IRB Documents Checklist (Ireland): Exactly What You Need for a Complete Application in 2026

The five mandatory items for a complete IRB application

The IRB will only register your application once it contains five specific items. Anything missing from this list makes the application incomplete, which has a direct consequence described in the next section. Citizens Information (Updated November 2025) [1]

Your solicitor can prepare and file the application, but the signature rule after the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022 [3] is personal. You sign the declaration yourself, even when represented. Electronic signatures are accepted through the online portal. Law Society of Ireland (2023) [4]

What the Section 50 clock actually is (and when it stops)

The clock stops only when your application is deemed complete by the IRB. Under Section 50 of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 [5], the two-year limitation period under the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 pauses while a complete application is with the Board. The IRB confirms this in writing through what practitioners call the Section 50 letter.

Before 4 September 2023, solicitors routinely filed "protective applications" close to the limitation deadline and sent the medical report later. That safety valve is gone. An application lacking Form B is treated as never filed, and the clock keeps running underneath you. If the two-year deadline expires while you are still chasing the medical report, the claim is statute-barred. MM Halley & Son Solicitors (2025) [6]

When you receive the Section 50 letter, you have proof the limitation clock stopped on the date the Board deems your application complete. Keep the letter. If the respondent later rejects the process or declines consent, you will need the letter to calculate the remaining time for issuing court proceedings after the Authorisation. The Board typically issues Section 50 acknowledgements within one to two weeks of a complete submission. Unlike in England and Wales, where claims run under a three-year statutory limitation period with a formal pre-action protocol, Ireland uses a two-year period with no equivalent pre-action protocol, relying instead on the Section 8 letter of claim.

IRB claim volumes and processing times, 2020 to 2024

The direction of travel matters. Applications are holding steady, awards have risen with the Personal Injuries Guidelines effect flattening out, and average assessment time has grown well beyond the 9-month statutory target. These figures are drawn from the IRB's Annual Reports.

Two trends stand out. First, average award size has stabilised around €168m annually following the Guidelines revaluation of 2021. Second, processing time has grown for four consecutive years. That trend matters to document planning, because a Form B written at month 3 of treatment may be outdated by the time assessment happens at month 11 or later.

What most guides still say (that is now wrong)

The rules for IRB applications changed more than any single public source makes clear. The list below flags statements that remain common on Irish legal websites but are no longer correct as of April 2026.

If a source you are reading contradicts this table, check its publication date. Rule changes since 2023 make pre-2024 content significantly unreliable on Irish IRB procedure.

Form A walkthrough: what the Board actually requires

Form A (Version 1.3) collects claimant details, accident particulars, injury description, respondent identification, special damages, mediation consent, and the Section 11 signed declaration. IRB Form A (V1.3) [2] is a fillable PDF or the equivalent online workflow at form.piab.ie.

The portal validates your name and date of birth against Department of Social Protection records in real time. If your Form A details do not match exactly, the system rejects the application. Common failure points include married names where the PPSN is still registered to a maiden name, middle names included in one record and missing from another, and Irish-language characters (fadas) recorded inconsistently across official files. IRB portal validation rules [7]

The respondent field matters as much as your own details. You must name the legal entity responsible, not the trading name or driver's first name. If the at-fault driver was working, the employer is often the correct respondent under vicarious liability. If the retailer is a limited company, the occupier of record is usually that company, not the shop front name. Naming the wrong respondent produces an assessment that is legally worthless against the correct party, and you then restart the process from the beginning.

Signing on behalf of someone else

Not every claimant can sign the Section 11 declaration personally. Children, deceased persons, and adults without legal capacity need a legally authorised signatory. The rules differ by category and the wrong signatory type causes the application to be returned. Unlike in England and Wales, where the Court of Protection and Litigation Friend framework apply, Ireland uses the next friend doctrine for minors and the Personal Representative for deceased claimants.

