The Department of Social Protection maintains a list of bodies that are legally authorised to use the PPS Number.

[1] Everyone born in Ireland from 1971 onwards has a PPS Number: it is now assigned as part of the birth registration process.

Similarly, a PPS Number has been assigned to anyone who has worked or received a Social Welfare payment in Ireland since 1979.

[2] The PPS Number is a key element of the Public Services Card (PSC) issued by the Department of Social Protection.

The PSC is designed to help people easily and safely authenticate their identity when they need to access public services.

It also holds a magnetic stripe to enable social welfare payments such as pensions to be collected at post offices.

In August 2000 the department instigated a programme to remove the Pupil Number and replace it with the PPS No in future on records.

)[2] In some cases, this second letter may be a W, which was used for women – "W" from "wife" – who married and automatically adopted the same number as their husband, though this practice stopped in 1999 chiefly due to equal rights concerns.

Applicants should show the reason for requiring a PPS Number, and provide Photographic ID and proof of address.