The standard Ireland abbreviation is IE, the two letter country code, and IRL, the three letter code. You will see IE on shipping forms and drop down menus, and IRL on sports scoreboards, passports and car stickers. In running text, many writers simply spell out Ireland, and the older short form Ire. appears mainly in reference lists.
One detail trips people up: these codes belong to the Republic of Ireland, the independent country. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and uses the UK's codes for most official purposes.
Quick facts
Two letter code
IEThree letter code
IRLNumeric code
372Internet domain
.ieTraditional abbreviation
Ire.Phone code
+353Currency code
EUR (the euro)Not to be confused with
i.e., meaning that is
Ireland abbreviation codes at a glance
| Short form | Kind of code | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| IE | Alpha-2 code (two letters) | Parcel labels, web checkouts, bank details |
| IRL | Three letter international code | Passports, sports results, car stickers |
| 372 | Numeric code | Some databases and customs systems |
| .ie | Internet country domain | Website addresses in Ireland |
| Ire. | Traditional abbreviation | Older reference books, atlases, indexes |
For the same kind of table for other nations, browse the country and airport code section.
Which abbreviation to use when
- Online checkout or address form: pick IE when a field wants the short two character version. Most menus just list "Ireland."
- International mail: put IRELAND, spelled out in capitals, as the final line. Sorting staff around the world recognize a full country name faster than a code.
- Sports and the Olympics: IRL is the usual tag next to an athlete's name.
- Essays and articles: spell out Ireland. Abbreviate only in tables or tight spaces.
Shipping form: "Country code: IE. City: Galway. Eircode: H91 XXXX." The IE tells the carrier the parcel is going to the Republic of Ireland, and the Eircode is the local postal code.
Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
The island of Ireland holds two places with different codes:
- Ireland: the independent state, officially named Ireland, or Éire in the Irish language. People often call it the Republic of Ireland to make the difference clear. Its codes are IE and IRL.
- Northern Ireland: part of the United Kingdom. It uses GB or UK related codes on forms and the pound as currency. Some sports teams use NIR as a short tag.
In casual writing, people sometimes shorten Republic of Ireland to ROI and Northern Ireland to NI. Those are informal and best avoided on official paperwork.
Travel codes: airports and time
If you are booking a trip, you will meet a different set of codes. Airport codes are assigned to each airport, not the country. Dublin Airport is DUB, Shannon is SNN and Cork is ORK. Compare that with the way U.S. airports like LAX get their own letters.
Ireland uses Greenwich Mean Time in winter, often shortened to GMT, and Irish Standard Time, IST, in summer. Do not confuse that IST with India Standard Time, which uses the same letters.
Mix-ups to avoid
- IE vs i.e.: the country code is capitals with no periods. The Latin short form i.e. is lowercase with periods and means "that is."
- IRL in texts: online, IRL often means "in real life." Context tells you whether someone means the country.
- IE vs IS: IS is Iceland's two letter code, not Ireland's.
- IR: this code belongs to Iran.
When in doubt, writing out Ireland is never wrong.
Examples in sentences
- "Select IE from the country list to see shipping options to Dublin."
- "The scoreboard showed IRL in second place after the first lap."
- "Our cousins live in Cork, Ireland, not in Northern Ireland."
- "The website ends in .ie, so it is based in Ireland."
- "Flights to DUB leave twice a day."
Shortening place names follows a few general rules, covered in the guide on how to abbreviate words well.
Questions people ask
What is the abbreviation for Ireland?
The two letter code is IE and the three letter code is IRL. In ordinary writing, Ireland is usually spelled out, and Ire. is an older traditional short form.
Is the abbreviation for Ireland IE or IRL?
Both are correct, for different jobs. IE fits two letter fields like web forms, and IRL fits three letter uses like sports results and passports.
What is the abbreviation for Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, so it uses UK codes on most forms. NI is a common informal short form, and some sports teams use NIR.
What does ROI mean for Ireland?
ROI is an informal short form for Republic of Ireland. It is not an official code, and it can also mean return on investment in business writing.
What is the phone code for Ireland?
The international dialing code is +353. Drop the first zero of an Irish phone number when you dial from abroad.