If you are the next friend for a child, the application proceeds in the child's name. Any compensation is lodged with the court and released in stages under the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004. For claims on behalf of a deceased relative, you must have the grant of probate before the Board will accept the Section 11 declaration. If probate is still pending, consult a solicitor quickly as this can affect the limitation calculation under Section 48 of the Civil Liability Act 1961.

Multiple respondents in one application

You can name more than one respondent in a single Form A, and in many cases you should. The O'Byrne letter procedure, which derives from the Supreme Court decision in O'Byrne v Minister for Finance, is the standard method for resolving liability between co-defendants while preserving your claim against all of them. You name each potential respondent, issue a letter asking each to accept or deny liability, and the Board progresses the claim against whichever consents to assessment.

The O'Byrne letter itself is not filed with the IRB. It is issued to each named respondent at the pre-assessment stage, inviting them to admit or deny liability. Responses (or silence) inform which respondent actually progresses to assessment. The Board applies Section 50 to every named respondent on the date the application is deemed complete, so naming all likely parties from the start protects the limitation point against each of them.

Form B: making the medical report compliant

Form B is the single most rejection-prone document in the application. The IRB assesses your claim on paper, so the Form B report is effectively the evidence of your injury. A vague letter from a GP is no longer enough. The Form B template (V1.1, December 2023) [8] sets out the specific fields the Board expects.

The fields that make a Form B compliant

A compliant Form B sets out the injury, connects it to the accident, and gives the assessor enough detail to map the injury to the Personal Injuries Guidelines (2021) [9]. The Guidelines replaced the Book of Quantum in April 2021 and are legally binding following the Supreme Court's decision in Delaney.

Who can complete Form B

Your treating doctor completes the report. The IRB accepts reports from practitioners registered with the Irish Medical Council, dentists registered with the Dental Council, and physiotherapists registered with CORU for their area of practice. Reports from independent medico-legal consultants who only reviewed the file without providing clinical care are rejected at the application stage. Alternative therapy practitioners carry no evidentiary weight.

If your injuries are purely psychological, the 2022 Act now allows the IRB to assess the claim. Previously the Board would decline and issue an Authorisation. Submit a psychiatric report rather than a GP letter. Include a DSM-5 or ICD-11 coded diagnosis, treatment plan, and prognosis.

Form B vs raw medical records

Submitting raw medical records instead of Form B is one of the costlier unforced errors we see. The IRB forwards whatever medical evidence you submit directly to the respondent's insurer. A curated Form B protects your claim. A full medical file hands the defence decades of unrelated history to challenge causation with.

The comparison is not close. In every IRB application we prepare, we commission a specific Form B and explicitly do not forward raw records to the Board. If the respondent later seeks discovery of underlying records during litigation, that is a separate process governed by the Rules of the Superior Courts.

Cost and timing of Form B

GPs typically charge €250 to €350 for a Form B report. Specialist reports from orthopaedic consultants, neurologists, or psychiatrists range from €400 to €600. These costs are generally recoverable as special damages if the claim succeeds, although the Board's assessment of reasonable medical report costs can fall short of what private consultants charge. Keep every receipt. IRB medical report costs [10]

Booking with your treating doctor typically takes two to four weeks, and the report itself two to three weeks after the consultation. Start the medical report process immediately once you decide to claim. Where the limitation period is within three months, that window becomes urgent.

Your document set by claim type

The core five items are the same across every claim type, but the supporting evidence differs depending on what happened. This matrix sets out what we see the IRB request across the six claim pathways, drawn from the IRB 2024 Annual Report [11] data and practitioner experience.

Case law that shapes the documents rules

Two Irish decisions explain why the IRB now enforces strict document compliance. Both are worth understanding because they changed how solicitors file on behalf of claimants, and why late or defective applications fail.

