Registering a Company

A company is a legal form of business organisation. It is a separate legal entity and, therefore, is separate and distinct from those who run it.

There are Required Registration Steps and Incidental Obligations prior to the incorporation of a company.

Companies can be incorporated using different Registration Methods.

There are a number of different company types, with different registration requirements and post-registration obligations.

Limited company
The shares in a company are owned by its shareholders. If the company is a limited liability company, the shareholders’ liability, should the company fail, is limited to the amount, if any, remaining unpaid on the shares held by them. A company is a separate legal entity and, therefore, is separate and distinct from those who run it. Only the company can be sued for its obligations and can sue to enforce its rights.

There are several different types of Limited Companies:

  • Private Company Limited by Shares (LTD company)
  • Designated Activity Company (DAC)
  • Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG)
  • A Public Limited Company (PLC)
  • Unlimited Companies
  • Investment Companies
  • Societas Europaea

 
Click here for information on Limited Company types.

Single Member Company
A single member company is a company which is incorporated with one member, or whose membership is reduced to one person. However, the company must have at least two directors and a secretary, unless it is a LTD company, which can also be a single director company.

The sole member, if he/she/they so decides, can dispense with the holding of General Meetings, including Annual General Meetings (AGMs). The financial statements and reports that would normally be laid before the AGM of a company still need to be prepared and forwarded to the member. All company types can be single member companies.

Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS)
UCITS are public limited companies formed under EU Regulation (European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations 2011 & 2016) and the Companies Act 2014. The sole object of a UCIT is the collective investment in transferable securities of capital raised from the public that operates on the principle of risk-spreading. The competent authority, which must approve all registrations of UCITS that wish to carry on activities within the State, is the Central Bank of Ireland.

Financial Statements have to be filed by Investment Companies and UCITS under changes introduced in the Companies (Accounting) Act 2017.

European Economic Interest Groupings (EEIG)
EEIG’s are provided for under SI No. 191 of 1989 – European Communities (European Economic Interest Groupings) Regulations 1989, and SI No. 447 of 2010 European Communities (European Economic Interest Groupings) (Amendment) Regulations 2010. It is a mechanism through which business within the EU can engage in cross-border commerce. The purpose of an EEIG is to facilitate or develop the economic activities of its members. An EEIG must have a minimum of two members, who may be companies or natural persons, from different Member States. The manager of a Grouping may be a natural person or a body corporate.

During the initial registration of a company, and also with subsequent post-registration filing obligations, submissions to the CRO can be returned to due to common filing errors. These include:

 
This page details some of the most common filing errors that the CRO has identified, and presents possible solutions to these errors.

For information on a range of supports, both financial and non-financial, that are available to assist companies to grow, improve competitiveness, create employment and improve productivity, please visit the Business Regulation website.

The website also includes details on supports for SMEs.