumber-welder€205€205€205€205€205
Plumbing tradesPipe fitter-welder€205€205€205€205€205
Printing Bookbinding and allied tradesBookbinders (Hand)€109€109€109€109€109
Printing Bookbinding and allied tradesBookbinders (Others)€97€97€97€97€97
Printing Bookbinding and allied tradesCompositors, linotype and monotype operators€121€121€121€121€121
Printing Bookbinding and allied tradesCopy Holders, photo lithographers, photo engravers and workers in T and E section of newspapers€114€114€114€114€114
Printing Bookbinding and allied tradesMonotype caster attendants, stereotypes and machine minders€135€135€135€135€135
Printing Bookbinding and allied tradesReaders and revisers€100€100€100€100€100
Printing Bookbinding and allied tradesRotary machine minders and assistants€150€150€150€150€150
Printing Bookbinding and allied tradesOthers (e.g. cutters, dispatchers, rulers, warehousemen)€90€90€90€90€90
Professional Valuers in the Valuation Office€680€680€680€680€680
Radiographers & Radiation Therapistswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€410€410€410€410€242
Radiographers & Radiation Therapistswhere obliged to supply but do not launder their own uniforms and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€352€352€352€352€143
Radiographers & Radiation Therapistswhere obliged to launder the uniforms supplied and pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU€158€158€158€158N/A
Radiographers & Radiation Therapistswhere obliged to pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU only€100€100€100€100N/A
Radiographers & Radiation Therapistswhere white uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital€73€73€73€73€73
Respiratory & Pulmonary Function Technicianswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms€310€310€310€310€191
Respiratory & Pulmonary Function Technicianswhere obliged to supply but do not launder their own uniforms€252€252€252€252N/A
Respiratory & Pulmonary Function Technicianswhere obliged to launder the uniforms supplied€58€58€58€58N/A
RTE National Symphony Orchestra€2476€2476€2476€2476€2476
RTE Concert Orchestra€2476€2476€2476€2476€2476
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeMaster - First class passenger and cargo liners€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeChief officer, chief engineer, other officers, including pursers - First class passenger and cargo liners€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeChief steward - First class passenger and cargo liners€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeAssistant steward - First class passenger and cargo liners€244€244€244€244€244
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeCarpenter - First class passenger and cargo liners€194€194€194€194€194
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeOther ranks - First class passenger and cargo liners€148€148€148€148€148
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeMaster - Cargo-vessels, tankers, ferries€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeChief officer, chief engineer, other officers, including pursers - Cargo-vessels, tankers, ferries€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeChief steward - Cargo-vessels, tankers, ferries€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeAssistant steward - Cargo-vessels, tankers, ferries€244€244€244€244€244
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeCarpenter - Cargo-vessels, tankers, ferries€194€194€194€194€194
Shipping - British Merchant Navy Foreign-going tradeOther ranks - Cargo-vessels, tankers, ferries€148€148€148€148€148
Shipping - British home or coasting tradeMaster€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British home or coasting tradeChief officer, chief engineer, other officers, including pursers€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British home or coasting tradeChief steward€318€318€318€318€318
Shipping - British home or coasting tradeAssistant steward€244€244€244€244€244
Shipping - British home or coasting tradeCarpenter€194€194€194€194€194
Shipping - British home or coasting tradeOther ranks€148€148€148€148€148
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Foreign-going tradeMaster - cargo vessels€98€98€98€98€98
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Foreign-going tradeChief officer, chief engineer, radio officer - cargo vessels€90€90€90€90€90
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Foreign-going tradeOther officers including pursers - cargo vessels€73€73€73€73€73
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Foreign-going tradeChief steward - cargo vessels€73€73€73€73€73
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Foreign-going tradeAssistant steward - cargo vessels€55€55€55€55€55
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Foreign-going tradeCarpenter (to include tools) - cargo vessels€55€55€55€55€55
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Foreign-going tradeOther ranks, including boys - cargo vessels€37€37€37€37€37
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeMaster - Cross channel and continental€98€98€98€98€98
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeChief officer, chief engineer, radio officer - Cross channel and continental€90€90€90€90€90
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeOther officers, including pursers - Cross channel and continental€73€73€73€73€73
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeChief steward - Cross channel and continental€73€73€73€73€73
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeAssistant steward - Cross channel and continental€55€55€55€55€55
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeCarpenter (to include tools) - Cross channel and continental€55€55€55€55€55
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeOther ranks including boys - Cross channel and continental€37€37€37€37€37
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeMaster - Coasting vessels€98€98€98€98€98
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeChief officer, chief engineer, radio officer - Coasting vessels€90€90€90€90€90
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeOther officers, including pursers - Coasting vessels€73€73€73€73€73
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeChief steward - Coasting vessels€73€73€73€73€73
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeAssistant steward - Coasting vessels€55€55€55€55€55
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeCarpenter (to include tools) - Coasting vessels€55€55€55€55€55
Shipping - Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships - Home tradeOther ranks, including boys - Coasting vessels€37€37€37€37€37
Shop Assistants (including supermarket staff, general shop workers, drapery and footwear assistants)€121€121€121€121€121
Social Workers who pay the statutory registration fee to CORU€100€100€100€100€100
Speech and Language Therapistswhere obliged to supply and launder own uniforms (includes CORU)€410€410€410€410€370
Speech and Language Therapistswhere obliged to supply but do not launder their own uniforms (includes CORU)€352€352€352€352€320
Speech and Language Therapistswhere obliged to launder the uniforms supplied (includes CORU)€158€158€158€158€150
Speech and Language Therapistswhere obliged to pay the annual statutory registration fee to CORU only€100€100€100€100N/A
Surveyors employed byLocal Authorities€127€127€127€127€127
Surveyors employed byCivil Service€127€127€127€127€127
Surveyors employed byCoillte€127€127€127€127€127
TeachersSchool principalsTeachers who are employed by the Department of Education may also claim a deduction in respect of the subscription to the Teacher's Council of Ireland€608€608€608€608€608
TeachersOther teachersTeachers who are employed by the Department of Education may also claim a deduction in respect of the subscription to the Teacher's Council of Ireland€518€518€518€518€518
TeachersPart-time teacher (on full hours)Teachers who are employed by the Department of Education may also claim a deduction in respect of the subscription to the Teacher's Council of Ireland€518€518€518€518€518
TeachersPart-time (not on full hours)Teachers who are employed by the Department of Education may also claim a deduction in respect of the subscription to the Teacher's Council of Ireland€279€279€279€279€279
Guidance Counsellorsemployed full-time in second level schools€518€518€518€518€518
Guidance Counsellorsengaged mainly in teaching general subjects but also doing part-time guidance counselling (additional allowance)€126€126€126€126€126
Third level academic staffProfessor, Heads of Schools/Departments€608€608€608€608€608
Third level academic staffSenior lecturer€518€518€518€518€518
Third level academic staffCollege lecturer€518€518€518€518€518
Third level academic staffAssistant lecturer€518€518€518€518€518
Third level academic staffPart-time lecturer (on full hours)€518€518€518€518€518
Third level academic staffPart-time lecturer (not on full hours)€279€279€279€279€279
Physical education teachers (teacher must hold qualification in physical education)fully engaged in teaching P.E.€518€518€518€518€518
Physical education teachers (teacher must hold qualification in physical education)engaged mainly in teaching general subjects (additional allowance)€126€126€126€126€126
Veterinary Surgeons in Employmentwho incur, and are not reimbursed the cost of the Registration Fee to the Veterinary Council€621€621€621€621€621
Veterinary Surgeons in Employment -who do not incur, or are reimbursed the cost of the Registration Fee to the Veterinary Council€171€171€171€171€171
Veterinary Nurseswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms, provide small equipment and pay Statutory Registration Fee to the Veterinary Council of IrelandThe annual statutory registration fee to the Veterinary Council of Ireland is included in the FRE rate from 2023 onwards.€593€593€593€593€400
Veterinary Nurseswhere obliged to supply and do not launder their own uniforms, provide small equipment and pay the Statutory Registration Fee to the Veterinary Council of IrelandThe annual statutory registration fee to the Veterinary Council of Ireland is included in the FRE rate from 2023 onwards.€535€535€535€535N/A
Veterinary Nurseswhere obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms, provide small equipment and employer pays the Statutory Registration Fee to the Veterinary Council of Ireland€368€368€368€368N/A
Veterinary Nurseswhere obliged to launder the uniforms supplied€150€150€150€150€150
Veterinary Nurseswhere obliged to launder the uniforms supplied, provide small equipment, and employer pays the statutory registration fee to the Veterinary Council of Ireland€116€116€116€116N/A

