What’s Included in a Ready-Made Irish Company Package (2026)

What’s Included When You Buy a Ready-Made Irish Company (2026)

When buyers consider a ready-made Irish company, the first question is almost always practical: what exactly are they receiving for the price? A ready-made company – also called a shelf company – is a private company limited by shares that was incorporated under the Companies Act 2014 but has never traded. In 2026, the standard package from a reputable Irish formation agent includes a defined set of statutory documents, registered services, and legal filings, with a transparent boundary between what is bundled and what is charged separately. This guide sets out that boundary in full, so buyers can evaluate offers against a consistent standard.

What’s Actually Included in a Ready-Made Irish Company Package

A standard ready-made Irish company package includes the following core items as a minimum:

1. CRO Certificate of Incorporation – issued by the Companies Registration Office, this is the company’s birth certificate. It confirms the company name, registration number, and date of incorporation. The original or a certified copy is transferred to the buyer.
2. Constitution under the Companies Act 2014 – every Irish private company limited by shares must have a constitution (the modern equivalent of memorandum and articles of association). The buyer receives the signed original and takes ownership of the entity governed by that document.
3. Share register and statutory books – the register of members, register of directors, and register of secretaries. These are required by the Companies Act 2014 and must be maintained from the date of incorporation.
4. RBO initial filing – the Register of Beneficial Owners (RBO) initial filing under Statutory Instrument 110/2019. A compliant agent will have filed the initial beneficial ownership declaration. The buyer must update this filing within the required timeframe after the transfer.
5. Registered office address for 12 months – every Irish company must maintain a registered address in Ireland. This is included in the standard package for the first year, after which it is renewed as a recurring service.

Some agents include a company seal as part of the package; others charge separately. Buyers should confirm this at the point of enquiry if a seal is required for their intended activity.

Statutory Items Included by Default

Beyond the core documents, a properly prepared ready-made company will arrive with its statutory obligations in order:

• First B1 annual return window – a shelf company incorporated in 2024 or 2025 will have a B1 annual return due date that the buyer inherits. A reputable agent discloses this date clearly so the buyer can plan. The B1 annual return costs €80 in total (€60 service fee plus the €20 CRO filing fee).
• CRO compliance standing – the company should be shown as compliant on the CRO online register at the time of transfer. Buyers should verify this independently using the CRO Core search portal before completing the purchase.
• Clean trading history – a shelf company that has genuinely never traded should show no Revenue liabilities, no judgment mortgages, and no PRSI or PAYE registrations. A pre-purchase due diligence check (described in a separate guide) confirms this status.

Optional Add-ons Most Buyers Also Purchase

The core package described above covers company ownership and statutory compliance. Buyers who need the company to operate immediately typically add one or more of the following:

• VAT registration or a VAT-registered shelf company – if the buyer needs an active Irish VAT number from day one, they can either register the transferred company with Revenue (a process that takes 4-12 weeks) or purchase a ready-made company that already holds a live VAT registration. The latter is available as a separate product at a higher price point. For details on the VAT-registered ready-made option, that product carries a 2026 price of €12,000 reflecting the €7,000 premium for pre-existing VAT history.
• EORI number application – companies importing or exporting goods through EU customs need an EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number, issued by Revenue via ROS. This is typically arranged post-transfer and is not included in the base shelf package.
• Bank account introduction – some formation agents offer introductions to banking partners. This is a value-added service, not a statutory requirement, and the timeline for bank account opening varies by institution and applicant profile.
• Nominee director service – non-EU residents who own the company but cannot satisfy the CA 2014 section 137 director residency requirement will need to appoint an EEA-resident nominee director. This is available as an ongoing annual service. See the guide to the non-EU resident director requirement for background on why this applies.

What Is NOT Included – Avoid Surprise Costs

Understanding exclusions is as important as understanding inclusions. The following are not part of the standard ready-made package and are charged separately:

• Annual B1 return (year 2 onwards) – the first B1 return window is inherited from the shelf company’s original incorporation date, but subsequent annual returns (€80 per year) must be budgeted for by the new owner.
• Ongoing accounting and bookkeeping – the shelf company has no trading history, which means no accounts to inherit, but the buyer will need accounting and bookkeeping services from the moment the company starts trading.
• Nominee director service (if applicable) – non-EU buyers who require a nominee company director should budget €2,000 per year for this service.
• Corporation tax return (CT1) – once the company has a trading year, the CT1 return must be filed. This is a separate post-formation service.
• CRO B10 form filing fee – the director change filing (B10 form) required to transfer directorship from the formation agent’s nominee to the buyer is included in the purchase price from reputable agents; however, buyers should confirm this is not charged as an extra.

2026 Pricing: What the Q1 Package Covers at €5,000

In 2026, a ready-made Irish company without pre-existing VAT registration is priced at €5,000 (flat, no sale price active). This price covers the complete statutory package described above: Certificate of Incorporation, constitution, share register, statutory books, RBO initial filing, registered office for 12 months, and the director transfer process including the CRO B10 filing.

Buyers seeking to browse available ready-made Irish companies can review the current inventory on the product page. The €5,000 price is a full-price, single-payment transaction. There is no sale discount or instalment option applied in 2026.

The Q2 alternative – a ready-made company with an active VAT registration history – is priced at €12,000 in 2026. The €7,000 premium reflects the additional value of holding pre-registered VAT status with an established Revenue record, which eliminates the 4-12 week Revenue registration delay.

Ready-Made vs New Company – Is the Package Different?

The contents of a ready-made company package and a new company formation package are structurally similar: both result in the buyer holding a CRO certificate, a constitution, statutory books, and RBO filing. The key differences are:

• Timeline – a ready-made company transfers within 24-72 hours; a new company takes 5-10 working days through the CRO standard route.
• Company name – a shelf company has a pre-set name. To change it, a separate CRO filing (B1) is required. A new company is incorporated with the buyer’s chosen name from the outset.
• Constitution – the shelf company’s constitution is pre-drafted and may need to be amended if the buyer requires non-standard provisions. A new company allows full customisation from the start.
• Trading history – a shelf company has a defined incorporation date that pre-dates the buyer, which can be useful for credibility with certain counterparties. A new company’s incorporation date is the day it is formed.

For buyers comparing both routes in detail, a full pros and cons comparison of ready-made vs new Irish company formation covers the decision framework with cost and timeline data side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the CRO certificate included in the ready-made package price?
A: Yes. The Certificate of Incorporation is always included. It is the core document proving legal existence under the Companies Act 2014 and is transferred to the buyer as part of the standard package.

Q: Does the package include the first annual return filing?
A: The package includes the company’s existing B1 compliance position up to the point of transfer. The buyer inherits the next B1 annual return deadline. The filing itself (€80 total) is a separate service payable when due.

Q: Is VAT registration included in the standard ready-made package?
A: No. The standard Q1 ready-made company at €5,000 does not carry VAT registration. A VAT-registered shelf company is a separate, higher-value product at €12,000. Self-registration with Revenue post-transfer is also possible but takes 4-12 weeks.

Q: Does the €5,000 price include the CRO B10 director change filing?
A: With reputable agents, yes – the B10 filing is part of the transfer process and included in the package price. Buyers should confirm this in writing before committing, as some agents charge it separately.

Q: Can a non-EU buyer purchase a ready-made Irish company?
A: Yes. There is no nationality restriction on company ownership under Irish law. However, non-EU buyers who become directors must satisfy the CA 2014 section 137 EEA-resident director requirement, typically via a nominee director service at €2,000 per year, or a third-party section 137 bond.