Buy a ready-made Irish company from EUR 5,000 when you need an entity immediately. Ours are not anonymous companies bought in bulk to be resold. Every company in our inventory came from our own client base: we acted as its accountant and company secretary, in most cases for years, and when the owner decided to leave business we took the company on instead of closing it. Filings are up to date, the history is documented, and we transfer the directors and shareholders at the CRO, usually within 24 to 72 hours. This option is without VAT registration; a VAT-registered version is available separately.
A ready-made company, also called a shelf company, is an existing Irish private company limited by shares that can be transferred to you in days rather than weeks. Ours are not anonymous companies bought in bulk to be resold. Every company in our inventory came from our own client base: we acted as its accountant and company secretary, in most cases for years, and when the owner decided to leave business we took the company on instead of closing it. Some of these companies traded and some never did, and we tell you which before you buy. The standard package transfers the complete statutory bundle to you:
The company arrives with its CRO compliance standing in order, its filings up to date and no outstanding debts. The reason we can stand behind that is not that the company sat empty. It is that we kept its books and made its filings. That is the difference between buying a company and buying an unbroken compliance record. Optional add-ons include VAT registration, an EORI application, a bank account introduction and a nominee director service for non-EEA owners.
A standard transfer completes in 24 to 72 hours from payment and KYC approval:
Incomplete KYC documents are the most common cause of delay. Non-EU buyers who need a nominee director to satisfy the Companies Act 2014 section 137 EEA-resident director requirement should allow an additional 24 to 48 hours for the appointment.
Both routes produce the same legal entity, a private company limited by shares under the Companies Act 2014, but a ready-made company transfers in 24 to 72 hours while a new company formation takes 10 to 15 working days through the standard CRO route. A shelf company also carries an earlier incorporation date, which some counterparties value, while a new incorporation gives you full control of the name and constitution from day one. For a side-by-side view of cost, timeline and control, see the full ready-made vs new Irish company comparison.
| Factor | Ready-made company | New incorporation |
|---|---|---|
| Time until it is yours | 24 to 72 hours | 10 to 15 working days |
| Incorporation date | Earlier, already on the register | Date of your application |
| Company name | Existing name, changeable on request | Your chosen name from the start |
| VAT | Add after transfer, or buy one with VAT already registered | Apply to Revenue after incorporation |
| Trading history | Known and documented, kept by us. Some traded, some did not, disclosed per company | None, brand new |
| Typical cost | Higher | Lower |
Yes, and the basis for saying so is unusual. These are companies we serviced ourselves before we acquired them, so the filing history is not something we checked once at the point of purchase, it is something we maintained. CRO filings, annual returns, Revenue registrations and beneficial ownership records were handled by us throughout. You do not have to take that on trust: the CRO compliance standing can be verified independently on the CRO Core search portal, and the full filing record is handed over before completion.
Yes. There is no nationality restriction on company ownership under Irish law. However, at least one director must be ordinarily resident in an EEA state under section 137 of the Companies Act 2014, so non-EEA buyers typically appoint a nominee director or put a section 137 bond in place.
The standard ready-made company does not carry VAT registration. You can apply to Revenue after the transfer, or choose a ready-made Irish company with VAT that holds a live VAT number from day one. Revenue publishes no processing standard for a VAT application: the timeline is driven by the evidence you can supply, and Revenue’s own guidelines ask for a lease or evidence of efforts to secure premises, a contract for the supply or receipt of goods or services, sample sales and purchase invoices, customer and supplier lists, and business projections. An application can be disallowed, with a right of appeal under section 119(2) of the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010. In our own practice an application runs 4 to 12 weeks from submission, depending on how complete the evidence is. Either way, check the VAT position before you commit; our guide on verifying the VAT status of an Irish ready-made company explains how.
It affects anyone buying a company that already holds VAT. Ireland operates a two-tier system. Domestic-only registration is sufficient for trading within the State and with non-EU countries. Intra-EU registration is what permits intra-Community acquisitions and zero-rated supplies to VAT-registered businesses in other member states, and it brings automatic listing on the EU VAT Information Exchange System (VIES). A number that returns no result on VIES is a domestic-only registration. A domestic-only holder may apply for Intra-EU status at any time, but Revenue then asks for information on transport arrangements, the nature of the supplies and acquisitions, and the due diligence carried out on customers and suppliers.
