Buying property in Ireland as an American

Can Americans buy?

No restrictions on US buyers. Sales go through solicitors on both sides.

Owning property gives no residency right. Retirees can apply for Stamp 0 permission with an income of about €50,000 a year per person plus access to a lump sum for major expenses; no work allowed.

How rent is taxed

Rental profit is taxed at 20% up to €44,000 and 40% above (bands shown in USD); non-residents such as US residents generally get no personal tax credits. USC also applies to non-residents (0.5% to €12,012, 2% to €28,700, 3% to €70,044, 8% above; none if total income ≤ €13,000); PRSI does not apply to non-residents. Under the Non-Resident Landlord Withholding Tax regime (since July 2023) the tenant, or a collection agent who opts in, withholds 20% of the rent and pays it to Revenue; it is credited on your Form 11. Register each tenancy with the RTB every year (€40).

US–Ireland tax treaty in force; Irish tax on Irish rent is creditable against US tax.

As a US taxpayer you also report the rent on Schedule E. Your free ranking estimates the combined effect for your state and income.

Main risk

Rent controls cover the whole country: increases on existing tenancies are capped at 2% a year or CPI if lower, and tenancies from 1 March 2026 run six years before rent can be reset to market.

Since 20 June 2025 the whole country is a rent pressure zone, so short lets (21 nights or less per the new rules) of a home that is not your principal residence generally need planning permission everywhere. A Fáilte Ireland short-term letting register takes effect on 1 December 2026; hosts must register by 31 December 2026 and show the number on every listing. Further limits (e.g. a 90-night cap in towns over 10,000) are proposed in the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill.

Cities we cover

• Dublin$7,280/m² · gross 7.1%
• Cork$4,704/m² · gross 7.8%
• Galway$4,816/m² · gross 8.0%
• Limerick$3,248/m² · gross 9.6%