Ireland

Personal income tax

Standard rate of income tax at 20% and higher rate at 40%. Universal Social Charge (USC) rates between 0.5% and 11%.

Corporate income tax

12.5%, 15% for companies with an annual turnover exceeding €750,000 and 25% for non-trading companies.

Exchange restrictions

None.

Tax information exchange agreements

Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Argentina, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Cook Islands, Dominica, Gibraltar, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Macao, Marshall Islands, Montserrat, Samoa, Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts) and Nevis, San Marino, St. Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu.

Double Taxation Agreements

Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia

Double Taxation Agreements (continued)

Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia.

Permitted currencies

All major currencies are permitted currencies- S66(2) of the Companies Act 2014.

Minimum authorised capital

No minimum requirement.

Minimum share issue

€1.

Shelf companies

Pursuant to section 18 of the Companies Act 2014, a company shall not be formed or registered unless it appears to the Registrar that the company, when registered, will carry on an activity in the State. Shelf companies are therefore not available.

Timescale for new entities

5-15 working days.

Incorporation fees

€50 - €100.

Annual fees

€20 - €40.

Minimum number

One for LTD; two for all other company types.

Residency requirements

Every company must have one EEA resident director unless surety of €25,000 provided.

Corporate directors

Not permitted.

Meetings/ frequency

At the discretion and convenience of the directors.

Disclosure

Yes.

Bearer shares

No.

Minimum number

One.

Public share registry

The public access to the Beneficial Ownership Register is currently closed due to the CJEU privacy case C-37/20.

Meetings/ frequency

AGM can be managed through written resolution.

Annual Return

Yes.

Audit Requirements

Yes.

Recent Legislation

• Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Act 2023 (IAF Act)
• Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013 (Section 48(1) (Investment Firm) Regulations 2023 (Revised Investment Firms Regulations)
• The Finance Act 2023
• European Union (Dematerialised Securities) Regulations 2023
• European Union (Anti-Money Laundering: Beneficial Ownership of Corporate Entities) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (Amending Regulation)
• Central Bank of Ireland updated national provisions governing marketing requirements for UCITS and AIFs
• Screening of Third Country Transactions Act 2023
• Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017 [Financial Services And Pensions Ombudsman Council] Financial Services Industry Levy Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 6/2023)
• European Union (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Use of Financial and Other Information) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 22/2023)
• Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Act 2023 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 176/2023)
• European Union (Anti-Money Laundering: Beneficial Ownership of Corporate Entities) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 308 of 2023)
• Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013 (Section 48(1)) (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 565 of 2023) – relating to the capital requirement imposed on UCITS Management Companies and AIFMs authorised for discretionary portfolio management services
• Investor Compensation Act 1998 (Prescription of Bodies and Persons) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 612 of 2023)
• European Union (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 629 of 2023)
• Digital Services Act 2024

Pending Legislation

• Update to the AIF Rulebook to facilitate the establishment of Irish-domiciled European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs)
• Central Bank macroprudential measures to enhance the resilience of Irish authorised sterling denominated Liability drive Investment (LDI) funds
• Irish regulations implementing amending Directives 2011/61/EU and 2009/65/EC (so-called ‘AIFMD II’)
• Miscellaneous Provisions (Transparency and Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names) Bill 2023.
• Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill

Registered office

Yes.

Domicile issues

No.

Company naming restrictions

Yes.