Special damages and the vouching rule

The IRB requires every euro of special damages to be vouched. Unverified expenses are excluded from the assessment, no matter how reasonable they sound. "Vouching" means producing the original dated receipt or equivalent primary record. A credit-card slip showing "€50 at pharmacy" fails the test. An itemised pharmacy receipt showing "Paracetamol 500mg x 2 boxes, €12" passes. Unlike in England and Wales, where "reasonable expenses" schedules often pass on the claimant's own certification, Irish special damages require documentary proof at assessment.

Fees, formats, and delivery

Online submission is cheaper and faster than postal. The €45 online fee at form.piab.ie is half the €90 postal or email fee. The online portal accepts PDF, JPG, and common image formats for the Form B upload and supporting documents. Postal submissions go to P.O. Box 8, Clonakilty, Cork, P85 YH98.

If you are posting your application, use tracked or signed-for delivery. If the envelope is lost and your limitation period expires, you have no Section 50 protection and no proof of submission. Keep photocopies of everything you post. Claimants filing through the solicitor portal at portal.piab.ie follow a two-part process. Part 1 captures the application data, and Part 2 captures the claimant's signature, which can be wet or scanned digital. At this point you will need to decide whether the speed and fee discount of online submission outweighs the slight additional compliance friction of uploading scanned medical records.

How applications get rejected (and how to prevent it)

Roughly 60% of application rejections trace to two fields: PPSN name mismatch and wrong respondent entity. The remainder usually involve Form B deficiencies, missed signatures, or fee errors. This is what we see repeatedly in practice.

Returns happen at around 10 to 15% of motor applications at initial submission. Most are fixable within days if the limitation period is not tight. The damage happens when the rejection lands close to the two-year deadline and the clock has never stopped running.

Documents the IRB commonly requests after submission

The mandatory set gets your application through the door, but the Board frequently asks for additional documents during the 9 to 11-month assessment window. Having these ready speeds the process and reduces the chance of an assessment issuing on thin evidence. The requests below are what we see most often in practice.

None of these follow-up requests are rejections. The Board asks because assessment requires specific detail, and the request window is typically 30 days. Missing the window delays your assessment and, if the report is central to the claim, can reset the Board's internal clock on that particular piece of evidence.

If your application is returned: appeal and resubmission

There is no formal appeal of a returned application. If the Board deems your submission incomplete, it writes to you explaining the defect. The next step is to correct the identified issue and resubmit. That resubmission is treated as a fresh filing for Section 50 purposes, which means the limitation clock runs uninterrupted between the original return and the corrected resubmission.

Repeated returns for the same defect suggest a more fundamental problem. If your Form B has been rejected twice, the doctor may not be the right expert for your injury type. Consider switching to a specialist consultant. If your respondent naming is repeatedly wrong, the legal entity is likely more complex than standard research reveals, and a solicitor's due diligence is warranted.

Changes and extensions after submission

Once your application is deemed complete, three practical situations come up regularly: correcting information, extending the assessment period, and withdrawing. Each has specific document and timing implications under the PIAB Act 2003 and the 2022 amending Act.

Correcting errors after submission

The scope of correction depends on what is being changed. Minor updates can be notified by email. Material changes may trigger re-review and, in rare cases, a fresh filing. The question that matters is whether the correction affects matters the Board has already relied on to deem the application complete.

Minor notifications are usually confirmed by the Board within a week. Changes that affect the legal identity of the claimant or the respondent require formal documentation and may slow processing. Where uncertain, notify the Board in writing with proposed evidence and ask whether a fresh application is needed before assuming it is not.

Extended assessment time under Section 14(1)(b)

The standard 9-month assessment period under Section 14 can extend where long-term prognosis is unclear. Section 14(1)(b) of the PIAB Act 2003 allows the Board to seek consent to extend the assessment window, typically where medical recovery is ongoing. Both the claimant and the respondent must consent. Extension is rarely refused in practice where the reason is genuine.

