Irish Company Formation Cost Guide

Cost of Company Formation Ireland

The CRO fee is €50. Your real first-year cost depends on what happens next.
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Forti 2026 fees at a glance
Government CRO fee
€50
Formation only
€295 + VAT
Formation + compliance
€1,250 + VAT
All-inclusive year one
€3,550 + VAT
All fees include the €50 CRO government charge
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Typical turnaround
7–10 working days
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Based in
Sandyford, Dublin 18
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One quote covers
All fees, government charges & recurring costs
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Response time
Within one business day

What does the €50 actually cover?

Not much — and that's not a criticism of the process, just the reality. Here's what you're paying for and what comes next.

The €50 government fee pays for

The online Form A1 filing with the Companies Registration Office. This registers your company and creates the legal entity. That's it.

Not included in the €50 fee

Company documents, registered office, company secretary, RBO filing, Revenue registrations, first Annual Return, bookkeeping, annual accounts or tax returns.

The key point: Most formation agents quote €50 as the formation cost. That's technically the government charge — but a properly formed company with the right registrations in place costs more. Our packages bundle everything you actually need.

Forti formation packages

Choose the level of support that matches where your business is. All packages include the €50 CRO government fee — it's not an add-on.

Formation only
The legal company, registered and ready. For founders who have their own address, secretary and compliance sorted.
€295
+ VAT at 23%
✓ CRO €50 fee included — no hidden extras
  • Form A1 CRO filing
  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • Company constitution
  • Share certificates
  • Company-name availability check
  • Director identity guidance
  • First-year compliance roadmap
Get started
Most popular
Formation + compliance
Everything to get your company formed, registered with Revenue and compliant from day one.
€1,250
+ VAT at 23%
✓ CRO €50 fee included — no hidden extras
  • Everything in Formation only
  • VAT registration
  • Employer PAYE registration
  • Registered office — 12 months
  • RBO filing
  • First six-month Annual Return (B1)
  • Compliance reminders
Get started
All-inclusive year one
Formation plus the full first year of accounting and compliance — one fee, nothing left to arrange.
€3,550
+ VAT at 23%
✓ CRO €50 fee included — no hidden extras
  • Full company formation
  • Registered office + business address
  • Company secretary — 12 months
  • Monthly bookkeeping (up to 50 transactions)
  • Annual financial statements
  • Corporation Tax return (CT1)
  • VAT returns + Annual Return (B1)
  • Dedicated account manager
Get started

See full package details and inclusions →

Individual service costs

If you need a specific service on its own, or want to understand what each item costs before choosing a package.

ServiceGovernment feeForti feeNotes
Company incorporation (Form A1) €50 Included in all packages Online filing via CRO CORE portal
Annual Return (B1) — each filing €20 Included in packages First B1 at 6 months; annually thereafter. No financial statements at first B1.
RBO beneficial ownership filing €0 €150 + VAT (standalone) Included in Formation + Compliance and above
VAT registration €0 €150 + VAT (standalone) Included in Formation + Compliance and above
Employer PAYE registration €0 €150 + VAT (standalone) Included in Formation + Compliance and above
Registered office address €0 €450 + VAT per year Included in Formation + Compliance and above
Company secretarial service €0 €450 + VAT per year Included in All-Inclusive Year One only
Monthly bookkeeping + annual compliance — From €195 + VAT/month Included in All-Inclusive Year One; or as a standalone monthly plan
Section 137 bond (non-EEA directors) — ~€1,800 disbursement + Forti fee Required where no EEA-resident director is in place. See non-resident route below.

All Forti fees exclude VAT at 23%. Package inclusions take precedence over standalone prices — the same service is never charged twice.

Does your director live outside the EEA?

Every Irish limited company must have at least one EEA-resident director. If none of your directors live in the EEA, a Section 137 bond is required by law — and this significantly changes the cost.

At least one director lives in Ireland or the EEA
Standard route — use the packages above
No bond required. Applies to Irish citizens, EU/EEA nationals resident in the EEA, and international businesses where at least one director is EEA-resident. Choose from Formation only (€295), Formation + Compliance (€1,250) or All-Inclusive Year One (€3,550).
Starting from
€295
+ VAT
View formation packages →
No director lives in the EEA — different route applies
Non-EEA director route — Section 137 bond required
Irish company law requires a Section 137 bond where no director is EEA-resident. This is a two-year bond taken out with an approved insurer — it's a legal requirement, not optional. Forti's non-resident package at €3,250 + VAT includes the bond arrangement and all standard formation work. UK residents are treated as non-EEA post-Brexit.
Note: The bond itself is a third-party insurer disbursement of approximately €1,800, quoted separately from the Forti package fee.
Non-EEA package
€3,250
+ VAT, bond arrangement included
View Section 137 bond →

First-year costs and deadlines

From the day you incorporate to your first year-end — what's due, when, and what it costs.

