How to register a company in Ireland

Start with your company structure

An Irish private company limited by shares (LTD) is a common choice for founders. The structure separates the company from its owners. A company brings ongoing reporting and accounting duties, so decide whether incorporation matches your plans.

Prepare the formation information

Collect your proposed name, principal business activity, Irish registered office, directors, company secretary, shareholders and share allocation. We use these details to prepare the incorporation application and constitution.

Choose support that matches your setup

If you already have your address and identification route, Basic may suit you. Standard adds IPN support and the first annual return. Premium adds a registered office and RBO filing. If no director is EEA-resident, ask about the bond route before ordering.

Review, sign and file

We review the information and prepare documents for signature. Incorporation happens only when the CRO approves the application. Your next steps include ownership records, applicable tax registration and your first annual return.

Your incorporation preparation checklist

Prepare the information below before asking the team to draft your application. A consistent set of details makes the review easier and helps you identify questions before documents need to be signed.

• Company name: prepare your preferred name and alternatives, and check similar names on the official CRO register. A preliminary search is not an approval or a reservation.
• Business activity: explain what the company will actually do, who its customers will be and where the activity will take place.
• Irish registered office: confirm the physical address and arrangements for receiving official mail. If you need an address service, compare the Premium package with the separate service.
• Officers: identify the directors and company secretary. For a single-director LTD, arrange a separate secretary.
• Identity route: check which officers already have the required PPSN or IPN. Ask for a secure collection process before sending identity numbers or documents.
• Director residency: establish whether at least one director is resident in the EEA. If none is, confirm the bond or applicable exemption route.
• Ownership: agree who subscribes for shares and how ownership will be divided. Identify the people who ultimately own or control the company.
• Contact and signatures: choose who will coordinate the application and ensure that everyone who must sign can review their details.

What to organise after incorporation

Your Certificate of Incorporation establishes that the CRO has registered the company. It is the start of its ongoing administration. Store the constitution, share certificates and officer records together, and agree who will maintain them.

Calendar the first annual return date, which falls six months after incorporation, and review the separate beneficial ownership registration requirement. Newly incorporated relevant entities normally have five months to submit beneficial ownership information. Check the current filing guidance and do not assume that the incorporation application completes either task.

Discuss tax registration, bookkeeping, payroll and banking with the appropriate providers. These arrangements depend on your company’s circumstances. Formation does not automatically open a bank account, register the company for VAT or determine where it is tax resident.

Read our guides to the first annual return, RBO registration and tax registration for the next steps.

Questions to resolve before filing

Different spellings of an officer’s name, an unsettled share allocation or an unavailable signature can mean that documents need to be corrected. Check these details against the information supplied through the team’s secure process. If your proposed name needs further consideration or your director residency route is unclear, resolve that point before treating the application as ready.

An application reference does not mean the company is incorporated. Wait for CRO approval and the certificate before describing the company as registered. Use the formation route checker for an initial package recommendation, then confirm any unusual requirements with the team.