Common triggers for extension requests include a surgical procedure planned but not yet carried out, a specialist report awaited on long-term capacity, a rehabilitation course still in progress that affects prognosis, or a psychological assessment needing six-month follow-up. Extensions run in three-month increments, and although there is no statutory cap, extensions beyond 18 months are unusual.

The documents supporting an extension request are typically a letter from the treating doctor or specialist explaining why final prognosis is not yet available, plus an estimated date by which it will be. If the respondent refuses consent to extension, the Board may issue an Authorisation allowing court proceedings while medical uncertainty persists, which preserves your position without forcing a premature assessment.

Withdrawing an application

You can withdraw an IRB application at any time before assessment is issued. Notify the Board in writing at post@injuries.ie with your application reference. On withdrawal, the Section 50 clock restarts from where it paused, not from zero. Withdrawal does not close the claim entirely, but it does end the Board's role for that particular filing.

Withdrawal is rarely the best option. Situations where it may make practical sense include discovering the claim should have been filed against a different respondent entirely (not just adding one), deciding to pursue direct negotiation with the insurer outside the IRB process, or learning that the claim type falls outside IRB scope (for example, a medical negligence element only discovered later). In each case, consult a solicitor before withdrawing because once the clock restarts, options narrow quickly.

Scan quality and file-format requirements

The IRB's online portal accepts PDF, JPG, PNG, and TIFF files. Each uploaded document must be legible at standard zoom, with no rotation issues, and smaller than 10 megabytes per file. Poor quality scans are the third most common reason for Board requests to resubmit particular documents. The technical specifications below reflect what we work to when preparing applications.

For digital signatures specifically, Section 11 of the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022 accepts electronic signatures that meet the Electronic Commerce Act 2000 requirements. The online IRB portal handles this automatically when you sign through the claimant interface. If you are uploading a scan of a wet-ink signature, ensure the signature is legible and on the correct page of Form A.

Digital signature compliance (what counts as valid)

Three categories of electronic signature pass under Section 11 and the Electronic Commerce Act 2000. The portal applies the first automatically. The second and third are used for offline Form A preparation. Typed names without any verification step do not qualify and result in the application being returned.

Document myths that cost claimants money

Certain misconceptions about IRB documents appear repeatedly in client consultations and online forums. The list below addresses misconceptions that specifically cost people money, either through delayed assessment, undervalued compensation, or statute-barring. These are distinct from the earlier table of outdated guidance, which tracks rule changes. Myths here are persistent misunderstandings about current rules.

Document retention after assessment

Keep your complete documents file for at least seven years after your claim concludes. The Revenue Commissioners require tax records for six years under the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, and personal injury records are likely to be needed alongside if any part of your award was taxed or allocated against loss of earnings. The IRB itself retains your file under its GDPR retention policy, and you have ongoing Subject Access Request rights under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Keep originals where practical, and scanned backups in a separate location. For claimants who instruct solicitors, the solicitor's file retention is typically seven years after file closure per Law Society guidance, but this does not substitute for your own records. Store PPSN-containing documents securely and do not email them unencrypted.

IRB documents glossary

Short definitions of the statutory and procedural terms used throughout this guide. Each term is defined in its Irish jurisdictional meaning, which is not the same as the UK equivalent where one exists.

Authorisation

The formal document the IRB issues after assessment is complete. Allows you to issue court proceedings if you reject the assessment. Required before any personal injury action can be commenced in court.

Fatal Accident Application Form

The specific application form used where the injured party has died. Distinct from Form A. Used by the Personal Representative with dependency evidence.

Form A

The main IRB application form, Version 1.3, used for all standard personal injury claims. Captures claimant identity, accident particulars, injuries, respondent details, special damages, and mediation consent.

Form B

The IRB Medical Assessment Form, Version 1.1 (December 2023). Mandatory medical report completed by the treating doctor. Contains ICD-10 coding, causation, treatment, prognosis, and dominant injury identification.

MIBI

Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland. The respondent of last resort for motor claims where the at-fault vehicle is uninsured or untraced. Named as respondent in Form A in those cases.

