MyGovID not working — start here
MyGovID can break in several ways. The fix depends on the kind of "not working". Use the table below to find your symptom and the page that solves it. If your symptom isn't here, contact us via /contact/ and we'll add it.
Find your symptom
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Login failed. Check your email or password." | Wrong password or wrong account. | Try password reset on our forgot-password guide. |
| 2FA verification code not arriving | Phone number changed, signal issue, or carrier delay. | 2FA code not arriving. |
| "Account temporarily locked" | Too many failed login attempts. | Account locked. |
| App crashes when you open it | iOS or Android build issue, or storage problem. | iPhone or Android. |
| "Server error" / 500 / 502 / 503 | MyGovID is down (for you or for everyone). | Server errors + check our outage log. |
| Verification step won't progress | PSC mismatch, photo problem, or browser issue. | Stuck on verification. |
| The MyGovID site loads but you can't see the login button | Browser extension or cached page. | Try an incognito/private window. If it works there, disable extensions one by one. |
| You can log in to MyGovID but a downstream service (Revenue, MyWelfare) won't accept the login | Session timeout, downstream service issue, or you need a verified (not basic) MyGovID account. | See the "verified vs basic" section below. |
Is MyGovID down for everyone right now?
Two quick checks:
- Try opening mygovid.ie in a private/incognito browser window. If it doesn't load there either, the problem is probably on MyGovID's side rather than yours.
- Check our outage log. We log confirmed MyGovID and mywelfare.ie outages there with start time and resolution time.
Verified vs basic MyGovID accounts
This is the most common silent failure. A basic MyGovID account lets you log in to a small set of services. A verified account is required for most useful services (Revenue myAccount, MyWelfare claims, driving licence services, student grants). If a downstream service rejects your login, the cause is often that you have a basic account, not a verified one.
To verify a basic account you need either a Public Services Card and a verified phone number, or you need to verify your identity through the MyGovID app. The official process explains how.
We will never ask you for your MyGovID password, your PPS number, or your 2FA code. If any page on the internet appears to ask you for these in unusual circumstances, do not enter them — it's almost certainly a phishing attempt. The official MyGovID never sends emails asking you to "verify" your account by clicking a link.
Still stuck?
If none of the symptom rows above match what you're seeing, the official help channel is the MyGovID Help and Support page. We are not able to log in to your account on your behalf — we are an editorial site, not a state service.