1
Incorporation — day one
€50 CRO feeFormation package
CRO Form A1 filed. Certificate of Incorporation issued. Your company legally exists from this date. The €295 package covers this — the €50 government charge is already included.
2
RBO filing — within 5 months
€0 government fee€150 + VAT if standalone
All Irish companies must file beneficial ownership details with the Central Register of Beneficial Owners. A beneficial owner is anyone with more than 25% of shares or voting rights. There is no government charge for this filing — only a professional preparation fee where not included in your package.
3
Revenue registrations — before you trade
€0 Revenue filing fee€150 + VAT per registration if standalone
Corporation Tax registration is required for all companies. VAT registration applies where your turnover will exceed the threshold, or where you choose to register voluntarily. Employer PAYE registration is required before you pay any salary or director remuneration.
4
First Annual Return (B1) — 6-month deadline
€20 CRO feeLate = €100 + €3/day (max €1,200)
Your first Annual Return Date falls exactly six months after incorporation. Form B1 must be filed within 56 days of that date. No financial statements are required at this stage — it is a basic company information filing only. The €20 CRO fee still applies. Missing this deadline is one of the most common and costly first-year mistakes.
5
During the year — bookkeeping, VAT & payroll
From €195 + VAT/month
Once trading, your company has ongoing monthly costs. Bookkeeping, VAT3 bi-monthly filings, payroll submissions and management accounts. The cost depends on your transaction volume and complexity.
6
After year-end — accounts and Corporation Tax
Included in All-Inclusive and monthly plans
Annual financial statements and your Corporation Tax return (CT1) are prepared after the first accounting year-end. Financial statements must also be attached to your Annual Return from year two onwards. This is included in the All-Inclusive Year One package or within Forti's monthly LTD accounting plans.

The real cost of a late Annual Return

Missing the first B1 deadline is the single most common and avoidable first-year compliance failure.

Late penalty: €100 for the first day, plus €3 per day — capped at €1,200 per return. More significantly, under rules effective from 16 July 2025, your company loses audit exemption after a second late filing within five years. Losing audit exemption means mandatory audited accounts, which typically cost between €3,000 and €8,000 per year. The financial exposure from a missed deadline is far greater than the €20 filing fee.
Read our full guide to late CRO returns →

Start-up Corporation Tax relief — what you need to know

Qualifying new companies can receive Corporation Tax relief in their first five years. The relief is real — but it's not automatic, and it's not guaranteed.

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The cap is based on PRSI paid
Relief is capped by qualifying employer PRSI actually paid — up to €5,000 per employee and €40,000 in total. No PRSI paid means no relief, regardless of the CT liability.
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Director's Class S PRSI now counts
From 1 January 2025, a qualifying director's Class S PRSI contributions can count toward the cap, up to €1,000 per individual. This is a new provision that benefits early-stage companies.
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The trade must qualify
The relief only applies to qualifying trades. The thresholds don't override the statutory conditions. Forti reviews your eligibility when the CT1 is prepared.
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Don't build your budget around it
Many founders assume Section 486C eliminates their Corporation Tax. It doesn't, unless the right conditions are met. We verify the claim — we don't assume it.

Solo founder? You need a separate company secretary.

An Irish limited company with one director cannot appoint that same person as company secretary. This is one of the most commonly missed requirements for solo founders.

Company secretarial service
Annual returns, statutory registers, board minutes and ongoing company-law compliance. €450 + VAT per year. Included in All-Inclusive Year One.
View company secretarial →
Virtual office
Irish registered-office address, business address and mail handling. €450 + VAT per year. Included in Formation + Compliance and above.
View virtual office →

Annual costs after formation

Formation is a one-off. These costs recur every year once your company is active.

Annual Return + company records
Form B1 (€20 CRO fee), financial statements, statutory registers, RBO updates and company-secretarial work.
Financial statements + Corporation Tax
Annual accounts and CT1 filing. Required every year. Based on your bookkeeping records — which is why accurate books matter.
VAT + payroll
Bi-monthly VAT3 filings and monthly payroll processing once your company is registered and active under those tax heads.
Bookkeeping + accounting software
Monthly cost based on transaction volume, payment platforms, currencies and reporting needs. Forti works on Xero, Zoho Books, QuickBooks and Sage.
Forti's LTD Starter plan: From €195 + VAT per month — includes monthly bookkeeping, annual financial statements, CT1, Annual Return (B1) and VAT returns within the plan limits.

