Frequently Asked Questions

We form Irish private limited companies (LTDs) under the Companies Act 2014. An Irish LTD requires a minimum of one director and one company secretary (who can be the same person only if a corporate secretary is appointed), has limited liability, and must file an Annual Return with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) each year.

Standard CRO processing takes three to five working days from the date we submit your completed application. Before we can submit, we need to complete our AML verification, which typically takes one to two working days once you provide the required documents. Most clients receive their Certificate of Incorporation within five to seven working days of placing their order and completing verification.

For all directors and beneficial owners (anyone holding 25% or more of shares or voting rights), we require a certified copy of a valid government-issued photo ID (passport or national identity card) and proof of current residential address dated within the last three months (utility bill, bank statement, or equivalent official document). This is a legal requirement under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. We cannot proceed without it.

No. You do not need to be resident in Ireland to form an Irish company. However, if all directors are non-EEA resident, the company is required to hold a Section 137 Bond under the Companies Act 2014. This is a €25,000 insurance bond that costs approximately €1,500 to €2,050 for a two-year term. Alternatively, you can appoint an EEA-resident director to satisfy the requirement.

A Section 137 Bond is a statutory requirement under Section 137 of the Companies Act 2014. It is required when an Irish company has no EEA-resident director on its board. The bond is an insurance policy for €25,000 that protects the state against fines or penalties that might be imposed on the company. It costs approximately €1,500 to €2,050 for a two-year term. If at least one of your directors is resident in an EEA country (UK post-Brexit does not qualify), you do not need a bond. We can arrange the bond as part of your formation.

All five plans include: company name availability check, preparation of your Memorandum and Articles of Association, submission of your Form A1 to the CRO, payment of the €50 CRO government charge, Register of Beneficial Ownership (RBO) registration, Corporation Tax registration with Revenue Ireland, and your first Annual Return (B1 form) filing. There are no hidden government fees on top of the plan price.

A registered address is the official legal address of your company as filed with the CRO. It must be a physical address in Ireland and is publicly listed on the CRO register. A trading address is the address you use on your website, invoices, and marketing materials. Our Essential plan provides a registered address for compliance purposes only. Our Plus, Business, and Business + Co. Secretary plans provide both a registered address and a full trading address you can use publicly.

Yes, but only with the Plus plan or above. The Essential plan is a registered address for compliance purposes only. The Plus, Business, and Business + Co. Secretary plans include a full trading address that you can use publicly on your website, invoices, business cards, and email signature.

Every Irish company must file an Annual Return (Form B1) with the CRO each year. Your first Annual Return is due six months after incorporation. Subsequent Annual Returns are due every twelve months from that date. A late filing incurs a penalty of €100 plus €3 per day and results in the loss of audit exemption for two full financial years. All our plans include the first Annual Return filing.

Yes. Under the Companies Act 2014, every Irish company must have a named company secretary at all times. The company secretary is responsible for maintaining the statutory registers, filing Annual Returns, and ensuring compliance with company law. A sole director cannot also be the company secretary unless a corporate secretary is appointed. Our Business + Co. Secretary plan includes a full company secretary service for year one. We also offer it as a standalone service.

The Register of Beneficial Ownership (RBO) is a public register maintained by the CRO. It records the beneficial owners of Irish companies: individuals who ultimately own or control more than 25% of shares or voting rights. Registration is a legal requirement under the European Union (Anti-Money Laundering) Regulations 2019. We handle RBO registration as part of every formation plan. Failure to register is a criminal offence.

A Trust or Company Service Provider (TCSP) is a regulated entity authorised by the Department of Justice to provide company formation, registered office, and secretarial services. Not every company offering these services is licensed. Workhub has held its TCSP licence since 2022 and operates under full AML and KYC compliance supervision. A company formed through a licensed TCSP is in a stronger position when opening Irish business bank accounts, as Irish banks conduct enhanced due diligence on newly formed companies and their formation providers.

After incorporation you receive your Certificate of Incorporation, your Company Registration Number (CRN), your Memorandum and Articles of Association, and confirmation of your first Annual Return Date. We also confirm your Corporation Tax registration with Revenue. Your ongoing obligations are: filing your Annual Return on time each year, maintaining a company secretary, keeping your RBO registration up to date, and filing Corporation Tax returns with Revenue. We offer all of these as ongoing services.

Yes. Changing a company name requires a Special Resolution of the shareholders and a CRO filing (Form G1). Changing directors requires a Form B10 filing with the CRO. We offer director change filings and company name changes as standalone à la carte secretarial services.

VAT registration is mandatory in Ireland once your annual turnover exceeds €42,500 for services or €85,000 for goods. You can also register voluntarily below these thresholds. Our Business and Business + Co. Secretary plans include VAT registration assistance. It can also be purchased as a standalone service. Note: VAT registration is separate from your CRO company formation. For specific tax advice, consult a qualified Irish tax adviser.

The standard Irish corporation tax rate for trading income is 12.5%. A 25% rate applies to passive income such as investment income not connected to a trade. The OECD Pillar Two global minimum tax rate of 15% applies to multinational groups with global revenues exceeding €750 million. For most SMEs and startups, the 12.5% trading rate is the relevant rate. We register your company for Corporation Tax with Revenue as part of every plan. For specific tax advice, consult a qualified Irish tax adviser.

Company Formation Only (€250) is for founders who already have an Irish address and need incorporation only. Essential (€399) adds a Dublin registered address for year one. Plus (€449) adds a full publicly usable trading address and package mail handling. Business (€849) adds hot desk access, meeting room use, and VAT and PAYE registration assistance for international companies establishing Irish substance. Business + Co. Secretary (€999) adds a full company secretary for year one and is the complete zero-admin solution.

Yes. The €50 CRO incorporation fee is included in all five plan prices. There are no government fees to pay on top of what you see at checkout. Subsequent CRO filings such as Annual Returns and director changes each carry their own CRO fee, which is included in the price of those individual services when purchased separately.

Yes. We offer a Registered Address Transfer service for companies already incorporated that want to move their registered office to a Workhub location. A change of registered address requires a Form B2 filing with the CRO. This service is available as a standalone service. Contact us at info@workhub.ie to discuss.

If you wish to cancel before we have submitted your documents to the CRO, contact us immediately at info@workhub.ie. We consider refunds on a case-by-case basis, and any professional time already expended may be deducted. Once documents have been submitted to the CRO, we cannot cancel and no refund is issued. Government fees are non-refundable in all circumstances. Registered office and ongoing service fees are non-refundable once the service period has started.