Starting your own business can be daunting, especially if you’re a first-time entrepreneur. That’s why we are committed to simplifying your company formation process.

With your needs in mind, we’ve created this comprehensive one-stop guide specifically designed to assist you in gathering all the necessary information to register your Irish Limited Company smoothly. We’ll review all the documentation you need to register an Irish company, ensuring you know all the paperwork required.

This guide is intended for Irish residents since people registering companies outside of Ireland may be required to meet more requirements, especially if you are a non-EEA resident director

Company Formation Ireland Service
Starting a company has never been easier. Our online service gets you set up quickly and professionally.
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To register a company in Ireland, you must provide a completed Form A1 and signed constitution to the Companies Registration Office (CRO) and the required registration fee.

  • Form A1 (Application for Registration): This is the primary application form for registering a company in Ireland. It includes details about the company, directors, secretary, shareholders, and registered office address.
  • Constitution: In Ireland, the constitution is a document that outlines the rules and regulations governing the company.

Instead of filling out the paperwork yourself, many of our clients use the services of a company formation agent to ensure that the registration process is accurate and efficient.

In the business world, starting up is just one facet; being informed about processes like Ireland’s voluntary strike-off is crucial for those considering winding down.

What information is required to register a company in Ireland?

  1. A company name
  2. Details of directors, including PPS Number
  3. Details of company secretary and shareholders
  4. Details of authorised and issued share capital
  5. Details of your registered and business address
  6. Valid ID and proof of address
Company Formation Ireland Service
Starting a company has never been easier. Our online service gets you set up quickly and professionally.
279 (+VAT)
Pay Once

Limited Company name

Your company name is one of the critical pieces of information required to register an Irish Limited Company in Ireland. Finding the right company name is a big decision, like forming your company. 

First, you should choose at least three proposed company names. Rank them in order of preference, and let us do the rest. As a new Limited Company, you must have a name that is distinguishable from other companies already registered with the Companies Registration Office (CRO).

Your company’s name will help build a strong brand identity. It’ll be helpful to delve into your company’s culture and activities and develop a unique and distinguishing name for your new company.

Director, company secretary and shareholders’ details

Who will be the director, company Secretary and shareholders in your company?

The director is responsible for managing the company. Irish Limited Companies need to have at least one EEA-resident director. 

You must appoint a separate company secretary if you only have one director. If you have two or more directors, one can act as the company secretary. However, the person appointed should know company secretaries have specific roles and responsibilities. Many business owners outsource to a professional company secretarial service because they need the skill set to ensure their company’s compliance. 

A shareholder is a person who owns part of the business. In startups and small businesses, it is common for shareholders, directors and company secretary to be the same people.

Personal Public Service Number (PPS Number)

A PPS Number, or Personal Public Service Number, is a vital identifier in Ireland that grants you access to various social welfare benefits, public services, and information. While most residents in Ireland should already possess a PPSN, newcomers to the country might not have one.

If you do not have a PPS Number, talk to our Client Services Team, who can help you with an alternative verification called a Verification Identity Number (VIN) through a Form VIF.

Authorised and issued share capital

Think of share capital as pieces of the company that you can give away. Authorised shares are the number of shares that you can give, both now and in the future. Issued shares are the number of given out and paid for. Shareholders are individuals who pay for shares. These are the people who own your company.

We recommend 100,000 authorised shares and 100 issued shares at €1 each. If you’re setting up a company on your own, you will most likely give yourself 100 shares, meaning you have 100% ownership. When two shareholders in a company have 50 shares each, they both have 50% ownership of the company.

Company Formation Ireland Service
Starting a company has never been easier. Our online service gets you set up quickly and professionally.
279 (+VAT)
Pay Once

Registered address and business address

When setting up a Limited Company in Ireland, you need a registered office address and business address.

  • The registered address is where the Company Registration Office send the business’s legal notices. For this reason, it is one of the most critical pieces of information required to register an Irish Limited Company.
  • The registered address must be in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Information about this address will be publicly available to anyone who looks up your company on the Companies Registration Office.
  • If you want to use something other than your private address as your registered address, we offer a Registered Office Address Service.
  • Your official registered company address does not have to be the same as your business address (the place where you conduct your business)

Need an Irish address?

Our popular Virtual Office service combines our Registered and Business Correspondence Address services. Enjoy using our Dublin 2, city centre address as the Registered Office address for your company. We will look after your company’s correspondence and forward all your posts to you on the same working day. Our correspondence addresses ensure you have a central location for your business mail. In this digital age, we understand that physical letters can get tossed aside. We make sure that doesn’t happen.

Verified ID and proof of address

When setting up a new Limited Company with Accountant Online, you must provide us with certified copies of your ID (e.g. passport, identity card or driver’s licence) and proof of address (e.g. utility bill, mobile phone bill, letters from Revenue). As members of Chartered Accountants Ireland, we need to “Know Our Customer”, which is a reasonable step to build a relationship with our clients.

Next steps

We understand that starting your own business, especially as a first-time entrepreneur, can seem overwhelming. Our commitment is to simplify the company formation process for you.

Please note that this guide primarily addresses Irish residents. If you are registering a company outside of Ireland, particularly as a non-EEA resident director, additional requirements may apply. Our goal is to assist you every step of the way, so please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or require further guidance.