What is the Companies Registration Office (CRO)?

Table of Contents

Example H2

Example H3

Example H4

Example H5

Example H6

Who should read this?

This article is written for business owners, company secretaries, and entrepreneurs who need to understand their obligations with Ireland's Companies Registration Office (CRO).

It is particularly relevant for those starting a new company or managing compliance for an existing Irish company.

Key Takeaways

The CRO is Ireland's central authority for company registration and statutory filings
Most filings can now be completed online through the CORE system
Annual returns are mandatory for all registered companies
Digital filing typically offers faster processing times and reduced fees
The CRO maintains public records accessible to anyone
Compliance with filing deadlines is crucial to avoid penalties
CORE accounts streamline the filing process for regular users

The Companies Registration Office (CRO) is Ireland's central registry for companies, operating under the Companies Act 2014.

Located in Dublin, it serves as the official body responsible for registering new companies and maintaining statutory information about Irish businesses.

The CRO Overview

The CRO functions as Ireland's definitive source of company information, maintaining public records of over 200,000 Irish companies.

Operating under the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, it ensures transparency in Irish corporate activities and maintains compliance with company law.

Role and Responsibilities

The CRO's primary responsibility is to maintain and manage Ireland's register of companies. This includes processing new company registrations, recording changes in company structures, and ensuring public access to company information. The office also plays a crucial role in enforcing compliance with company law requirements.

Types of CRO Filings

Companies must submit various filings throughout their lifecycle.

These include:

- Annual Returns (Form B1) - A yearly submission detailing company information and financial statements

- Change of Director/Secretary details (Form B10)

- Registered Office changes (Form B2)

- Share Capital alterations (Form B7)

- Company Constitution amendments

- Dissolution and strike-off applications

Filing Process

The filing process primarily operates through CORE (Companies Online Registration Environment), the CRO's electronic filing system.

Most submissions require:

Preparation of relevant documentation (including the legal documents)
Payment of prescribed fees
Digital or physical submission
Processing by CRO staff
Official recording in the register

Warning - it's really important to keep in mind that just because the CRO have a form that lets you make a filing, i.e. a director appointment, that does not mean that the CRO's form is all that is needed. The CRO's portal is just a notification portal (for 90% of filings). The actual change takes place at a company level, i.e. a new director is appointed by the board or the shareholders, prior to the CRO notification.

We have seen founders make the mistake of thinking the CROs form is enough to make the actual underlying changes - and that is completely wrong and can be a really really costly mistake.

Imagine you thought you appointed a director just because you sent in a CRO form (rather than doing a legal appointment) and then that new "director" was making important decisions about your company....

CRO Account Requirements

If you want to make any digital filings yourself, you will need to create an account with the CRO. A CORE account provides:

Access to online filing facilities
Digital signature capabilities
Real-time submission tracking
Reduced filing fees
Secure document storage

How Can Open Forest Help?

‍Open Forest offers the cheapest and fastest incorporation packages in Ireland including holding companies for €99 including CRO fees, VAT and access to the Open Forest platform so you can keep track of all of your legal, tax and accounting obligations - at no additional cost.

Choose from one of our incorporation packages here and we will take care of the rest.

We are integrated with the CRO and can make filings on your behalf, for super low costs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

‍

How to find out who owns a company in Ireland?

You can find out publicly who owned a company the day it was incorporated by buying a copy of its constitution and seeing who was given the first shares. After that, you can purchase all of the CRO filings on a company and piece together any share transfers or share issues - but it will always be a bit short of a full picture.

How do I contact the CRO?

The CRO can be contacted by phone at +353 1 804 5200 during business hours (9:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday to Friday), by email at info@cro.ie, or through their contact form on www.cro.ie. Their public office is located at Bloom House, Gloucester Place Lower, Dublin 1.

How to get a CRO number?

A CRO number is automatically assigned when a company is incorporated. The number appears on your Certificate of Incorporation and can be found by searching the company name on the CRO's website. New companies typically receive their CRO number within 5-10 working days of registration. It's 5 days if you use Open Forest.

Do sole traders have a CRO number?

No, sole traders do not receive CRO numbers as they are not required to register with the Companies Registration Office. Sole traders register instead with the Revenue Commissioners and may need to register their business name with the CRO if trading under a name other than their own.

What happens if I miss my annual return date?

Missing your annual return date results in late filing penalties of €100 plus €3 per day until the return is filed. You will also lose your audit exemption for two years.

Can I check if a company name is available before registering?

Yes, the CRO provides a free online company name check facility through their website. This should be used before submitting any company formation documents.

How much does it cost to file an annual return?

The standard fee for filing an annual return is €20 when filed online through CORE, with additional fees applying for late submissions or paper filings.

‍

© Open Forest Limited - 2025 - If you would like to collaborate with us on a article, we would be happy to do so. Reach out to us at info@openforest.co