Running a company in Ireland means staying on top of two separate compliance tracks the Companies Registration Office (CRO) and Revenue. Miss a deadline on either and you can face financial penalties, lose your audit exemption, or damage your company’s standing. This guide covers every obligation your Irish company faces in 2026, in plain English.
Whether you’re a founder who just incorporated, a finance manager picking up a new client, or an accountant refreshing your knowledge after the Companies Act 2024 changes, this checklist will make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
What Is Ireland Annual Compliance?
Every Irish limited company whether trading or dormant must satisfy a recurring set of legal and tax obligations each year. These fall into two broad buckets.
- CRO obligations filings made to the Companies Registration Office under the Companies Act 2014 (as amended by Companies Act 2024), primarily the annual return.
- Revenue obligations filings and payments made to the Irish Revenue Commissioners, including corporation tax, VAT, and payroll taxes.
Missing either type of obligation carries consequences that go beyond a simple fine. As you’ll see in the penalties section, a late CRO annual return can cost you your audit exemption for two years meaning extra accountancy fees every year until the exemption is restored.
The good news: with the right system in place, Ireland’s compliance framework is entirely manageable. This guide gives you that system.
CRO Annual Return (Form B1) Deadlines & Process
The CRO Annual Return (Form B1) is the most important compliance document your company files each year. It confirms to the state that your company still exists and gives a snapshot of its structure as of your Annual Return Date.
What Form B1 Contains
- Registered office address
- Directors and secretary details (names, addresses, dates of birth, other directorships)
- Share capital and shareholder information
- Company type and principal activity
- Financial statements (for most companies see audit exemption section)
How to File
All annual returns must be filed electronically through CORE (Companies Online Registration Environment). Paper filing is no longer accepted for the vast majority of filings. Your accountant or company secretary will typically handle this on your behalf.
Filing Fee
The standard CRO annual return filing fee in 2026 is €20 for online filing. Financial statements must be attached in iXBRL format for larger companies (turnover over €8.8m or balance sheet over €4.4m) or PDF for smaller companies.
Key B1 Deadlines at a Glance
| Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| First Annual Return (new companies) | Within 6 months of incorporation (no financials required) |
| Subsequent Annual Returns | Within 28 days of your Annual Return Date (ARD) |
| Financial statements attached | Must be included from the second annual return onward |
Annual Return Date (ARD) Explained
Your Annual Return Date (ARD) is the reference date from which your B1 filing deadline is calculated. Every Irish company has one, and it appears on the CRO register.
How Your ARD Is Set
- For new companies, the ARD is automatically set to six months after incorporation.
- After the first return, the ARD moves to the same date each year going forward (the anniversary of the previous ARD).
- You can apply to change your ARD but only by bringing it forward, not extending it. Once changed, it can’t be changed again for five years.
The 28-Day Window
Once your ARD passes, you have exactly 28 days to file your completed annual return with the CRO. This is not a soft deadline. Filing on day 29 triggers automatic late filing penalties and the potential loss of audit exemption.
Pro tip: Align your ARD with your financial year-end where possible. This makes it easier to prepare financial statements and file both the B1 and your tax return on the same cycle. Most accountants recommend an ARD that falls 9–12 months after year-end to allow enough time to prepare accounts.
CT1 Corporation Tax Return & Preliminary Tax Payments
In addition to the CRO, every trading Irish company must file an annual CT1 corporation tax return with Revenue and pay any tax owed.
CT1 Filing Deadline
The CT1 must be filed within 9 months of your accounting year-end, but no later than the 23rd of that month (for ROS filers, who benefit from an extended online deadline). For a 31 December year-end, this means filing by 23 September of the following year.
Preliminary Tax Pay Now, Reconcile Later
Ireland operates a preliminary tax system for corporation tax. You must pay an estimate of your tax liability before the year ends specifically by the 23rd of the month that is 31 days before the end of your accounting period.
For most companies with a 31 December year-end, preliminary tax is due by 23 November of that same year.
How to Calculate Preliminary Tax
You can pay the lower of:
- 90% of your final tax liability for the current year, OR
- 100% of your prior year’s tax liability
For small companies (tax liability under €200,000), a simplified calculation applies. Your accountant will advise which method gives you the best cash-flow outcome.
Corporation Tax Rate in 2026
Ireland’s standard corporation tax rate remains 12.5% on trading income. Non-trading income (rental, investment) is taxed at 25%. Companies in scope of the OECD Pillar Two rules (global revenues over €750m) are subject to a 15% minimum effective rate.
