How long does it take to set up a limited company in Ireland?

A complete electronic application to the CRO is typically processed within a few working days. Delays come from name rejections, missing verified identity numbers for officers, or arranging a Section 137 bond where no director is EEA-resident.

Can one person own and run an Irish limited company?

Yes. A single-director company is permitted, but it must appoint a separate company secretary who cannot be the same person as the sole director. We provide that service.

Do I need an Irish resident director?

You need at least one director resident in the EEA. Without one, the company must hold a Section 137 bond of €25,000 for two years, or obtain a certificate confirming a real and continuous link with economic activity in Ireland.

How much share capital does an Irish company need?

There is no legal minimum. Most small companies are incorporated with a nominal issued share capital of a small number of €1 shares.

Can I use my home address as the registered office?

You can, but it becomes a matter of public record on the CRO register. Most directors working from home use their accountant's address instead, which is a service we provide.

When is the first annual return due for a new company?

Six months after incorporation. No financial statements are required with it, but the return itself must still be filed within 56 days of the Annual Return Date or the late filing penalties apply.

Company formation in Ireland, set up correctly the first time

Incorporation takes a few working days. Getting the shareholding, the registered office and the EEA director requirement right before you file is what saves you unpicking it later at a cost.

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In short

An Irish private company limited by shares is incorporated with the Companies Registration Office on a Form A1 and normally exists within a few working days. You need at least one director, a separate company secretary if there is only one director, a registered office in Ireland, and either an EEA-resident director or a €25,000 Section 137 bond. Registration with Revenue for corporation tax follows immediately.

What you need before anything can be filed

The default vehicle for a trading business in Ireland is the private company limited by shares — the LTD. It has a one-document constitution, full legal capacity so it needs no objects clause, and can have a single director.

Directors and a secretary

At least one director, who must be a natural person aged eighteen or over. Every company must also have a secretary, and where there is only one director the secretary must be a different person or a corporate provider. We act as secretary for clients who are sole directors.

A registered office in Ireland

A physical address in the State for service of documents. A PO box is not acceptable, and the address goes on the public register — which is why most directors working from home use ours instead of putting their home address on a public record.

Share capital

There is no minimum. Most small Irish companies are formed with a nominal issued share capital, often one hundred €1 shares with a small number actually issued.

Get the shareholding right at incorporation. Transferring shares later can trigger stamp duty and, once the business has value, capital gains tax on a split you could have set for nothing on day one.

How we run the formation

Check the name is available on the CRO register and not too similar to an existing registration.
Agree the share structure, and flag where a shareholders' agreement is worth having before rather than after.
Prepare the constitution and the Form A1 with officer details and verified identity numbers.
Submit electronically and receive the certificate of incorporation, normally within a few working days.
Register the company with Revenue for corporation tax, and for VAT and employer PAYE where they apply.
File the beneficial ownership register within five months of incorporation.

The week after incorporation

The certificate is the start of the obligations, not the end of the process.

Open a business bank account. Irish banks want the certificate, the constitution and identification for every director and beneficial owner, and this routinely takes longer than the incorporation did.
Note your Annual Return Date. The first B1 is due six months after incorporation, with no accounts attached — and it is missed constantly for exactly that reason.
Put the company name and number, the registered office and the directors' names on your letterhead, website and email footer, as the Companies Act requires.
Keep company money in the company account. Drawings that are not salary or dividends become a director's loan with tax charges attached.

Should you incorporate at all?

Not every business should. A company costs materially more to run than a sole trade, and the 12.5% corporation tax rate only helps on profit you leave inside it — money you draw out is taxed at your marginal rate either way.

Incorporating usually makes sense where liability genuinely matters, where a client or agency requires it, or where profits clearly exceed what you need to withdraw. If you are unsure, we will tell you to wait rather than sell you a formation.

What it costs

Formation is a fixed fee covering the CRO filing, the constitution, Revenue registration and the RBO filing. Company secretary service and registered office address are annual add-ons priced separately, and most new companies take them.

Sources

Company Formation questions we get asked

How long does it take to set up a limited company in Ireland?: A complete electronic application to the CRO is typically processed within a few working days. Delays come from name rejections, missing verified identity numbers for officers, or arranging a Section 137 bond where no director is EEA-resident.
Can one person own and run an Irish limited company?: Yes. A single-director company is permitted, but it must appoint a separate company secretary who cannot be the same person as the sole director. We provide that service.
Do I need an Irish resident director?: You need at least one director resident in the EEA. Without one, the company must hold a Section 137 bond of €25,000 for two years, or obtain a certificate confirming a real and continuous link with economic activity in Ireland.
How much share capital does an Irish company need?: There is no legal minimum. Most small companies are incorporated with a nominal issued share capital of a small number of €1 shares.
Can I use my home address as the registered office?: You can, but it becomes a matter of public record on the CRO register. Most directors working from home use their accountant's address instead, which is a service we provide.
When is the first annual return due for a new company?: Six months after incorporation. No financial statements are required with it, but the return itself must still be filed within 56 days of the Annual Return Date or the late filing penalties apply.

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