Change Company Name

A company may, by special resolution and with the approval of the Registrar of Companies signified in writing, change its name.

Registering a Change of Company Name
To register a change of name the presenter should submit a Form G1Q together with an amended copy of the constitution and the approved filing fee.

A Form G1Q can be completed online through CORE. It is cheaper registering CORE than completing a paper copy (€50 compared to €100). A copy of the Form G1Q can also be downloaded from the site.

The change of name is subject to approval by the registrar of companies in accordance with section 30 Companies Act 2014. The onus for checking the suitability of a name lies with the presenter. Applicants are advised to check that the name proposed is not similar to one already registered by checking the register of companies using the Company Search Facility on CORE. It is also possible to reserve a company name.

On registration, a certificate of change of name will be issued by the CRO. The new name may not be used by the company until this certificate has been issued. The change of name is effective from the date on the certificate.

The Registrar of Companies may withhold her consent to the name change if the name is in her opinion undesirable (e.g. too like the name of a company that is already on the register).

How should I present the amended constitution?

• All documentation received in the CRO is scanned onto the computer system to facilitate faster access to documents. All documents submitted must, therefore, be of an acceptable standard. The text of the constitution must be black, easily legible and presented on A4 white paper which is suitable for scanning i.e. no staples, whitening fluid, etc. Photocopies showing black lines, faint text, pages where the text runs off the end of the page are not acceptable.
• The new name of the company, inclusive of the appropriate suffix, must appear on the front of the new constitution.
• The Companies Act cited in the first page of the constitution must be 2014.
• Each company type has its own constitution set out in the Schedules to the Companies Act 2014.
• The share capital information in the constitution must show the latest share capital details. If these details differ from the relevant documentation filed by the company, it must ensure the change is formally notified to us on the relevant forms.
• The original subscribers’ page need not be completed. Photocopies of subscribers’ details from the original constitution/memorandum of association at incorporation will be acceptable.

Digital Certificates of Change of Company Name
Certificates of Change of a Company Name and Re-Registration of a Company Type are issued as “digitally certified” documents. The digital certificates are emailed as a pdf document to the email address entered in the “Company email address” section of the G1Q form and D20 form following registration. Presenters can provide these digital certificates directly to third parties such as banks and other financial institutions by email as required.

Display of company name
Every business must paint or affix its name on the outside of every office or place in which the business is carried on, even if it is a director’s home. The name must be both conspicuous and legible.
In addition, the company must state its name, in legible lettering, on company letter heads, order forms, invoices, etc. For further information on the statutory requirements, see Letterheads for more details.

Company Seal
Every company must have its name engraved in legible characters on its seal. The company secretary is frequently given responsibility in practice for the safekeeping of the company’s seal.

Exemption from Company Name including Company Type
This exemption applies only apply to Designated Activity Companies and Companies Limited by Guarantee and only in specific circumstances.