Ireland
Register an Irish company with 12.5% corporate tax, 10% KDB IP rate, and full EU market access.
Foreign Ownership Eligibility
Ireland welcomes 100% foreign-owned companies
Fully remote formation — you never need to set foot in the country.
- 100% foreign ownership allowed
- No residency requirement for shareholders
- At least one EEA-resident director (or bond alternative)
- Fully remote formation via CRO
- Registered office in Ireland required
- EU member state — full single market access
Ownership
100% Foreign OK
Formation
100% Remote
Note
At least one director must be resident in the EEA. Alternatively, a non-resident bond (approx. EUR 2,000) can be posted to satisfy this requirement.
Tax at a glance
Ireland Tax Overview
12.5%
Corporation Tax — Trading Income
Standard rate on active trading income — in force since 2003; one of the lowest CT rates among OECD member states
25%
Corporation Tax — Passive Income
Applies to investment income, rental income, and certain foreign dividends. Only active trading income qualifies for the 12.5% rate.
10%
Knowledge Development Box (KDB)
Effective CT rate on qualifying IP income — from 1 October 2023. The pre-October 2023 rate of 6.25% is now historic.
30%
R&D Tax Credit
Volume-based credit on qualifying R&D expenditure. Increased from 25% effective January 2024. Partially payable as cash.
33%
Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
Standard CGT rate on disposal of chargeable assets by Irish-resident companies and individuals
10%
Entrepreneur Relief CGT Rate
On qualifying business asset disposals — lifetime limit increased to €1.5 million gain effective January 2026 (was €1 million)
23%
VAT — Standard Rate
Reduced rates: 13.5% (accommodation, energy, construction) and 9% (newspapers, certain cultural services)
25%
Dividend Withholding Tax (DWT)
On dividends paid by Irish companies; broad exemptions apply for EU/treaty-resident parent companies
75 in force
Double Taxation Agreements
78 signed as of February 2026; 75 in force — one of Europe's broadest treaty networks
€750M global revenue
Pillar Two threshold
15% global minimum tax applies only to multinational groups exceeding this revenue threshold. Most SMEs and Irish-incorporated companies are unaffected.
Pros & cons
Advantages & Considerations
Key Advantages
12.5% corporation tax rate on trading income — one of the lowest headline CT rates among OECD member states, in force since 2003
Knowledge Development Box: 10% effective tax rate on qualifying IP income (from patents and computer programs) — one of the most competitive IP regimes in Europe
30% R&D Tax Credit (increased from 25% effective January 2024) — applies to the full volume of qualifying R&D expenditure; partially payable as cash refund
EU single market access — full entry to 450+ million consumers and all EU regulatory frameworks without a separate EU subsidiary
100% foreign ownership permitted — no restriction on non-EEA ownership; a single founder can hold 100% of an Irish company
Single-director LTD structure — unique among common EU company forms; reduces compliance cost for small foreign-owned businesses
No minimum share capital for a Private LTD — a single €1 share is sufficient to incorporate
75 bilateral double taxation agreements in force (78 signed as of February 2026) — one of Europe's broadest treaty networks
English common law legal system — familiar and predictable for international business; court judgments enforceable across the EU
Entrepreneur Relief: 10% CGT rate on qualifying business disposals up to €1.5 million lifetime gain (increased from €1M effective January 2026)
Substantial financial services base — Ireland is home to major global bank licensing, UCITS fund administration, AIF management, and the world's largest aircraft leasing market
Strategic time zone (GMT/IST): overlaps with US East Coast morning and European business hours simultaneously
Considerations
EEA director requirement or €25,000 Section 137 bond: if no director is EEA-resident, the company must post a bond that ties up capital or incurs an annual surety premium
Pillar Two / Global Minimum Tax: multinational groups with global revenues exceeding €750 million face a 15% minimum effective tax, reducing the net benefit of the 12.5% rate for the largest groups
High cost of operating: Dublin consistently ranks among Europe's most expensive cities for office space, property, and cost of living — directly affecting salary expectations
Housing and talent shortage: Ireland's structural housing shortage constrains the ability to attract and retain non-EEA staff; immigration processing can take 12+ weeks
Annual return penalties: the CRO's late-filing regime carries a maximum penalty of €1,220, loss of audit exemption — and from 16 July 2025, a second late filing in any 5-year period triggers a two-year exemption loss
Banking access for non-residents: opening Irish business bank accounts without an EEA-resident director requires extended KYC and can take 8–12+ weeks with traditional banks
No active investor immigration route: the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) was suspended in January 2023 and has not been replaced
KDB complexity: the 10% rate applies only to income from qualifying assets developed through qualifying R&D — the nexus calculation requires detailed expenditure tracking
Structural Comparison
LTD (Private)
DAC
Incorporation Process
The process is strictly digital. Each stage builds on the previous one.
Choose entity type: LTD for most foreign-owned commercial companies; DAC for SPV or project finance; CLG for non-profits; PLC only if public capital-raising is planned
Assess EEA director status: if no proposed director is EEA-resident, plan for the Section 137 Bond (€25,000) or arrange a professional nominee EEA director
Check company name availability: search the CRO register at core.cro.ie to confirm the proposed name is available and sufficiently distinct from existing companies
Prepare the constitution: for an LTD, a single-document constitution is required; for a DAC, both a memorandum and articles of association are needed
Submit Form A1 via CORE: the CRO's online system handles all registrations at core.cro.ie; the online filing fee is €50
What you'll pay
Cost Architecture
Government Fees
Annual Ongoing
Professional Services
Still unsure about costs?