O'Byrne letter

A letter sent to multiple potential respondents asking each to accept or deny liability. Derives from O'Byrne v Minister for Finance. Used in multi-respondent scenarios to clarify which party progresses to assessment.

Order to Pay

The binding document issued at the end of mediation or accepted assessment that obliges the respondent's insurer to pay the compensation sum. Enforceable as a court order.

PULSE

The Garda Siochana's incident record system. PULSE number references the official record of a reported incident. Useful supporting evidence for motor and assault claims.

Personal Representative

The executor named in a will, or the administrator appointed where there is no will. The only person who can sign Form A on behalf of a deceased claimant. Proved by Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.

Section 8 letter

The letter of claim required under Section 8 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 (as amended). Issued to the respondent within one month of the accident or knowledge of the injury.

Section 11 declaration

The sworn statement at the end of Form A confirming that the information provided is true. Must be signed personally by the claimant under the 2022 Act. False information is a criminal offence under Section 80A.

Section 14(9) assessment

The initial review by the Garda Commissioner of a claim under the Garda Compensation Scheme, performed by the reporting officer. Determines whether the claim is admitted to the scheme before any IRB process.

Section 50 letter

The IRB acknowledgement confirming that a complete application has been received and the Statute of Limitations clock has paused. Essential proof of limitation compliance.

Section 80A

The criminal offence provision of the 2003 Act, as amended, covering false or misleading information in an IRB application. Maximum penalty on conviction includes fine and imprisonment.

RBA01

The Department of Social Protection's Recovery of Benefits and Assistance form. Used by DSP to recover illness benefit paid to claimants from the compensator before the claimant is paid.

Near the two-year deadline: urgent submission protocol

If your deadline is within three months, treat every remaining day as critical. The rule is simple: file a complete application as early as possible, and never rely on "getting it in just before the deadline" unless all five mandatory items are genuinely ready.

1. Week minus 8. Book your treating doctor for the Form B appointment. Flag the urgency. Ask whether they will draft the report, send it to you for review, and then sign the final version.
2. Week minus 6. Confirm the correct respondent entity. Check CRO or vehicle registration records.
3. Week minus 4. Receive the Form B draft. Check the ICD-10 code, causation tick-box, prognosis, and pre-existing aggravation section are all completed.
4. Week minus 2. Review Form A in draft. Match your name exactly to your PPSN record. Check the respondent name and address are correct.
5. Week minus 1. File online through form.piab.ie with the €45 fee. Keep the acknowledgement reference.
6. Post-submission. Watch for the Section 50 letter within one to two weeks. That is your proof the limitation clock stopped on the filing date.

Mediation vs assessment: does the document set change?

The core five mandatory items do not change, but mediation adds two further documents if you opt in. Since December 2024, IRB mediation is available for all three main claim types: employer liability from 14 December 2023, public liability from 8 May 2024, and motor liability from 12 December 2024. Department of Enterprise (December 2024) [14]

You consent to mediation in Section 7 of Form A by ticking the box. If the respondent also consents, the claim is assigned to a mediator from the IRB panel. The process runs in parallel to assessment, typically resolves within three months, and produces a written agreement with a ten-day cooling-off period before it becomes a legally binding Order to Pay under the Mediation Act 2017.

Unlike standard assessment, mediation can address liability disputes, contributory negligence arguments, and the severity of ongoing injuries. If mediation fails, the claim transfers to assessment, and the information you shared in mediation remains confidential and inadmissible. That protection is powerful, and worth weighing when deciding whether to consent. Unlike in England and Wales, where most personal injury cases settle through direct negotiation without formal mediation structures, Ireland now embeds statutory mediation directly inside the IRB process. The next step is to consider which pathway suits your priorities: speed (mediation) or formal paper-based assessment (standard IRB).