CT1 Deadlines Summary
| Obligation | Deadline (31 Dec year-end) |
|---|---|
| Preliminary tax payment | 23 November (current year) |
| CT1 return filing | 23 September (following year) |
| Balance of tax due | 23 September (following year) |
RBO Filing Beneficial Ownership Register
The Register of Beneficial Owners (RBO) is a central register maintained by the CRO. It records the individuals who ultimately own or control an Irish company — the “beneficial owners.”
Who Must File?
All Irish companies (and most other entities) must register their beneficial owners with the RBO. This applies even if the company is dormant.
What Is a Beneficial Owner?
A beneficial owner is any individual who:
- Owns more than 25% of shares in the company, OR
- Controls more than 25% of voting rights, OR
- Otherwise exercises control over the management of the company
If no individual meets the 25% threshold, the senior managing officials (typically all directors) must be registered.
When to Update the RBO
The initial registration must be made within 5 months of incorporation. After that, any change in beneficial ownership must be notified to the RBO within 14 days of the company becoming aware of the change.
There is no annual filing fee for RBO filings updates are made free of charge through the RBO portal at rbo.gov.ie.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Failure to file or maintain RBO records is a criminal offence. Companies and individual officers can face fines of up to €500,000 and potential prosecution.
Audit Exemption Can Your Company Qualify?
One of the most valuable compliance reliefs available to small Irish companies is the audit exemption. Qualifying companies do not need to have their financial statements formally audited saving significant time and cost.
Audit Exemption Thresholds (2026)
To qualify, a company must satisfy at least two of the following three conditions:
| Criterion | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Annual turnover | Not exceeding €12 million |
| Balance sheet total | Not exceeding €6 million |
| Number of employees | Not exceeding 50 |
Note: These thresholds were updated by the Companies Act 2024 (see Section 9). Always verify the current thresholds with your accountant, as legislative changes may take effect mid-year.
Other Conditions
- The company must be a private limited company (not a PLC, credit institution, or insurance undertaking).
- The company must not be a subsidiary of a group that requires an audit.
- No member holding more than 10% of shares has requested an audit.
How Audit Exemption Is Lost
This is where many directors are caught off guard. Filing your CRO annual return late even by a single day automatically forfeits your audit exemption for the current year and the following year. That means two consecutive years of mandatory audits as a direct consequence of one missed deadline. The cost of those audits will almost always far exceed whatever else caused the delay.
VAT Returns Bi-Monthly & Annual Obligations
If your company is registered for VAT in Ireland, you must file regular VAT returns through Revenue’s Online Service (ROS).
VAT Return Frequency
| Annual VAT Liability | Filing Frequency |
|---|---|
| Over €3,000 per year | Bi-monthly (every 2 months) — most common |
| Between €1,200 and €3,000 | Every 4 months (tri-annual) |
| Under €1,200 | Annually (1 return per year) |
Bi-Monthly VAT Return Deadlines
For the most common category bi-monthly filers returns cover:
- January/February due by 23 March
- March/April due by 23 May
- May/June due by 23 Julyeptember
- September/October due by 23 November
- November/December due by 23 January (following year)
The “23rd of the month” deadline applies to ROS filers. Paper filers face earlier deadlines (19th of the month) another reason to use ROS.
Current Irish VAT Rates (2026)
- 23% standard rate (most goods and services)
- 13.5% reduced rate (construction, hospitality, fuel)
- 9% second reduced rate (certain food services, newspapers)
- 0% zero rate (exports, most food, children’s clothing)
Employer PAYE/PRSI Returns
If your company employs anyone including directors taking a salary you must operate payroll under the PAYE (Pay As You Earn) system and file returns with Revenue.
PAYE Modernisation (PMOD)
Since 2019, Ireland operates real-time payroll reporting under PAYE Modernisation (PMOD). This means employers must submit a Payroll Submission Request (PSR) to Revenue on or before each pay date — not monthly in arrears as was previously the case.
Monthly P30 Payments
Even though payroll data is submitted in real-time, the actual payment of PAYE, PRSI, and USC to Revenue is made monthly via a P30 payment, due by the 23rd of the following month for ROS users.
| Payroll Period | P30 Payment Due |
|---|---|
| January payroll | 23 February |
| February payroll | 23 March |
| …and so on monthly | 23rd of following month |
Annual P35 Abolished
The old annual P35 return no longer exists under PMOD. However, employers must still ensure their year-end payroll figures balance through the real-time submissions made throughout the year.
PRSI Rates (2026)
Employer PRSI in Ireland is charged at 11.15% on employee earnings above €441 per week. Employees pay PRSI at 4% (with the rate incrementally rising under the recently introduced schedule of increases toward pension reform).