You acquire the shares rather than the assets, so the entity keeps its own history, and that is precisely why it matters who kept that history. Where a company traded, the trading period was accounted for and filed by us, and we take a company on only with its obligations settled. Verify that rather than accept it: a CRO Core search, an RBO extract and confirmation of the filing and tax position are all available to you before completion, and we provide what you need to run those checks.
You inherit the company’s existing B1 annual return cycle from its original incorporation date. The next B1 due date is disclosed before purchase so you can plan the filing.
Before completing any purchase, run your own checks: a CRO Core search, an RBO extract and confirmation of the filing and tax position. We encourage it, because a seller who kept the records has nothing to lose from you reading them. Our step-by-step guide to verifying the history of a ready-made Irish company walks through the full due diligence process.
In most cases, you can start operating under the company on the same day the transfer is completed. The director transfer is typically executed on the same working day that your AML/KYC documents are cleared. You will receive the full company document pack within 1-2 working days of the transfer filing. If your business requires VAT registration, you will need to apply separately - in our experience Revenue takes 4 to 12 weeks to decide a VAT registration application, and Revenue publishes no processing standard of its own.
Yes, and here is the basis for saying so. These are companies we serviced ourselves as accountant and company secretary before we acquired them, so the record is one we maintained rather than one we inherited. Some of them traded and some did not, and we tell you which before you buy. We take a company on only with its filings up to date and its obligations settled. You can independently verify the company status and filing history on the CRO publicly accessible register at cro.ie before completing your purchase.
Yes. A company name change is included in the package. Our team files the name change application with the CRO on your behalf. The CRO publishes a daily processing position rather than a guaranteed turnaround, so the current wait can be checked before you plan around it. The company original CRO registration number remains unchanged regardless of the name.
The company itself must have a registered office address in Ireland - this is a legal requirement under the Companies Act 2014. Our registered office service provides this Irish address and is included in the package. You, as the director, do not need to be resident in Ireland, but you must be EEA-resident (or arrange a nominee director if you are not).
This product does not include VAT registration. If you need a company with an active VAT number from day one - avoiding the 4-8 week Revenue processing wait - our Ready-Made Company with VAT Number is the right choice. If you are content to register for VAT after the transfer, our tax registration service can handle this for you at any time.
Yes. Non-EU and non-EEA founders can purchase a ready-made company. However, the Companies Act 2014 requires at least one EEA-resident director. If you are the sole founder and are not EEA-resident, you will need to appoint a nominee director at the time of transfer. Our team can advise on the most appropriate structure for your situation before you proceed.
No. A business bank account is not included with the company transfer. Banks in Ireland require a new account application regardless of whether the company is newly formed or transferred. After the transfer is complete, the new director applies directly to the bank of their choice. One practical advantage of a ready-made company is that its earlier incorporation date can support the bank's onboarding process, as some Irish banks view an established company as lower risk than a newly formed one.
Forming a new Irish private limited company through the CRO takes 10-14 working days in our experience. A ready-made company is already incorporated so no CRO registration wait is required. The key advantage is the earlier incorporation date, which can matter for contracts, tenders, or commercial relationships that reference company age.
The registrations live at transfer are disclosed for the specific company before you buy, because they differ from one company to the next. Some of these companies traded and held VAT or employer registrations in the past, some never did. What is constant is that the position is documented and the obligations are settled. After the transfer you can register for VAT or PAYE/PRSI through Revenue ROS based on your planned business activities.
You will receive the Certificate of Incorporation, the company constitution, a share certificate in the new shareholder name, the company seal, and confirmation of the B10 director appointment filing with the CRO. Our team also completes the Revenue notification of change of director and shareholders. All documents are delivered digitally.
€5.000 excl. VAT
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Chern & Co Ltd is a Trust and Company Service Provider (TCSP) in Ireland, authorised and supervised by the Department of Justice.
Our official registration reference is TCSP APP/1211/2018, and we are listed in the public TCSP register maintained by the Irish Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Unit.
Compliance • AML • TCSP
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LTD Companies and Partnerships For Overseas Residents
Chern & Co team offers Registered Office Address, Business Address, Company Secretary, Nominee Director, Nominee Shareholder and other professional services to international customers who need to set up a branch or present in the European Union.
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