Legislative status: Oireachtas — Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026, published 19 October 2026; not enacted as checked on 29 October 2026.
How the refund limit works
The refund is the lowest of three figures:
| Limit | Meaning |
|---|---|
| €35,000 | The €35,000 maximum announced from 7 October 2026, reflected in Revenue’s current guidance. Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026 provides for the increase and remains subject to enactment. The previous maximum was €30,000. |
| 10% of the property value | 10% of the full open market purchase value for a new home, or 10% of the approved valuation for a self-build. |
| Tax paid | The Income Tax and DIRT you paid in the four years before your application. |
Source: Revenue.ie — How much can you claim?
Who qualifies?
You must be a first-time buyer. If you are buying with another person, every purchaser must be a first-time buyer. A previous purchase or self-build of a house or apartment, alone or jointly, outside Ireland also affects eligibility: the rule is not limited to Irish properties. Inherited or gifted property may be treated differently depending on the circumstances; check Revenue’s rules. The property must be a new residential property or self-build that you will live in as your main home.
You must also be tax compliant. If you are PAYE, this usually means filing any required income tax returns and receiving Statements of Liability for the years you want Revenue to include.
For a purchased new home, the €500,000 ceiling applies to its full open market value (including VAT), even if you buy at a discount. For a self-build, the approved valuation must be €500,000 or less. A property above this limit does not qualify at all; relief is not available on its first €500,000. A discounted price below €500,000 does not qualify a home whose full open market value exceeds the ceiling.
You need a mortgage with a qualifying lender of at least 70% of the full purchase value or self-build approved valuation. Under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, the local authority’s affordable dwelling contribution counts as a loan towards this test for qualifying purchase contracts entered into on or after 11 October 2023. First Home Scheme shared-equity funding does not count towards the 70% test. Without that local-authority exception, a €500,000 home requires a qualifying mortgage of at least €350,000; €349,000 alone is insufficient.
Source: Revenue — Who can claim HTB?.
Source: Revenue — Qualifying property, open market value and shared-equity rules.
Property rules
The home must be newly built or self-built. It does not apply to second-hand homes. If you are buying from a developer, the contractor must be Revenue approved for Help to Buy. If you are self-building, your solicitor verifies the claim.
You must live in the property as your home for five years after purchase or completion. Revenue can claw back some or all of the refund if the conditions are broken.
Revenue application process
Apply through Revenue myAccount or ROS. The process has three stages: application, claim and verification. Revenue indicates the potential maximum at application stage; the contractor or solicitor verifies the submitted claim before payment.
For a purchased new build, Revenue pays the approved contractor. For a self-build, draw down the first mortgage tranche and submit the claim with the required loan, valuation and drawdown evidence. A solicitor registered with Revenue as an HTB approver verifies the claim. Once approved, Revenue pays the refund to an account you hold with your qualifying mortgage lender, not normally to the solicitor’s client account. Any alternative account requires agreement with Revenue.
Source: Revenue — Application, claim and verification.
Common mistakes
People often overestimate their refund by counting USC or PRSI, assuming the full €35,000 is automatic, or forgetting that everyone on the purchase must be a first-time buyer. Another common issue is not having tax returns complete for the four years Revenue needs to check.
Source: Department of Finance — Budget 2027 taxation measures. See also the Budget 2027 household summary.