Document timeline: when to gather what

Evidence degrades fast in some categories and not at all in others. This timeline reflects the practical collection windows Irish solicitors operate to. CCTV retention and the Section 8 letter of claim are the two early pinch points.

Mistakes that cause IRB rejections

How this guide was researched and verified

References

Sources grouped by authority tier. Each entry shows the source name, its authority tier, publication or last-updated date, and the date we last verified the link. All external references were verified on 17 April 2026.

Primary statutory sources (Oireachtas)

1. Statute Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022. Enacted 13 December 2022. Phase 1 commencement 13 February 2023. Phase 2 commencement 4 September 2023. Phase 3 commencement 14 December 2023. Verified 17 April 2026.
2. Statute Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003, as amended. Commenced 2004. Section 50 limitation mechanic. Section 11 declaration. Section 80A anti-fraud. Verified 17 April 2026.
3. Statute Garda Siochana (Compensation) Act 2022. Commenced 10 April 2023. Section 14(9) reporting officer assessment. Verified 17 April 2026.
4. Statute Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004, as amended by Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Act 2019 and subsequent amendments. Section 8 letter of claim. Two-year limitation. Verified 17 April 2026.

Judicial sources (courts.ie)

5. Judicial Delaney v The Personal Injuries Assessment Board [2024] IESC 10, covered by Law Society Gazette. Supreme Court of Ireland, delivered 9 April 2024. Seven-judge bench. Majority decision by Charleton J. Also reported by RTÉ News. Verified 17 April 2026.
6. Judicial Mangan v Personal Injuries Assessment Board [2006] IEHC 210. High Court of Ireland, 2006. Section 50 limitation suspension mechanic. Verified 17 April 2026.
7. Judicial Judicial Council, Personal Injuries Guidelines. Adopted by the Judicial Council 6 March 2021. Given legal effect 24 April 2021 by the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021. Currently under scheduled review. Verified 17 April 2026.

Official bodies (IRB, Citizens Information, DSP, DPC, HSA)

8. Official Citizens Information Board, Injuries Resolution Board guidance. Last updated November 2025. Verified 17 April 2026.
9. Official Injuries Resolution Board, Form A Application Form (Version 1.3). Updated 2023. Verified 17 April 2026.
10. Official Injuries Resolution Board, Form B Medical Assessment Form (Version 1.1). Published December 2023. Verified 17 April 2026.
11. Official Injuries Resolution Board, 2024 Annual Report press release. Published 9 July 2025. Statistics: 20,837 applications, €168m awards, 11.2 months average assessment time, 51% within 9-month target. Verified 17 April 2026.
12. Official Injuries Resolution Board, 2024 Annual Report (full PDF). Published 9 July 2025. Verified 17 April 2026.
13. Official Department of Social Protection, Recovery of Benefits and Assistance Scheme (RBA01). Administered under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended. Verified 17 April 2026.
14. Official Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Motor Mediation Commencement press release. Published 11 December 2024. Commencement effective 12 December 2024. Verified 17 April 2026.
15. Official Department of Enterprise, Public Liability Mediation Commencement. Published 8 May 2024. Verified 17 April 2026.
16. Official Data Protection Commission, CCTV Guidance for Data Controllers. Published November 2023. Establishes 28-30 day CCTV retention norms. Verified 17 April 2026.

Professional and industry sources

16. Professional Law Society of Ireland, Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act update. Published 2023. Verified 17 April 2026.
17. Professional MM Halley & Son Solicitors, Mandatory Medical Reports guidance. Updated November 2025. Verified 17 April 2026.
18. Professional Gary Matthews Solicitors, IRB Portal Validation. Checked January 2026.
19. Professional Gary Matthews Solicitors, Car Accident IRB Documents. Checked January 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides: Injuries Resolution Board (hub) • How to apply to the IRB • Car accident IRB documents • Accident at work claims • Public liability IRB claims • Personal injury claims overview

Legal notice: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different and outcomes vary. Consult a qualified solicitor for advice specific to your situation. In contentious business a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.