Officialdom is running out of unique Personal Public Services Numbers (PPSNs). In an exercise similar to adding additional digits to a phone number, new format PPSNs and Tax Registration Numbers will be issued by the Department of Social Protection.

The new format number will be nine characters long - seven numbers followed by two letters. For individuals, the second letter in the new format numbers will be ‘A’. In other cases, (for instance Limited Companies, Trusts, Partnerships and Unincorporated Bodies), this will be ‘H’.

The Department of Social Protection will start issuing the new format PPSNs for individuals once the stock of old format numbers is used up. All cases who are not individuals registered after 1 January 2013 will have the new format registration number assigned to them.

Existing PPSNs/Tax Registration numbers already issued will remain unchanged and will continue to be valid.

There will undoubtedly be some software and systems consequences arising from the change. Revenue advise that they have been in communication with “all the appropriate stakeholders to ensure that all the necessary IT developments were in place to accept, transmit and receive the new format numbers as appropriate”.

Further information on the new format PPSNs and Tax Registration Numbers is detailed in eBrief No. 03/13 which is re-produced on here.