By Shannon Power, 3rd November 2026
You must register a business name with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) if you trade under any name other than your own. Registration is done on Form RBN1 through CORE, costs €20 online, and must be filed within one month of starting to use the name. This guide covers who has to register, how to do it, what the CRO will not accept, what the certificate does and does not give you, how a business name differs from a company name, what to do next with Revenue and your bank, and the changes proposed for the business names register.
What is a business name?
A business name, also called a trading name, is any name a business uses that is not the owner’s own name. Under the Registration of Business Names Act 1963 it must be registered with the CRO so the public can find out who stands behind it. Registering a business name does not create a company: a sole trader who registers “Byrne Interiors” is still Mary Byrne, personally liable for the business’s debts.
Who must register a business name in Ireland?
- Sole traders using any name other than their true surname, with or without first names or initials. “Mary Byrne” needs no registration; “Byrne Interiors” and “M. Byrne Design” do.
- Partnerships whose business name is not the true names of all the partners.
- Companies trading under any name that differs from the full registered company name, for example “JRC Software Solutions Limited” trading as “JRC Solutions”.
- Newspaper publishers in Ireland publishing under a name other than their own.
The test is simple: if the name on your shopfront, invoices or website is not exactly your own name or your company’s registered name, register it. There is no turnover threshold and no exemption for part-time or online businesses. If you are at the earlier stage of deciding between trading in your own name and forming a company, our guide to registering as a sole trader in Ireland walks through that choice.
How to register a business name: step by step
- Check the name. Search the CRO register for identical or similar names and use our Free Company Name Check Service. The CRO does not check proposed business names against the companies or business names registers, so a clash will not stop registration but could land you in a dispute later.
- Gather the details. The business name, the nature of the business, the principal place of business in Ireland, the date you started using the name, and the proprietor’s full name, any former names, address and nationality (for a company, its registered name and number). Non-EEA individuals must also provide evidence of their immigration permission to run a business in Ireland.
- File the form on CORE. RBN1 is for an individual, RBN1A for a partnership and RBN1B for a company or other body corporate. Online filing costs €20; a paper form costs €40. The CRO advises filing from a laptop or desktop rather than a phone.
- Wait for the certificate. The CRO issues the Certificate of Registration of Business Name by email. Applications are processed strictly in date order and, at the time of writing, the CRO is advising delays of up to four weeks on RBN1 filings.
- Display it. The certificate must be exhibited in a conspicuous position at your principal place of business and at every branch, office or place where the business is normally carried on. A company displays it at its registered office in the State as well as at each branch or office.
The principal place of business must be a physical address in Ireland. If you work from home and would rather keep it private, or you are setting up as a sole trader or forming a partnership from abroad, our Registered Office Service provides one.
Our Business Name Registration Services file the RBN1 for you for €150, or €195 plus VAT for the Sole Trader Business Name + Income Tax Registration Bundle. You can order business name registration online in a few minutes.
How much does it cost to register a business name?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| CRO fee, online (CORE) | €20 |
| CRO fee, paper form | €40 |
| Renewal | None under current law (see proposed changes below) |
| Company Bureau filing service | €150 |
| Company Bureau sole trader bundle (business name + income tax registration) | €195 plus VAT |
| Trade mark (optional, for exclusive rights) | Separate application to the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland |
Why might the CRO refuse a business name?
Under section 14 of the 1963 Act, registration of any business name considered undesirable can be refused, with an appeal to the High Court. In practice:
- Company-style words are not allowed. The CRO does not accept “limited”, “ltd”, “teoranta”, “teo”, “incorporated”, “inc.” or “company” in a business name.
- Web addresses need proof. A business name ending in a domain suffix such as “.ie”, “.com” or “.net”, or starting with “www”, is treated as undesirable unless you can show you own the domain.
- Offensive names or names suggesting State sponsorship, such as a name implying a government department or official body, are likely to be refused.
- Sensitive words such as “bank”, “society”, “co-operative”, “university” or “architect” are controlled for company names and need the consent of the relevant body; avoid them in a business name unless you hold that consent. See the full list of restricted words.
