Know what you are reserving
CRO offers a 28-day company-name reservation for €25. It reserves a proposed name through the official process; it does not create a company. Keep the reservation confirmation separate from the incorporation certificate so nobody in your team treats the earlier document as evidence that the business already exists as a registered company.
Reserve when the application can move
Before using the reservation window, check that officer details, the registered office, identity requirements and ownership decisions are close to settled. A reservation made while founders are still negotiating can expire without helping the filing. Ask the formation team how they will use the confirmation and which outstanding items could hold up preparation.
Plan around the expiry date
Put the official expiry date in the coordinator’s calendar and work backwards from it. Leave time for review, signatures and corrections rather than aiming to finish everything on the last day. If the application will not be ready, ask about the current CRO options before expiry; do not assume a name stays reserved because discussions are ongoing.
Keep branding commitments proportionate
A reserved company name does not answer every question about a brand. Continue separate trademark and domain checks where relevant. For example, spending heavily on printed packaging while the legal structure is unresolved creates avoidable rework. Use draft branding during preparation and make major commitments after the relevant approvals and rights checks are clear.
Your practical checklist
- Use the official CRO reservation process
- Save the confirmation and its exact expiry date
- Confirm how the provider will handle the reservation
- Finish formation decisions within a realistic timetable
- Keep brand-rights checks separate
Sources and editorial notes
Official guidance and any referenced service information checked 11 October 2026. These are original preparation notes with illustrative examples; they do not replace individual legal or tax advice.
Author and publisher: Ireland Company Formation, operated by COMMERCIAL ADMINISTRATION BUREAU LIMITED. For a correction or question, contact the team.
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