Every Irish company must deliver an annual return to the CRO even if it has not traded. The Form B1 updates the public register and, after the first return, is normally accompanied by financial statements made up to a date within the permitted period.
StartCompany.ie offers a €258 annual return service to prepare and file the B1 information supplied by the company. Timely engagement matters because late filing fees, enforcement and loss of audit exemption can cost far more than routine compliance.
The ARD and filing deadline
The Annual Return Date is the date to which company particulars are made up. The filing window runs after that date, and the company should not wait until the final day to discover that accounts, signatures or officer details are incomplete.
The first annual return is different: it is generally made up six months after incorporation and does not have financial statements attached. Later returns normally require financial statements unless a specific exemption applies.
Information reviewed for Form B1
The return covers the registered office, directors, secretary, share capital, members and other statutory particulars. A B1 should not be used as a substitute for forms that were due earlier, such as a B10 officer change or B2 registered-office change.
Before filing, compare the CRO record with the internal registers and approved accounts. Resolve discrepancies rather than repeating stale information merely because it already appears online.
- Confirm the ARD and final filing date.
- Check registered office and officer particulars.
- Reconcile issued shares and members.
- Arrange approved financial statements where required.
- Complete signing and upload steps before the deadline.
Consequences of late filing
Late filing can trigger CRO fees and may cause the company to lose audit exemption. Continuing non-compliance can lead to enforcement and eventual strike-off action, while a struck-off company ceases to exist as a legal entity until restored.
A court extension may be available in limited circumstances, but it is a separate procedure with cost, evidence and judicial discretion. Routine annual return support is designed to prevent that situation, not repair it after the deadline.
What the StartCompany.ie service covers
We prepare the annual return filing from the company’s confirmed information and support the submission process. The €258 service should be ordered early enough to review the record and collect required material.
The service page should be read together with the accountant’s scope. Where financial statements are required, confirm whether their preparation is included elsewhere; filing a B1 and preparing statutory accounts are related but distinct tasks.
StartCompany.ie service
Annual Returns
Current listed price: €258
Official information and next steps
StartCompany.ie provides preparation and filing support for the service described above. Final acceptance, registration, tax treatment or court approval remains with the relevant authority. Check the current official guidance before acting, particularly where a deadline, tax position, dispute or unusual transaction is involved.