- Mixed Irish and English is not accepted. If you want an Irish-language word in the name, the whole name must be in Irish. A registered name can be entirely in Irish or entirely in English, but not a combination of the two.
Note what is not on the list: similarity to an existing name. The CRO does not police duplicates on the business names register, which is why a name check and, for a brand you intend to build, a trade mark matter.
What registering a business name does and does not give you
Registration gives you a certificate, a public record linking the name to you, and the legal right to trade under it. It satisfies banks, which usually ask for the certificate before opening a business account in the trading name.
It does not give you exclusive rights to the name. Another trader can register the same or a similar business name, and a company can incorporate under it. If the name is your brand, you should consider applying for a trademark, which does give you the right to stop others using it for the goods and services you register.
What happens if you do not register a business name?
Trading under an unregistered business name is an offence under the Registration of Business Names Act 1963 and can lead to a fine on conviction. In practice the problems arrive sooner than a prosecution: banks will not open an account in a trading name without the certificate, Revenue and customers will ask who is behind the name, and anyone who claims a prior right to the name can bring a passing off action against you. Registration costs €20 and takes minutes to file online, so there is no good reason to trade without it.
After registration: your ongoing obligations
- Business letters. All business letters, circulars and catalogues that carry the business name must state the proprietor’s present name, any former names and nationality if not Irish. A company trading under a business name must also show its registered name, legal form, place of registration, company number and registered office, and its directors’ names.
- Changes. Notify the CRO within one month of any change, such as a new address, proprietor or partners, on Form RBN2 (RBN2A for a partnership, RBN2B for a body corporate). An address-only change filed online is free; other changes cost €15.
- Ceasing to trade. File Form RBN3 within three months of ceasing to trade under the name, so it is removed from the register. There is no fee.
- No renewal. Under the 1963 Act a registered business name does not expire. That is one of the things the proposed new law would change.
Next steps: Revenue, your bank and your domain
A business name certificate is the first document, not the last. A new sole trader must also register for income tax with Revenue (through myAccount or on Form TR1), and for VAT once turnover is expected to pass the registration thresholds; a company registers for corporation tax and, where relevant, VAT and PAYE. Our tax registration service handles these filings alongside the business name. Open the business bank account once the certificate arrives, and secure the matching .ie or .com domain early, because registering the name with the CRO does not reserve it online. When you register a business name online with Company Bureau, a free .ie or .com domain for one year is included.
Business name vs company name: what is the difference?
A business name is a trading name registered under the 1963 Act. A company name is the legal name of a company incorporated under the Companies Act 2014. The rules are different and so is what you get.
| Feature | Business name | Company name |
|---|---|---|
| Registered under | Registration of Business Names Act 1963 | Companies Act 2014 |
| Creates a legal entity? | No | Yes, with limited liability |
| Uniqueness checked by the CRO? | No | Yes, identical or too similar names are refused |
| Required ending | None (cannot use Limited, Ltd, Teoranta, Inc. or Company) | Limited, DAC, CLG, UC, PLC or the Irish equivalent |
| CRO fee | €20 online | €50 online with Form A1 |
| Can be used by | Sole traders, partnerships, companies | Companies only |
How to register a company name
A company name is registered as part of incorporation, when Form A1 is filed with the Companies Registration Office (CRO). There is no separate name registration and no way to reserve a name in advance, so the sequence is: choose, check, incorporate. For the full incorporation process, costs and timelines, see our guide to setting up a company in Ireland.
Step 1: Choose a distinctive name
Pick something relevant to the business, distinct from competitors in your sector, easy to spell and say, and available as a domain name. The CRO will refuse a name that is identical or too similar to one already on the register, and the following do not make a name distinct: adding or dropping “the”; adding “company”, “limited” or “services”; adding a place name; adding a number or a year; or changing the spelling so the name sounds the same.
Step 2: Check availability
Run a free Irish company name search here before you file. If the exact name is taken you can often incorporate under a longer name and register the shorter one as a business name: “JRC Software Solutions Limited” trading as “JRC Solutions”.
Step 3: Incorporate
File Form A1 with a constitution through CORE, or use our expert company formation service, which checks the name against the CRO guidelines before filing so the A1 is not rejected. Company Bureau has been forming Irish companies for almost 30 years.
