Tax

What is capital gains tax?

Capital gains tax — CGT — is the tax on the profit you make when you sell shares in Ireland: a flat 33 %, after a personal exemption of €1,270 per year. Nothing is taxed while you simply hold a share; the tax arrives the year you sell. Unlike most countries, nobody withholds it for you — you work it out, pay it and file it yourself. Note that most ETFs are not taxed this way: see ETF exit tax.

Tax is national. This page describes the rules in Ireland (2026). If you live and pay tax in another country, the rules are different — see the flags below.

One red dot: the tax only comes on the day you sell.

How it works

Only when you sell. A share that rises 40 % but stays in your account is not taxed. The gain becomes taxable in the year you sell.
€1,270 a year free. Add up your gains, subtract your losses, and only the amount above €1,270 is taxed at 33 %. The exemption is per person and cannot be carried forward or transferred to a spouse.
Two payment dates. Gains made from 1 January to 30 November are paid by 15 December of the same year; gains made in December by 31 January. The return (Form CG1 or Form 11) follows by 31 October of the next year.
Losses. A loss on one share is set against gains in the same year; what is left carries forward indefinitely. A loss on a sale to a spouse or on ETFs cannot be used.
Costs count. Broker commission, the 1 % stamp duty on Irish shares and currency conversion are all deducted from the gain.

The worked example

You buy shares for €5,000 and sell them three years later for €8,000. Gain: €3,000. Minus the €1,270 exemption: €1,730 taxable × 33 % = €570.90. You keep €7,429.10.

Sell in October? Pay the €570.90 by 15 December. Sell in December? Pay by 31 January. Either way, the CG1 form goes to Revenue by 31 October the following year.

What else to know

FIFO. If you bought the same share several times, Revenue assumes you sell the oldest first. Four-week rule. A loss on shares you buy back within four weeks can only be set against a gain on those same shares. Foreign shares. Same 33 % — gains are converted to euro at the rates on the purchase and sale dates. No tax-free account. Ireland has nothing like the UK ISA or the Nordic share accounts; an "investment account" has been announced for 2027 but does not exist yet.

Kiggo says: Capital gains tax is a bill you decide the date of — but in Ireland you also have to remember to send it yourself.

The typical beginner's mistake

Selling in autumn and forgetting that the tax is due on 15 December — not with the return the following October. Late payment means interest. Set the 33 % aside on the day you sell.

How you see it in Kiggo

Kiggo's portfolio shows the gain and loss on each share — that is the number CGT is worked out on the day you sell. In the Glossary, capital gains tax has a small drawing: one red dot on the day of the sale. Kiggo does not calculate your tax; your broker's statement and Revenue do that.

Frequently asked questions

How much is capital gains tax in Ireland in 2026?

33 % of the gain above the €1,270 annual personal exemption. The rate has been 33 % since 2012.

When do I pay CGT?

By 15 December for gains made between 1 January and 30 November, and by 31 January for gains made in December. The return is filed by 31 October the following year — even if no tax is due.

Does CGT apply to ETFs?

Usually not. Most ETFs (all EU-domiciled ones) fall under the separate exit tax regime at 38 %, with a deemed sale every 8 years and no loss relief. Individual shares use CGT.

Kiggo explains — Kiggo does not advise. We never tell you what to buy or sell, and key figures can only be compared between companies in the same industry. The decision is yours. Last updated 2026-09-07.

Written by Claus Frisch, founder of Kiggo. Not an adviser, not a bank — Kiggo explains, you decide.