What is the difference between a basic and verified MyGovID account?

A basic account needs only an email address and gives limited access. A verified account requires a Public Services Card plus a verified email and mobile number, and unlocks the full range of services such as Revenue and MyWelfare.

Do I need a Public Services Card to use MyGovID?

Only for a verified account, which requires that you have completed SAFE 2 registration and hold a PSC.

🇮🇪 Ireland · Government login

MyGovID

MyGovID (online login for public services)

MyGovID is a single secure account that lets people in Ireland access a wide range of online government services with one login. It offers a basic account (email only) and a verified account requiring high-assurance, in-person identity proofing via a Public Services Card. With no national ID card in Ireland, MyGovID acts as the de facto online identity gateway.

What it does

Online authenticationIdentity verification / KYC

Country:🇮🇪 Ireland

Type:Government login

Status:Live

Launched:2016

Issuer:Department of Social Protection, Government of Ireland

Who can get it:Residents of Ireland with a PPS number; verified accounts require prior SAFE 2 registration

Format

Online accountMobile app

Identity attributes

PPS NumberNameVerified identity from SAFE 2 registrationVerified mobile number

Authentication methods

Email (basic account)Public Services CardVerified mobile numberMobile app

Common use cases

Single login to 140+ servicesRevenue myAccount and ROSMyWelfare social welfareNDLS driving licenceSUSI student grants

Standards

Not notified under eIDAS

Coverage

Official sources cite 140+ connected services

Interoperability

Identity foundation for Ireland's Government Digital Wallet (national EUDI Wallet), with public testing begun in 2026

Privacy and trust

Verified MyGovID depends on the PSC / SAFE 2 process, so it is indirectly tied to the same biometric-data concerns the Data Protection Commission raised against the PSC.

Official source

https://www.mygovid.ie/

MyGovID: frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a basic and verified MyGovID account?: A basic account needs only an email address and gives limited access. A verified account requires a Public Services Card plus a verified email and mobile number, and unlocks the full range of services such as Revenue and MyWelfare.
Do I need a Public Services Card to use MyGovID?: Only for a verified account, which requires that you have completed SAFE 2 registration and hold a PSC.

Educational reference, not official guidance. Confirm current details with the issuing authority. all Ireland schemes · identity verification vendors