Quick answer: An Irish company is incorporated through the Companies Registration Office. You will need to deal with the company name, directors, company secretary, registered office, constitution and the incorporation filing. If there is no EEA-resident director, additional requirements can apply.
Reviewed: 13 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
What do you need to set up an Irish company?
The exact requirements depend on the company type, but a typical private company limited by shares will need a suitable company name, at least one director, a company secretary, a registered office in Ireland and a constitution.
The incorporation application is filed with the CRO, generally using Form A1 through CORE, together with the company's constitutional documents and the required information about the company and its officers.
Does an Irish company need an EEA-resident director?
The CRO states that Irish companies are generally required to have at least one director resident in a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA).
Where a company does not have an EEA-resident director, a prescribed Section 137 bond can be used in certain circumstances. The CRO states that the bond is for €25,000 and must satisfy the statutory requirements. A qualifying company may also later be able to obtain a Section 140 certificate where the relevant conditions are met.
What about the registered office?
Every Irish company must maintain a registered office in the State. The CRO explains that this must be a physical location and not simply a post office box. Formal CRO and legal correspondence can be sent to this address.
Can a private limited company have one director?
A private company limited by shares can have one director. Where there is only one director, another person must generally act as company secretary because the sole director cannot also be the secretary in that situation.
What happens after incorporation?
Incorporation is only the beginning of the compliance cycle. A new company will usually need to consider bookkeeping, tax registration, payroll where relevant, beneficial ownership requirements, its first B1 Annual Return and ongoing annual accounts and Corporation Tax obligations.
A practical formation checklist
- Choose and check the proposed company name.
- Confirm the director and company secretary arrangements.
- Check whether the EEA-resident director requirement is met.
- Arrange an Irish registered office address.
- Prepare the constitution and incorporation information.
- File the incorporation application through CRO CORE.
- Plan the post-incorporation tax and accounting setup.
Official CRO sources
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