Register beneficial owners with the RBO within five months of incorporation. Banks ask for it.

Ireland company registration: the EEA director rule and the €25,000 bond

An Irish company needs at least one director resident in the EEA, unless it takes out a €25,000 bond or shows a real link to Irish economic activity. That decides how founders abroad set up.

Alexia M.Comparisons and market guides editor

Published: 22 August 2026
Reading time: 1 min read

"Ireland company registration" brings "cost", "number" and "documents" in Google's suggestions. Founders outside Europe hit one rule first: the EEA director requirement.

The rule

At least one director of an Irish company must be resident in an EEA state. The alternatives:

Option	What it means
EEA-resident director	A director living in the EEA
Section 137 bond	A €25,000 bond for two years
Real and continuous link	A Revenue certificate that the company carries on activity in Ireland

The steps

Choose a name and draft the constitution.
Appoint directors and a secretary, and arrange the EEA director or bond.
Incorporate through the CRO's CORE system.
Register for tax with Revenue.
File beneficial owners with the RBO within five months.
Open the business account.

Banking

Irish banks want the CRO certificate, constitution, RBO entry, director and owner IDs, and an explanation of the business. Founders abroad should expect more questions.

Paying into Ireland: the local rail

What	Detail
Local rail	SEPA Instant Credit Transfer
Run by	European Payments Council scheme, run by each bank
Settlement	Under ten seconds, 24/7
Published fee	By the EU Instant Payments Regulation, no more than the bank charges for a standard SEPA transfer

Source: European Payments Council: SEPA Instant Credit Transfer. Checked when this guide was last updated; the scheme's own page has the current figures.

Where Rivet fits

Rivet opens accounts for registered companies, so it fits once your Irish company is incorporated. EUR and GBP details come on Growth and USD on every plan, with payouts to 120+ countries. Check our eligibility list for Irish companies. Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold the funds. See best business bank account in Ireland.

Questions people ask

Can a non-resident set up an Irish company?

Yes, but at least one director must be EEA resident, or the company must hold a €25,000 insurance bond, or obtain a certificate of a real and continuous link from Revenue.

What is the section 137 bond?

A €25,000 bond covering fines and penalties under company and tax law, taken out for two years, used when no director lives in the EEA.

How long does incorporation take?

Often about a week through CORE, depending on the CRO's processing times.

What about the RBO?

Sources

Written by

Alexia M.

Comparisons and market guides editor

Alexia compares the accounts, cards and payment tools companies weigh before they switch, and writes Rivet's market guides for founders in a specific country. Prices in Alexia's comparisons come from each provider's own pricing page on the date given in the article, rules come from the regulator or tax authority that sets them, and every source is listed at the end.