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Company Types available in Ireland

A Limited Company is considered a separate legal entity from the individuals involved in the business. A Private Limited Company is the most common form of incorporation for people to start their business in Ireland. Check below for more information on the different types of limited companies you can set up.

 Non-Residents may wish to register a branch of their existing company in Ireland, which we can assist with. Please contact us for more information. Irish Residents can register their business as a Sole Trader / Partnership, as an alternative to a limited company. Please see ‘Business Name Registration’ on the left-hand side for more information on this.

Private Limited Company
This is the most frequently incorporated entity for private, commercial businesses and ventures. This is a company limited by shares, a company having the liability of its members limited by the Memorandum to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held by them.

A small/medium sized company need only file abridged audited accounts, showing a limited amount of information, at the Companies Registration Office (CRO) They can also avail of the Audit Exemption if their turnover is less than €7,400,000. It is important to note than an Annual Return must be filed every year with the C.R.O. regardless of whether the company has traded or not.

A private limited company normally consists of 1-4 shareholders but can have more, up to a maximum of ninety-nine. When a private limited company has only a single shareholder, this is known as a Single Member Company. This single or sole member may if he or she so decides may dispense with the holding of general meetings, including Annual General Meetings.

Company Limited by Guarantee without having a Share Capital
Guarantee Companies are usually used in circumstances whereby it has been decided to give corporate protection to entities such as charities, trade associations or sports clubs. They can also be used for property management purposes in the servicing and maintenance of residential associations.

Charitable Status can be applied to the Revenue Commissioners on projects which are set up for charitable, scholastic or religious purposes. It should also be noted that Guarantee Companies are required under statutory legislation to file Audited Accounts every year with the Companies Registration Office.

Private Unlimited Company having a Share Capital
A private unlimited company is generally only used in circumstances where there is no great fear of loss of limited liability or where the liability of the shareholders can be limited at a secondary stage, such as having limited companies as the shareholders of an unlimited company.

Unlimited companies may in certain circumstances, be exempt from the necessity to file accounts with the Registrar of Companies.

Company Bureau can assist you with the incorporation of an Unlimited Company.

Public Company Limited by Shares
This type of company is used in circumstances where it intends to seek a listing on the Stock Exchange or where a major Business Expansion Scheme is being formulated; Unlike Private Limited Companies, there is no restriction on the number of shareholders.

Public Companies are required to have a minimum issued capital of €38,092.14 of which €9,523.03 (25%) must be paid up. This is paid up when a trading certificate is applied for.

Societas Europaea Company (SE)
A Societas Europaea (SE) is a European public limited company formed under EU Regulation (Council Regulation 2157/2001) and Statutory Instrument 21 of 2007. SE’s can be formed by merger, as a holding company or subsidiary, or by conversion from a PLC. Article 3 and 10 of the Reguklation requires member states to treat an SE as if it has a public limited company formed in accordance with the law of the member state in which it has it’s registered office.
Method of formation Commercial bodies that may be involved:
  • Merger of two or more public limited companies (including SEs)
  • Holding SE - Two or more private or public limited companies (including SEs)
  • Subsidiary SE - Article 2(3)  Two or more companies (including SEs), firms or other legal bodies
  • Subsidiary SE - Article 3(2)  An existing SE
  • Transformation of an existing Public Limited Company

For more information on this complex legal structure, please don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Company Bureau