Notes & updates
What registering in Ireland actually costs in 2026
The Dental Council's 2026 fees, plus the costs that never appear in anyone's list — translations, travel to the exam, indemnity and the annual retention fee people forget to budget for.
Most articles about moving to Ireland talk about earnings. Far fewer set out what it costs to get to the point where you can earn anything.
Here are the Dental Council's published 2026 fees, and then the ones nobody writes down.
The Dental Council's fees
- Registration application: €400
- Annual retention fee, every year you stay registered: €450
- Dental Council Examination, for non-EEA applicants: €1,500
- Repeat examination: €750
- Late fee, if the retention fee goes unpaid for two months: €300
These go to the Council. We do not pay, fund or reimburse them, and neither does any legitimate employer — they are yours, paid directly to the body that charges them.
The costs that catch people out
The annual retention fee. €450 is not a one-off. It recurs every year you remain on the register, and the €300 late fee arrives faster than people expect.
Certified translations. Every document not in English needs one, done properly. Budget realistically and use a certified translator the first time — a rejected translation costs you the fee twice and the waiting time twice.
Travel to the examination. The exam runs in two parts, roughly two months apart, in different Irish cities. That is at least two trips to Ireland before you have earned a euro here.
Professional indemnity. Required to practise, and priced on your scope of work.
Your move itself. Flights, deposits, and the first month before you are paid.
The one worth checking before you spend anything
If you qualified outside the EU and UK, confirm whether you actually need the examination. Where your qualification has been recognised in an EU member state and you have practised there for three of the previous five years, the Council can assess you without one.
That single check is worth €1,500 and potentially a year.
A word on anyone asking you for money
You pay the Dental Council. You pay a translator. You may pay for an English test. You should never pay a company to be placed in a job. If someone asks you to, that is the moment to walk away.
Fees change. Confirm the current schedule with the Dental Council before you budget on any figure, including these.
This is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice. Registration and permit rules are
set by the Dental Council of Ireland and the Irish authorities and can change — always confirm
the current position before making decisions or payments.
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