Europe · Private Company Limited by Shares
Register a company in Ireland
Founders wanting a 12.5% trading-tax, English-speaking EU/euro base — best if you have an EEA-resident director to skip the bond.
- Government fee
- $55
- €50 (online via CORE)
- Corporate tax
- 12.5%
- headline
- Min. capital
- ≈ none
- effectively none
- Setup time
- 5–10 working days online (CORE)
Deep dives
Everything on Ireland, in depth
At a glance
How Ireland scores for a non-resident
Relative edge
12.5% trading tax in an English-speaking EU member — one of the lowest real rates here.
Relative watch-out
Needs an EEA-resident director or a paid bond, and banking is genuinely hard.
Scores are Lanzamo's editorial judgement (0–100, higher = better for a non-resident founder), built on the verified data on this page — guidance, not advice.
The essentials
For non-resident founders
Can you run it from abroad?
The headline fee rarely decides it — these are the things that actually trip up a founder forming Ireland from another country.
100% foreign ownership
Non-residents can own 100% and act as director, but a board with no EEA-resident director triggers the Section 137 bond (see local presence).
Fully remote setup
Can be formed remotely via CORE or an agent; non-residents generally use an agent because of the EEA-director / bond rule.
Resident director required
An Irish registered office and an EEA business address are required. At least one director must be EEA-resident; if all directors are non-EEA, the company must buy a Section 137 non-resident bond (€25,000 cover, ~€1,950 incl. VAT for 2 years) or obtain a real-and-continuous-link certificate. A company secretary is also required.
Banking for non-residents: Hard
Irish high-street banks are difficult for non-residents and often want local substance; fintechs (Wise, Revolut) are the practical route, though a genuine Irish nexus helps.
Accounting burden: High
Annual return + financial statements to the CRO, a corporation tax (CT1) return to Revenue, plus secretary obligations; non-EEA boards add bond renewal every 2 years.
Why founders pick Ireland
- 12.5% corporate tax on trading income — one of the lowest headline rates in the EU
- English-speaking, common-law EU member with full euro and single-market access
- Low government fees (€50 to form, €20 annual return) and no minimum capital
- Strong reputation for tech and FDI; a credible base for trading into Europe
Watch out for
- Section 137 bond (~€1,950 / 2 yrs) needed if no director is EEA-resident — a real cost and gotcha
- EEA-resident director requirement makes a 100%-foreign board cumbersome
- Bank account opening is genuinely hard for non-residents without local substance
- Mandatory company secretary and full annual financial-statement filings raise the burden
Is Ireland the right base for you?
Put Ireland side by side with a U.S. LLC and 11 other jurisdictions — government fee, tax, capital and the resident-director catch — and decide with the full picture.
Official sources
Go straight to the authorities — these are the free, definitive sources for Ireland.
Data reviewed June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-resident register a company in Ireland?
Non-residents can own 100% and act as director, but a board with no EEA-resident director triggers the Section 137 bond (see local presence).
How much does it cost to register a LTD in Ireland?
The government fee is about $55 (€50 (online via CORE)). €50 standard online incorporation fee via the CRO's CORE portal (Form A1 + constitution); paper filing is higher. Budget roughly $22/yr in mandatory government filings. Annual return (Form B1) €20 online via CORE, with financial statements annexed; the first annual return is 6 months after incorporation (no accounts).
Do I need a resident director to form a company in Ireland?
Yes. An Irish registered office and an EEA business address are required. At least one director must be EEA-resident; if all directors are non-EEA, the company must buy a Section 137 non-resident bond (€25,000 cover, ~€1,950 incl. VAT for 2 years) or obtain a real-and-continuous-link certificate. A company secretary is also required.
What is the corporate tax rate in Ireland?
12.5% on active trading income; 25% on passive/non-trading income (rents, interest, foreign dividends, royalties). A 15% top-up applies only to large groups with €750M+ revenue under Pillar Two — not small founders.
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