Ireland
We look after the annual compliance of Irish companies owned from India: the corporation tax return and the annual return. We have no office in Ireland. Our team in India does the work, and licensed Irish firms act as company secretary and auditor where the company needs them.
Checked against the sources on 14 November 2026. Each figure links to the authority that published it.
Ireland at a glance
- Corporation tax
- 12.5% on trading income. 25% on non-trading income such as rent and investment income1
- VAT
- 23% standard rate, with reduced rates of 13.5% and 9%2
- Directors
- At least one resident in the European Economic Area, or a €25,000 bond in place of one3
- Company secretary
- Required. A sole director cannot also be the secretary3
- Corporation tax return
- Form CT1, within nine months of the period end and no later than the 23rd of that month4
- Annual return
- Filed within 56 days of the annual return date5
- Authorities
- Companies Registration Office (companies), Revenue (tax)
Checked against the sources on 14 November 2026.
What we do in Ireland
- Prepare the corporation tax return (Form CT1) and the tax computation
- Prepare the annual return with the company secretary, who files it at the Companies Registration Office
- Arrange the incorporation, the director or bond, and the audit through licensed Irish firms
- Prepare the ODI and APR filings in India when the shareholder is Indian
What an Irish company files each year
| Filing | With | When |
|---|---|---|
| Corporation tax return (Form CT1) and the balance of tax | Revenue | Within nine months of the end of the accounting period, and no later than the 23rd day of that month.4 |
| First annual return | Companies Registration Office | The first annual return date is six months after incorporation. No financial statements are attached to the first return.5 |
| Annual return with financial statements | Companies Registration Office | Every year after that, within 56 days of the annual return date.5 |
What filing late costs
A late corporation tax return carries a surcharge. It is 5% of the tax, up to €12,695, when the return is less than two months late, and 10%, up to €63,485, after that.4
A late annual return has a second cost. The company loses its audit exemption for the following two years.6
Directors, the secretary and the audit
A private company limited by shares can have a single director. It must have a secretary, and a sole director cannot hold both offices. At least one director must be resident in the European Economic Area. A company with no such director can put up a bond of €25,000. The other route is a certificate under section 140 of the Companies Act 2014 that the company has a real and continuous link with economic activity in Ireland.3
A small company can claim exemption from audit. It is small when it meets two of three limits: a balance sheet total of €7.5 million or less, turnover of €15 million or less, and 50 or fewer employees. A company in a group qualifies only if the group does.6
If the shareholder is in India
The shares an Indian company or resident holds in an Irish company are an overseas direct investment under FEMA. Form FC goes to the bank before the first remittance, and an Annual Performance Report (APR) follows by 31 December each year.7, 8
An Irish audit exemption does not carry over to the APR. Where the Indian investor controls the company, the APR must be based on audited financial statements.8
The Indian steps are set out on our page for Indian businesses with a company abroad.
Questions we are asked
Can all the directors live in India?
Only if the company puts up a €25,000 bond or holds a section 140 certificate. Otherwise one director must be resident in the European Economic Area.3
When is the first annual return due?
The first annual return date falls six months after incorporation, and the return is filed within 56 days of it. It does not include financial statements.5
Sources
- Revenue, Corporation Tax: basis of charge. Published 16 October 2026.
- Revenue, Current VAT rates.
- Companies Registration Office, Duties of directors and secretaries.
- Revenue, Corporation Tax payment and filing.
- Companies Registration Office, Annual return date.
- Companies Registration Office, Audit exemption.
- Reserve Bank of India, Foreign Exchange Management (Overseas Investment) Directions, 2022. A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 12, 22 August 2022.
- Reserve Bank of India, Foreign Exchange Management (Overseas Investment) Regulations, 2022. Notification No. FEMA 400/2022-RB, 22 August 2022.