Customer service standards

  1. Overview
  2. Online and Telephone Standards and Commitments
  3. Written tax returns and correspondence Standards and Commitments

Online and Telephone Standards and Commitments

Online services

We will:

  • prioritise our online channel over other channels
  • provide online services that are easy to use, secure, quick and reliable
  • notify you, where possible, if your transaction has been selected for further checking
  • provide a ROS helpdesk service to assist you in using our online services
  • provide help and assistance to you in switching to our online services
  • continually review the information on our site to ensure it is up-to-date and written in plain language to make it easy for you to understand.

Registration for our online services will be completed as follows:

  • Revenue Online Service (ROS) for business customers:
    • Steps in authentication process completed within one working day
  • myAccount for all other customers:
    • 90% within five working days and 100% within ten working days.

Online tax registrations will be completed as follows:

  • Income Tax (IT), Corporation Tax (CT) and Employer Pay As You Earn (PAYE) or Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) (PREM):
    • 100% within three working days unless the registration is selected for further checking.
  • Value-added Tax (VAT) and Relevant Contracts Tax (RCT):
    • 100% within ten working days unless the registration is selected for further checking.

Returns and declarations will be processed within two working days, unless the return or declaration is selected for further checking.

Refunds[1] will be issued within five working days unless the claim is selected for further checking.

Queries through MyEnquiries will be dealt with within 20 working days and 25 working days during peak periods.

Electronic tax clearance will be granted immediately where a taxpayer's tax affairs are up-to-date. We will immediately inform a taxpayer of outstanding issues where tax affairs are not up-to-date, except in a small number of cases where additional checking is required.

Telephone service

We will answer 90% of calls to our services on the first time of ringing, and if you choose to speak to an operator you can expect to be answered within the following timeframes:

  • 50% of calls within 30 seconds
  • 85% of calls within three minutes
  • all calls will be answered within five minutes.

Our staff will give their names, be polite and friendly and give you the information that you need. We will ensure confidentiality in dealing with your calls. Calls are recorded for quality assurance purposes.

In peak periods it may take longer to answer calls.

Advice to businesses and tax advisors: Revenue Technical Service (RTS)

The Revenue Technical Service provides advice on technical queries. We will reply to complex technical queries within 20 working days. If a full reply cannot be issued within 20 days, we will indicate when you can expect a detailed reply. The RTS is supported by a secure online facility, MyEnquiries.

For more information see Revenue Technical Service (RTS).

Register for myAccount.

[1] Does not include refunds claimed through the Electronic VAT Refunds (EVR) system as the timeframes are covered by European Union (EU) legislation.

Next: Written tax returns and correspondence Standards and Commitments