New passport requirement for motorists travelling between Ireland and Britain

All passengers and motorists travelling with Irish Ferries between the Republic of Ireland and Britain will soon be required to carry a valid passport.

This is a change to the current ID accepted and means that from 28th September 2026, no other forms of photo ID will be accepted by Irish Ferries for any passengers, including Irish and UK citizens.

This is to ensure compliance with UK Border Force requirements relating to the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.

This aligns ferry travel requirements with the document checks already carried out by many airlines.

Irish Ferries is encouraging Irish and UK citizens travelling or planning to travel after 28th September to check that they have a valid, in-date passport (or Irish passport card) before arriving at the port to avoid delays or disruption to their journey.

Irish Ferries operates between Dublin and Rosslare in Ireland and Holyhead and Pembroke in Britain.

Customers with existing bookings are being notified by Irish Ferries to support them with this new requirement.