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Ireland

Company registers in Ireland

Use CORE to identify Irish companies and registered business names. Names and registered offices are free to check. Original filings, including accounts and change notices, cost EUR 2.50 per document image. Beneficial ownership requires a separate RBO access route.

Country guideSources reviewed:
Open official source Find a company in the registerDocuments and fees

Additional registers in Ireland

All additional registers for this country →
In this country guide
Basic search
Free [2]
Entry
No sign-in [3]

Search and document delivery at a glance

Search online
CORE offers a free basic view by name or number. Document images are selected and purchased separately. [1] [2] [3]
Search language
Not specified
Digital documents
Company Printouts and images of filed documents are available electronically through CORE. The published fee is €3.50 for a Company Printout and €2.50 per document image. Select the company, then the report or individual filing. [15]
Document language
Not specified
Paper and collection
CRO also provides Company Printouts and document copies at its public counter or by postal request. The paper fee is €3.50 per Company Printout and €2.50 per document image. [15]
International delivery
Not specified
Fees at a glance
Basic checks free; document image EUR 2.50; company printout EUR 3.50.
Access
CORE research and card-paid documents; a deposit account is an additional payment route.

Choose the right register

The Companies Registration Office (CRO) maintains Irish company, limited partnership and business-name records. Its online service is the Companies Online Registration Environment (CORE). Identify the actual legal entity before ordering documents. [1] [9]

CORE

Entity search and document orders

RBO

Beneficial ownership access

CRO Forms

Official filing and form types

Names and abbreviations explained

CROCompanies Registration Office
Ireland’s registration authority for companies, business names and limited partnerships. [1]
CORECompanies Online Registration Environment
CRO’s online service for register research, document orders and filings. [9]
B1Annual Return
The annual filing of company information, with financial statements attached for most companies. [4]
RBOCentral Register of Beneficial Ownership of Companies and Industrial and Provident Societies
The separate ownership register, with different access rules from CORE. [5]
LPLimited Partnership
A partnership type listed as a separate register category alongside companies and business names in CORE. [1]
DirectorCompany director
A registered company officer responsible for directing the company. Appointment and departure are reported through B10; this is distinct from the company secretary role. [10] [7]
Company SecretaryCompany secretary
A separate company office from the directors. An LTD with a single director must have another individual as secretary. Changes to this role are also reported through B10. [7] [10]

Documents and fees

Document / informationContents and purposeFeeHow to get it
Free basic view [2] [1]Name and registered office for matching the entity.Free.Search CORE by name or number.
Company printout [2]A summary of registration details for a company or business name.EUR 3.50.Order the printout in CORE.
Image of an original filing [2] [3]A copy of a filed document, such as an annual return or change form.EUR 2.50 per document image.Select the document and pay by card.
Annual return with financial attachments [2] [4]B1 and its required attachments; the first return need not include accounts.EUR 2.50 per selected document image.Identify the relevant B1 filing and check its attachments.
Older paper-file search [2]Search of a company or business-name paper file, mostly for older records.EUR 3.50 for the file search; copies are a separate tariff item.Request the paper-file search from CRO.
RBO report for Designated Persons [12]Beneficial owners within the approved scope of access.EUR 2.50 per report.After approval, sign in to RBO, find the entity and purchase the report. Check the number of owners first: a report with none filed is still charged.

Company, business name and foreign branch

A business name is a registered trading name. Registration does not create a separate legal person. Identify its proprietor, then research any underlying company under its own name or number. [7]

CRO also receives filings for foreign companies. F12 and F13 concern branches of companies from the European Economic Area and elsewhere respectively. F7 identifies accounting documents for a foreign company. [10]

Read the annual return and financial statements correctly

The annual return uses form B1 and records company information at a particular date. Most companies attach financial statements. The first B1, six months after incorporation, does not require accounts. [4]

The register shows the last and next Annual Return Date, the date to which the return is made up. Filing is generally due within 56 days of the return’s effective date. Distinguish this date from both the accounting year end and the register’s received date. [8] [4]

Research from abroad and customer accounts

The documented research route uses CORE’s public search and card payment for copies. CRO explicitly distinguishes this from filing on a company’s behalf, which requires a CORE account. Frequent purchasers can use an optional deposit account. [3]