Companies Act 2024 What Changed for Irish Companies
The Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Act 2024 introduced a number of significant changes to Irish company law. Here are the most practically important updates for compliance purposes:
Increased Size Thresholds
The Act aligned Irish thresholds with updated EU Accounting Directive limits, increasing the turnover and balance sheet figures that define “small” and “micro” companies. This means more companies now qualify for the audit exemption and simplified financial statement requirements.
Virtual and Hybrid General Meetings
Companies can now hold fully virtual or hybrid AGMs and EGMs without needing specific provision in their constitution, provided all members can participate. This was previously only available under COVID-era temporary measures.
Strengthened Enforcement Powers
The CRO and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) received enhanced powers, including the ability to issue Category 3 and 4 compliance notices more swiftly. Directors should be aware that non-compliance is being monitored more actively.
Director Duties Clarification
Amendments clarified obligations around directors’ compliance statements and the standard of care expected. Directors of larger companies should review their internal governance documentation in light of these changes.
Statutory Auditor Recognition
The Act also updated provisions around the recognition of statutory auditors and audit firms, relevant if your company requires an audit or works with auditing firms.
Late Filing Penalties The Real Cost of Missing Deadlines
Understanding the consequences of non-compliance is the strongest motivator for staying on top of deadlines. Here’s a clear breakdown of what late filings actually cost.
CRO Annual Return Late Filing Penalties
| Delay | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Any late filing (day 1 onwards) | €100 immediate late fee |
| Each additional day late | €3 per day |
| Maximum CRO late fee | €1,200 (after approximately 366 days) |
| Audit exemption consequence | Lost for current + following year |
The financial penalty alone may seem manageable, but the loss of audit exemption is the real sting. A statutory audit for a small Irish company typically costs between €3,000 and €10,000+ depending on complexity. Miss one deadline, and you could be paying for two years of audits you didn’t need.
Revenue Late Filing & Payment Penalties
| Obligation | Late Penalty |
|---|---|
| Late CT1 return | Surcharge of 5% of tax due (up to €12,695) if filed within 2 months late; 10% thereafter (up to €63,485) |
| Late VAT return | Interest at 0.0274% per day on unpaid VAT + possible fixed penalty |
| Late PAYE payment | Interest at 0.0274% per day on the amount due |
| RBO non-compliance | Criminal conviction + fine up to €500,000 |
Revenue Audit Risk
Persistent late filing patterns increase your company’s risk of being selected for a Revenue audit. While not a direct penalty, a Revenue audit is time-consuming, costly in professional fees, and can uncover historical liabilities with interest.
Revenue Online Service (ROS) Filing Everything in One Place
The Revenue Online Service (ROS) at ros.ie is the central platform for all Revenue filings. If your company isn’t already registered for ROS, this should be your first action after reading this guide.
What You Can Do on ROS
- File CT1 corporation tax returns
- Make preliminary tax and balance tax payments
- Submit VAT returns (VAT3 / OSS returns)
- File PAYE payroll submissions (PSR)
- Make P30 employer tax payments
- View your company’s tax record and correspondence
- Apply for tax clearance certificates
ROS Extended Deadlines
One of the most practical benefits of ROS is the extended deadline for online filers. Revenue routinely grants an extra 2–4 days beyond paper filing deadlines for ROS users. The 23rd of the month deadline (vs. 19th for paper) is a consistent example of this. Always check Revenue’s website for the exact extended date each period, as it occasionally varies.
ROS Access for Agents
Your accountant or tax agent can access ROS on your company’s behalf through agent-linked access. This is the standard arrangement for most SMEs. Ensure your agent has up-to-date access, especially when you change accountants access transfers don’t happen automatically.
Ireland Annual Compliance Key Takeaways
Here’s a quick-reference summary of everything covered in this guide:
- File your CRO Annual Return (Form B1) within 28 days of your ARD never let it go late, or you lose audit exemption for two years.
- Pay preliminary corporation tax by 23 November (for December year-ends) and file your CT1 by 23 September the following year.
- Update your RBO within 14 days of any change in beneficial ownership.
- File bi-monthly VAT returns by the 23rd of the month after each two-month period.
- Submit payroll data in real-time via ROS and make P30 payments by the 23rd of the following month.
- Check your audit exemption eligibility annually thresholds increased under Companies Act 2024.
- Use ROS for all Revenue filings to benefit from extended online deadlines.
Need Help Managing Your Ireland Compliance?
Compliance is one of those areas where the cost of getting it wrong almost always exceeds the cost of getting it right. If you’d like expert support managing your CRO filings, Revenue returns, and ongoing statutory obligations, our team specialises in Irish company compliance for SMEs and international businesses with Irish subsidiaries.