What is Limited Company (Ireland)?
An Irish private limited company (Ltd, formerly LTD or Limited By Shares) is the most common business entity in Ireland. It is a separate legal entity from its owners, with limited liability, and is governed by the Companies Act 2014. Companies must have at least one EEA-resident director or hold a Section 137 bond.
Example
Acme Trading Ltd is incorporated with one shareholder and one director. Its accounting period runs 1 January to 31 December. CT1 and CRO B1 (annual return) are filed each year.
How Limited Company (Ireland) works in Ireland
Setting up an Irish Ltd takes 5–10 working days through CORE (Companies Online Registration Environment, core.cro.ie). Required information includes proposed company name, registered office (must be in Ireland), at least one EEA-resident director (or Section 137 bond), company secretary (mandatory but can be a director if there are 2+ directors), share structure, and the Constitution document (replacing the old Memo & Articles).
Directors must register for Income Tax via Form 11 if they receive director's remuneration outside PAYE, and the company must register for Corporation Tax (mandatory) and VAT (when thresholds are exceeded). Annual filings include the CRO B1 (with abridged or full accounts depending on size) and Form CT1 to Revenue.
Related terms
Corporation Tax is the tax Irish-resident companies pay on their profits. Trading income is taxed at 12.5%, while non-trading (passive) income is taxed at 25%. Large multinationals within the OECD Pillar Two scope pay a minimum effective rate of 15%.
The Companies Registration Office is Ireland's company registry, equivalent to the UK's Companies House. The CRO holds the public record for every Irish company including directors, shareholders, accounts, and annual returns. Filings are made via CORE at core.cro.ie.
Form B1 is the annual return Irish companies must file with the CRO each year. It confirms key company details (directors, shareholders, registered office) and is accompanied by financial statements (or abridged accounts for small companies). Late filing triggers loss of audit exemption for two years and €100 penalty plus €3 per day.
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