How we build your quote

One itemised figure — no surprises after work starts.

1
Check your director situation
EEA or non-EEA? Solo founder? This determines the correct package and whether a bond is needed.
2
Confirm your address & secretary
Do you have an Irish registered-office address? A suitable company secretary? These affect the package.
3
Map the first filings
RBO, Revenue registrations and first B1 — we identify what applies and when it's due.
4
Choose accounting level
Formation only, with compliance, or full first-year accounting — we match the package to your needs.
5
One itemised quote
Forti fees, government charges, recurring services and any non-resident items — listed separately and clearly.

Eight mistakes that lead to unexpected costs

Avoid these and your first year will cost what you expect it to cost.

Treating €50 as the full cost
The CRO fee creates the legal entity. Registered office, RBO, Revenue registrations and accounting are all additional.
Comparing packages that include different things
Check whether RBO, registered office, company secretary and the first B1 are included before comparing prices.
Assuming the first B1 is free
No accounts attach to the first return, but the €20 CRO fee still applies and the deadline is fixed.
Missing the sole-director secretary rule
A one-director LTD cannot appoint that same person as company secretary. A solo founder always needs another arrangement.
Ignoring non-EEA director costs
The Section 137 bond changes the correct package, the cost and the timeline — it's not a minor add-on.
Assuming the RBO filing has a government fee
The Central Register charges nothing. Only professional preparation carries a cost where it's not in your package.
Planning around automatic start-up tax relief
Section 486C depends on qualifying PRSI, a qualifying trade and a Corporation Tax liability. It's verified — not assumed.
Budgeting only for the formation
B1, accounts, CT1, VAT and payroll recur every year. Plan for the company you'll actually run — not just the registration day.

Related services and guides

Company registration
Full package details for resident and non-resident formations.
View company registration →
Tax registration
Corporation Tax, VAT and employer PAYE registration support.
View tax registration →
Company secretarial
Annual returns, registers, board records and company-law support.
View company secretarial →
Virtual office
Registered-office address, business address and mail handling.
View virtual office →
All pricing
Compare accounting plans and one-off registration fees side by side.
View all pricing →
Non-EEA director bond
Section 137 bond support where no director is EEA-resident.
View Section 137 bond →

Common questions

Is the €50 CRO fee included in Forti's packages?
Yes — all Forti formation packages include the €50 CRO government fee. The price you see is the price you pay. There is no €50 added on top of the package fee.
What's the difference between Formation only and Formation + Compliance?
Formation only registers the company. Formation + Compliance also handles VAT registration, employer PAYE registration, registered office for 12 months, the RBO filing and the first Annual Return. For most trading companies, Formation + Compliance is the right starting point.
Does the first Annual Return require financial statements?
No. The first B1 is a basic company information filing only — no accounts are attached. Financial statements are required from the second Annual Return onwards. The €20 CRO filing fee applies regardless.
I'm the only director. Do I need a company secretary?
Yes. An Irish limited company with one director cannot appoint that same person as company secretary. You need another eligible individual or a professional service. This is included in All-Inclusive Year One, or available as a standalone service at €450 + VAT per year.
We have no EEA-resident director. What does formation cost?
Forti's non-resident packages start at €2,450 + VAT and €3,250 + VAT, including the Section 137 bond arrangement. The bond disbursement (~€1,800) is quoted separately as it's a third-party charge. UK residents are treated as non-EEA for this purpose post-Brexit.
What are the penalties for a late Annual Return?
€100 plus €3 per day, capped at €1,200 per return. More significantly, under rules effective from 16 July 2025, a second late filing within five years results in loss of audit exemption — which typically adds €3,000–€8,000 in annual audit costs.
Does Section 486C start-up relief automatically apply to new companies?
No. The company and trade must qualify, the Corporation Tax liability must meet the thresholds, and the relief is capped by qualifying PRSI paid. A company with no salary or qualifying PRSI activity in a given year has no Section 486C relief for that period.
Can Forti give me one fixed quote?
Yes. We review your director structure, address, secretary arrangement, Revenue registrations and accounting needs — then issue one itemised quote covering all fees, government charges and recurring costs. Typically within one business day.

Get the full picture before you commit

Tell us your director situation and what you need — we'll give you one clear, itemised cost for formation and your first year. No guesswork, no add-ons afterwards.

Get my complete formation cost