What the figures mean. Each figure is the yearly allowance Revenue lists for that job. It is the amount of expense Revenue accepts, not the size of your refund: Revenue works out the tax relief when you claim. The amounts are agreed between Revenue and representatives of groups of employees, usually trade union officials. "N/A" is how Revenue's list shows no allowance for that job and year.

How to claim an allowance

For earlier years (up to four years back):

  1. Sign in to myAccount.
  2. In PAYE Services, click Review Your Tax for the previous 4 years.
  3. Request a Statement of Liability for the tax year.
  4. Click Complete Income Tax Return.
  5. In Tax Credits & Reliefs, select Your Job-flat rate expenses and add the credit.
  6. Complete and sign your Income Tax Return.

For the current year: in myAccount, choose Manage Your Tax for the current year, then Claim tax credits, then Your job and Flat Rate Expenses, and submit the form. If you claim in year, you get the benefit in real time.

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Questions

What are flat rate expenses?

They are agreed yearly allowances for jobs where many employees have the same unreimbursed work costs, such as tools, uniforms and registration fees. Revenue agrees the amounts with representatives of groups of employees.

How do I find my allowance?

Search your job in the table above. It shows Revenue's allowance for each year from 2022 to 2026. Some jobs have several lines, for example by grade or by whether you launder your own uniform.

How far back can I claim flat rate expenses?

Revenue's four year rule applies. Claims for 2022 must be made by 31 December 2026, and you claim each year separately.

Is the allowance the same as my refund?

No. The allowance is the amount of expense Revenue accepts. Revenue works out the tax relief when you claim, so the money you get back is a part of the allowance.

Do all flat rate expenses cover the same year range?

No. Some jobs show N/A for earlier years because Revenue lists no allowance for them in those years.

What if my job is not on the list?

You can claim actual employment expenses on an Income Tax Return after the year end, but only if the expense is vouched, not reimbursed, and incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in doing your job.

Based on Revenue's published guidance (Revenue: flat rate expenses, how to claim, other employment expenses, Revenue's list (CSV), four year rule), last checked 25 October 2026. This is a general guide, not tax advice. Your own situation may differ, so check revenue.ie.