These are estimates — your actual cost depends on your structure
Every Ireland setup is different. A 15-minute call with one of our specialists will give you a personalised cost breakdown — completely free.
Fintech & Banking
Can non-residents open accounts without visiting? YES.
Banking options for non-resident founders in Ireland. Remote account opening availability varies by institution.
| Institution | Type | Ease for Non-Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIB (Allied Irish Banks) | Major Irish bank | Low (Visit Required) | Ireland's largest bank by assets. Business accounts for Irish-incorporated companies. Non-EEA-managed companies face enhanced KYC — expect 8–12+ weeks. Physical branch network across Ireland. |
| Bank of Ireland | Major Irish bank | Low (Visit Required) | Second-largest Irish bank. Business current accounts and trade finance. Similar KYC requirements to AIB for companies without EEA-resident directors. Branches in Ireland and the UK. |
| Revolut Business | Fintech / EU-licensed | High (Remote) | EU banking licence operated through its Irish holding entity. Business accounts with EUR IBAN. Remote account opening — no visit to Ireland required. Multi-currency transfers and business card management. No credit lines or trade finance. |
| Wise Business | Fintech / multi-currency | High (Remote) | Remote opening for Ireland-incorporated companies. EUR IBAN plus multi-currency account with low international transfer fees. No credit products. Suitable for receiving international payments and holding multiple currencies. |
| N26 Business | Fintech / EU-licensed | High (Remote) | EU-licensed mobile bank serving the eurozone. Business accounts with EUR IBAN. Remote application — no Irish branch visit required. Primarily suited to smaller companies; limited large-scale corporate features. |
Regulatory requirements
Annual Compliance Matrix
| Requirement | Deadline | Details |
|---|---|---|
Annual Return (Form B1) | First return: 6 months from incorporation. Subsequent returns: within 56 days of Annual Return Date (ARD) | Every Irish company must file an Annual Return with the CRO each year via CORE. The first return is due exactly 6 months after incorporation — no financial statements are required for this first filing. Subsequent returns must be filed within 56 days of the Annual Return Date (ARD), with financial statements annexed (unless audit exemption applies). |
Corporation Tax Return | 9 months after the end of the company's accounting period (9 months and 1 day after year-end) | All Irish companies must file a CT return with Revenue annually via ROS, even in a loss year. Preliminary tax payments are required during the accounting year. Companies with a CT liability below €200,000 can base preliminary tax on 100% of the prior year CT liability. |
VAT Returns | 19th of the month following each VAT period (23rd for electronic filers via ROS) | Companies registered for VAT must file periodic returns and remit net VAT via ROS. Filing frequency: quarterly (standard), biannual (smaller traders), or monthly (larger VAT payers). VAT registration is mandatory once annual taxable turnover exceeds €85,000 (goods) or €42,500 (services). |
Register of Beneficial Owners (RBO) | Initial: within 5 months of incorporation. Changes: within 14 days of change | All Irish companies must register beneficial owners — individuals holding more than 25% of shares, voting rights, or effective control — with the RBO at rbo.gov.ie. The RBO is restricted: designated persons and competent authorities have broader access, while general public access is limited to basic entity-level information. Initial filing is required within 5 months of incorporation. Any change in beneficial ownership must be notified within 14 days. |
PAYE / PRSI / USC (Employer Obligations) | Payroll submissions: on or before each pay date. Monthly PAYE/PRSI remittance: 14th of the following month | Irish employers must operate a PAYE system with Real-Time Reporting (RTR) — payroll submissions to Revenue are required on or before each pay date. PRSI (Pay-Related Social Insurance) and USC (Universal Social Charge) must be deducted from employee earnings. Employer registration with Revenue is required before the first payroll payment. |
Section 137 Bond Renewal | Before expiry date of the existing bond (typically 2-year terms) | Companies holding a Section 137 Bond (instead of having an EEA-resident director) must ensure the bond remains continuously valid. Bonds are typically issued for 2-year terms. The company must arrange renewal before the expiry date — an expired bond places the company in breach of the Companies Act 2014. |
Knowledge Development Box facts
The current KDB effective rate is 10% — not 6.25%; the 6.25% rate was replaced effective 1 October 2023 and is now historic
Qualifies income from qualifying patents and certain computer programs developed through qualifying R&D activity
The nexus approach applies: the proportion of qualifying income eligible for KDB relief is determined by an R&D expenditure fraction — outsourcing to related parties reduces the qualifying fraction
Only income derived from IP that the company itself developed (or had developed at arm's length) qualifies — acquired IP does not automatically qualify without substantial additional R&D
KDB claims are made through the Corporation Tax return — detailed supporting documentation on qualifying IP assets and related R&D expenditure is required
Ireland's KDB is OECD-compliant under BEPS Action 5, making it acceptable for groups with operations in other OECD-framework jurisdictions
Pillar Two interaction: groups subject to the 15% global minimum tax (revenue >€750M) still benefit from the KDB, but the effective rate floor reduces the net advantage for the largest groups
The 10% KDB rate applies instead of the 12.5% trading rate — qualifying IP income is taxed at the KDB rate, not the general trading rate
Frequently Asked
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