CORE registration is free. An account supports company lists and filing notifications. Identity requirements for people filing on a company’s behalf are not a general condition for purchasing public documents. [9] [3]

Beneficial ownership: public information and restricted access

RBO is a separate register. Its public view shows basic entity information and the number of beneficial owners filed. It does not disclose their personal details. [5]

Organisations subject to the relevant Irish anti-money-laundering duties apply for Designated Person access through the RBO customer portal. This includes financial institutions and qualifying legal or tax professionals. Approval is required for report purchases; an ordinary user account is insufficient. [12]

S.I. 406/2026 expanded access based on a demonstrated legitimate interest in preventing money laundering, its predicate offences or terrorist financing. Qualifying journalism, civil society organisations and academia are included. A prospective transaction can also support an application where its connection to preventing money laundering is explained. [13]

Submit a reasoned application to the Registrar with evidence of identity, occupation and, where relevant, the connection to the entity. Approval produces a certificate normally valid for three years, allowing repeated inspections. Applicants outside the EU are not automatically excluded, although data-transfer safeguards can restrict access. [13]

Approved access covers names, month and year of birth, nationality, residence country, and the nature and extent of ownership or control. Certain journalism, academic and civil society applicants can also inspect historical information. The statutory twelve-working-day response period for initial applications applies only from 10 November 2026. High application volumes and requests for further evidence can extend the statutory response period to a total of up to 43 working days. [13]

Order a registration certificate

A Duplicate Certificate is a reissued registration certificate for a company or business name. Search its registration number in CORE and select “Reports”. Choose the correct “business type”. A Letter of Status or Good Standing is a different report in the same area. [11] [7]

Official data for recurring queries

CRO’s “Open Services” API supplies basic company and filing data free under its terms of use. Its separate document-streaming service charges the normal document-image fee. Bulk data requires a separate paid licence. [8]

Avoid common mistakes

  • A business name is not a separate company. Identify its registered proprietor before treating it as the contractual counterparty. [7]
  • The latest B1 is a dated snapshot. Subsequent B10 or B2 filings may have changed the directors or registered office. [4] [10]
  • CORE and RBO have separate permissions. Being able to submit a company’s own filings does not itself authorise access to personal RBO reports. [12]

Frequently asked questions

What does ARD mean?

Annual Return Date is the date to which the annual register return is made up. The accounts may have an earlier financial year end. [4]

Can I search for people?

The CORE route described here searches by a registered entity’s name or number. CRO also links separate auditor and disqualified or restricted person searches. [1]

Is Irish citizenship required for RBO access?

Legitimate-interest access is not confined to Irish citizens. Evidence of entitlement and identity verification matter. Additional data-transfer conditions apply to applicants in third countries. [13]

Where can I obtain a duplicate registration certificate?

Search CORE by company number and select “Duplicate Certificate” in the “Reports” tab. For business names, make sure the selected “Business Type” matches the certificate you need. [14] [11]

Original sources

Sources reviewed: 16 September 2026. The guidance is based on the linked information published by registers and public authorities.

  1. CRO: Entity Search Services Companies Registration Office
  2. CRO: Terms and Conditions, register inspection fees Companies Registration Office
  3. CRO: About CRO Account Holder Companies Registration Office
  4. CRO: Filing an Annual Return Companies Registration Office
  5. RBO: register and access levels Register of Beneficial Ownership
  6. RBO: statutory basis and amendments Register of Beneficial Ownership
  7. CRO: Frequently Asked Questions Companies Registration Office
  8. CRO: Access to CRO Data Companies Registration Office
  9. CRO: Companies Online Registration Environment Companies Registration Office
  10. CRO: Forms Companies Registration Office
  11. CRO: Duplicate Certificate Companies Registration Office
  12. S.I. No. 406/2026: Beneficial Ownership Amendment Regulations 2026 Office of the Attorney General, electronic Irish Statute Book
  13. CRO FAQ: certificates in CORE Companies Registration Office (CRO)
  14. CRO: Auskunftsprodukte und elektronische Gebührentabelle Companies Registration Office