Company name rules to know
- The name must end in the right suffix for the company type: Limited or Teoranta, Designated Activity Company, Company Limited by Guarantee, Unlimited Company or Public Limited Company, unless the company holds an exemption.
- The CRO will refuse a company name that is offensive or suggests State sponsorship.
- Restricted words need the consent of the relevant body: “bank”, “banker”, “banking” or “banc” (Central Bank of Ireland), “society”, “co-op”, “co-operative” or “union” (Registrar of Friendly Societies), “university” or “institute of technology” (Department of Education), “architect” (RIAI) and “chamber of commerce” (Chambers Ireland).
- “Standard” is not allowed at all, “credit union” is prohibited under the Credit Union Act 1997, and “SE” is reserved for European Companies (Societas Europaea).
Proposed changes to business name registration
The Government approved the General Scheme of the Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names Bill in 2024. The Bill would replace the 1963 Act, and it remains at drafting stage on the Government’s Legislation Programme. It has not been published, enacted or commenced, so no action is needed yet. As proposed in the General Scheme, it would:
- Make a registration valid for five years, with renewal notified to the Registrar within the last three months of that period.
- Require every existing registered business name to re-register within 12 months of a notice from the Registrar, with notices issued during a 30-month transition period, or face removal from the register.
- Require a PPS number and date of birth for individual proprietors, and proof of permission to set up a business in the State for non-EEA proprietors.
- Give the Registrar power to refuse undesirable or misleading names, ask for evidence of a real place of business in the State (not just a post box), issue notices electronically and remove businesses that are no longer trading.
We will update this page when the Bill is enacted and a commencement date is set. Until then, the rules above are the rules.
Business name registration: common questions
Do I need to register a business name as a sole trader?
Only if you trade under a name other than your own. Trading as “John Murphy” needs no registration; “Murphy Plumbing” does.
How long does business name registration take?
The CRO processes RBN1 filings strictly in date order and, at the time of writing, is advising delays of up to four weeks. Paper filings take longer.
How much does it cost to register a business name in Ireland?
€20 if you file online through CORE and €40 on paper. There is no renewal fee under current law. Company Bureau files it for you for €150.
Does a registered business name expire?
Not under current law. The proposed new legislation would introduce a five-year term with renewal, but it has not been enacted.
Can two businesses have the same business name?
Yes. The CRO does not check business names for duplicates. A trade mark is the only way to secure exclusive rights to a name.
Can I use “Ltd” in my business name?
No. “Limited”, “Ltd”, “Teoranta”, “Teo”, “Incorporated”, “Inc.” and “Company” are not allowed in a business name.
Can a company have more than one business name?
Yes. A company can register as many trading names as it uses, each on its own RBN1B.
Can I change my business name later?
Yes. If you rebrand or start trading under a different name, register the new name on a fresh RBN1 within one month of first using it. If the old name is no longer in use, file Form RBN3 to cease it. Check the registers and the domain before you settle on the new name.
Can I register a business name from outside Ireland?
Yes, provided the business has a principal place of business in Ireland. Non-EEA individuals must include evidence of their permission to run a business in Ireland. Company Bureau’s online sole trader and partnership business name order is for EEA citizens only, so non-EEA applicants should contact us first.
Is a business name the same as a trade mark?
No. A business name registration records who uses a name. A trade mark gives you exclusive rights to it for specified goods and services and is registered separately with the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland.
Do I register a business name with Revenue as well?
No. The business name is registered with the CRO only. Revenue registers you for the taxes, not the name, so a sole trader still registers for income tax through myAccount or on Form TR1, and a company registers for corporation tax after incorporation.
Getting your name registered
Check the name, file the RBN1 within a month of starting to trade, and put the certificate on the wall. If you would like us to file it, pair it with income tax or VAT registration, or you are not sure whether you need a business name or a company, contact the Company Bureau team online or by phone on +353 1 646 1625.
Disclaimer: This article is for guidance purposes only. It does not constitute legal or professional advice. No liability is accepted by Company Bureau for any action taken or not taken in reliance on the information set out in this article. Professional or legal advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from any action as a result of this article. Any and all information is subject to change.
