Ireland CGT €1,270 Personal Exemption Calculator 2026
Calculate Ireland Capital Gains Tax for 2026 after the €1,270 annual personal exemption. The standard CGT rate is 33% on chargeable gains above the exemption; 40% applies to foreign life assurance policies and offshore funds. Each individual gets their own €1,270 — married couples cannot share unused amounts. Free Revenue.ie-aligned tool — runs in your browser.
The €1,270 Annual Personal Exemption
Every Irish-resident individual has a Capital Gains Tax annual personal exemption of €1,270 for 2026 — the first €1,270 of net chargeable gains in each tax year is exempt from CGT. The exemption is per individual, not per disposal, and it cannot be carried forward or transferred to a spouse. A married couple has two separate €1,270 exemptions (€2,540 combined), but only if each spouse has gains of their own — one spouse cannot use the other\'s unused exemption. The exemption applies after losses are deducted from gains, so plan disposals to maximize the exemption. For example, a €5,000 gain offset by a €3,000 loss leaves €2,000 net gain — €1,270 is exempt and €730 is taxed at 33% = €240.90 CGT. Source: Revenue.ie — Personal Exemption.
The 33% Standard CGT Rate
The standard CGT rate in Ireland is 33% on the chargeable gain after exemptions and reliefs. The 33% rate applies to disposals of shares, investment property, business assets (subject to retirement relief and entrepreneur relief), antiques over €2,540, crypto-assets (Revenue treats crypto as a chargeable asset for CGT), and life assurance/offshore fund gains. The 40% rate applies to "unit-linked" foreign life assurance policies and most offshore funds outside EU/EEA umbrella structures — designed to discourage tax-deferred offshore wrappers. Principal Private Residence (PPR) relief fully exempts the sale of your main home if you lived in it throughout the period of ownership; partial relief applies if you let part of the home or had periods of absence. Source: Revenue.ie — CGT Reliefs.
Reporting and Payment Deadlines
Ireland operates a two-step CGT reporting and payment cycle: (1) For disposals between 1 January and 30 November (Initial Period), CGT must be paid by 15 December of the same year. (2) For disposals between 1 December and 31 December (Later Period), CGT must be paid by 31 January of the following year. The annual CGT return (Form CG1, or Form 11/12 if you also file an income tax return) is due by 31 October of the following year (or mid-November if filing electronically via ROS). Late payment triggers interest at 0.0219% per day (~8% annualised) and a 5%-10% surcharge on the underpayment. Use the ROS online system for fastest filing and acknowledgement. Source: Revenue.ie — CGT Key Dates.
Loss Set-Off and Carry Forward
Losses from chargeable disposals first offset gains in the same tax year. Unused losses carry forward indefinitely against future chargeable gains but cannot offset income tax. There is no loss carry-back in Ireland. The €1,270 personal exemption is applied after losses are set off — so if your net gain after loss-offset is below €1,270, no CGT is due but you also use up your exemption against the carried-forward loss. Strategically, large unused losses can shelter gains for many years, but inflation-erosion means the present-value benefit decays. For shares, special rules apply for "matching" purchases within 4 weeks (share-pooling rules under §581 TCA 1997). Use our Capital Gains Tax Ireland Calculator for full multi-year planning. Last updated May 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Irish CGT personal exemption?
Every Irish-resident individual has a Capital Gains Tax annual personal exemption of €1,270. The first €1,270 of net chargeable gains each tax year is exempt from CGT. The exemption is per individual and per tax year — it cannot be carried forward, transferred to a spouse, or combined across spouses. It applies after losses are deducted from gains.
Can my spouse use my unused €1,270 exemption?
No. The €1,270 exemption is strictly per individual and is not transferable between spouses or civil partners. If you have a €5,000 gain and your spouse has no gains, you cannot use your spouse's unused €1,270. However, married couples filing jointly can transfer assets between themselves before disposal — gifts between spouses are not chargeable to CGT, so you could gift half the asset to your spouse before sale, allowing each to use their own exemption.
What is the standard CGT rate in Ireland for 2026?
The standard CGT rate is 33% on chargeable gains above the €1,270 personal exemption. A higher 40% rate applies to foreign life assurance policies and most offshore funds outside the EU/EEA umbrella, including unit-linked policies and certain managed funds. Cryptocurrency disposals are subject to the standard 33% rate. Entrepreneur relief reduces the rate to 10% on up to €1m of lifetime gains on qualifying business disposals.
When must I pay Irish CGT?
Two payment periods: (1) For disposals between 1 January and 30 November, CGT must be paid by 15 December of the same year. (2) For disposals in December, CGT is due by 31 January of the following year. The annual CGT return (Form CG1) is due by 31 October of the following year (or mid-November via ROS electronic filing). Late payment incurs interest at 0.0219% daily (~8% annualised) plus a 5%-10% surcharge.
Can I carry CGT losses forward?
Yes, indefinitely. Unused CGT losses from one tax year can be carried forward to offset chargeable gains in any future tax year. Losses must first be offset against gains in the same year before carrying forward. There is no loss carry-back in Ireland. Losses cannot offset income tax — only CGT. Maintain records of each loss-generating disposal for as long as the loss remains unused.
How is crypto taxed under Irish CGT?
Revenue treats cryptocurrency as a chargeable asset for CGT purposes. Every disposal (sale, exchange, spending, gifting) is a CGT event. Each trade between cryptocurrencies (e.g., BTC to ETH) is a disposal of BTC at its euro value at the time of the trade. The cost basis is the original euro purchase price + allowable expenses. Standard 33% CGT applies to gains, less the €1,270 personal exemption. Mining and staking rewards are taxed as miscellaneous income at marginal income tax rates, not CGT.
Is the family home (PPR) exempt from CGT?
Yes, fully — the Principal Private Residence (PPR) exemption fully exempts the sale of your main home if you occupied it throughout the period of ownership. Partial relief applies if you let part of the home, had periods of absence, or used part of the home for business. The exemption covers up to 1 acre of land (or more if "appropriate to the enjoyment of the dwelling"). Investment properties, holiday homes, and second homes do NOT qualify for PPR.