Under the Companies Act 2014, every company registered in Ireland must have a registered office located in the State at all times. The address is set out when the company is incorporated, appears on the public register at the Companies Registration Office (CRO) and becomes the official point of contact between the company, the State and anyone who needs to reach it formally. Although it is sometimes treated as a formality, the choice of registered office has practical consequences for privacy, compliance and the company's professional image.
What the Registered Office Is Used For
- Official correspondence:
the CRO, the Revenue Commissioners, the Corporate Enforcement Authority and other public bodies send formal notices to the registered office, including annual return reminders and warnings of strike off.
- Service of legal documents:
court documents and other legal notices can be validly served on the company by leaving them at, or posting them to, the registered office.
- Statutory registers:
the company's statutory registers, such as the register of members and the register of directors and secretaries, are normally kept at the registered office, unless the CRO has been notified of another location in Ireland.
- Public disclosure:
the address is shown on the CRO register, where anyone can view it.
Registered Office Versus Trading Address
The registered office does not have to be the place where the company actually does business. Many companies trade from a shop, an office, a client site or entirely online, while their registered office is located at their accountant's or company secretary's premises, or with a professional registered office provider. A company can have several trading addresses but only one registered office at any time.
Requirements for the Address
The registered office must be a physical address in Ireland where documents can be delivered and received. A PO box on its own is not acceptable, and an address abroad cannot be used. Because the company is treated as having received any document delivered to the registered office, the address needs to be one where post is reliably collected, recorded and passed on without delay. A missed letter from the CRO or a court can lead to penalties or proceedings that the company is unaware of.
Using a Home Address
There is nothing to stop a director using their home as the registered office, and many small businesses do so at the start. However, the address then appears on the public register and on the company's business documents, which reduces privacy and can bring unwanted callers. For this reason, many owners, particularly those running online or home-based businesses, prefer to use a professional registered office address instead.
Disclosure on Business Documents
Irish companies must show certain information on their letters, order forms and websites, including the company's registered name, its legal form, its place of registration, its company number and the address of its registered office. Omitting these details is an offence, and incorrect information can undermine customer confidence.
Changing the Registered Office
The directors can change the registered office, provided the new address is also in Ireland. The change must be notified to the CRO within 15 days, and it takes effect once it is registered. Until then, documents can still be validly served at the old address, so a gap between moving and notifying the CRO can leave important correspondence unanswered. Letterheads, websites and invoices also need to be updated to reflect the new address.
Professional Registered Office Services
A professional registered office service provides a compliant Irish address for the company, receives its official post and forwards or scans it to the directors. These services are widely used by non-resident founders, home-based businesses and companies that want to separate their public address from their trading premises. Combining the registered office with company secretarial support also means statutory correspondence is handled by people familiar with the deadlines it relates to.
For further guidance and support with a registered office address for your company, contact Setup Your Company at info@setupyourcompany.ie or call us on 01 628 3177.
