Digital ID in Ireland: MyGovID, the PSC and the digital wallet
How to prove who you are online in Ireland: MyGovID, the Public Services Card, how verification works and where the Government Digital Wallet stands in October 2026.
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In Ireland you identify yourself online with MyGovID, the government login, and the verified version of that account rests on the Public Services Card (PSC). There is no national identity card, so this is the main route. The Government Digital Wallet is meant to become the Irish EU wallet. This page explains the picture as of October 2026.
At a glance
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| National eID or ID card with eID function | No national ID card; the Public Services Card underpins verified MyGovID |
| Mobile or app solution | MyGovID (app and account); Government Digital Wallet in pilot |
| Bank-ID | Not part of the Irish government login model |
| eIDAS notification and level | No Irish scheme was listed as notified in the Commission’s overview (source: the Commission’s overview of notified eID schemes, checked October 2026) |
| EUDI wallet, October 2026 | Government Digital Wallet in controlled pilot; wider launch planned later in 2026 |
| Responsible body | Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO); Department of Social Protection for the PSC |
The national system
MyGovID is the entry point to Irish public services such as tax, social welfare, driving licences and passports. It comes in two levels: a basic account verified by email only, and a verified account for which a person has been identity-checked in a high-assurance process linked to the Public Services Card. The PSC is issued by the Department of Social Protection after in-person registration. Since Ireland has no mandatory identity card, this combination does the job that an eID card does in other countries. The way trust levels are classified is explained in levels of assurance.
How to get it and use it
Create a MyGovID account online, then verify it, typically using the PSC and its registration. Many services that handle sensitive data will ask for the verified level. Once set up, you log in with your credentials plus a second step on your phone. Because requirements and procedures change, check the official MyGovID pages for the current steps.
The EU wallet in Ireland (October 2026)
The Irish route is the Government Digital Wallet, which the government says it will deliver by the end of 2026 in line with EU rules. As of mid-2026 it was described as a controlled pilot with around 1,000 civil servants, with a public consultation that closed in June 2026 and a voluntary public testing phase for people aged 16 and over, focused on limited functions such as age verification. A wider public launch is planned later in 2026. The wallet is built on top of MyGovID and the existing PSC infrastructure, so MyGovID inherits the role of anchor credential. Under the EU timetable, public bodies should accept wallets from the end of 2026 and banks and similar providers a year later.
Civil-liberties groups, including the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Digital Rights Ireland, have raised legal, privacy, security and transparency concerns about the pilot, so expect the design to evolve. See our guide to the EU Digital Identity Wallet and to EU age verification for the background.
Use abroad and by foreigners
Whether MyGovID can be used for cross-border sign-in depends on eIDAS notification, which we could not confirm here; see using your national eID in another EU country. Residents who are not Irish citizens can generally use MyGovID if they have the right registration, typically a PPS number and PSC. Next door, the United Kingdom has left the EU framework, while France offers a different, card-based app model.
What to do now
If you live in Ireland, verify your MyGovID if you have not yet done so, because the wallet builds on it. If you do not have a PSC, find out early how registration works, since it can involve in-person appointments. Follow the official announcements about the pilot and take part in tests only through official channels; ignore invitations from other sources. If privacy matters to you, follow the statements of the civil-liberties groups on the pilot.
Privacy and security
MyGovID is a central service, so your login activity is visible to its operator. The planned wallet is intended to keep credentials on your phone and share only what a service requests. Use a screen lock, keep the app updated, and treat emails or texts that ask you to verify your government account with suspicion; use the official site or app directly.
Official sources: MyGovID and the Government of Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a basic and a verified MyGovID?
A basic account needs little more than an email address and gives limited access. A verified account relies on high-assurance identity proofing linked to the Public Services Card and is what many sensitive public services ask for.
Do I need a Public Services Card?
For the verified MyGovID level, generally yes, because the card and its registration process are the foundation of the verification. Check the official pages for alternatives available in your situation.
Is the Irish EU wallet available to the public yet?
Not as a general public product in October 2026. A pilot with civil servants and a voluntary public testing phase have been reported, and a wider launch is planned later in 2026. Treat dates as plans.
Will the wallet be used for age checks?
Age assurance is a stated use case. The voluntary testing stage has been described as focusing on limited functionality such as proving age, and the wallet is also discussed in connection with possible social media age rules.