The cost of forming an Irish company as a non-resident depends on one decisive question: will the company have at least one director who is resident in the European Economic Area (EEA)? If the answer is no, the formation normally needs a Section 137 bond, making it more expensive than a standard Irish LTD registration.
StartCompany.ie offers a €2,499 Non-Resident package for the route that requires a two-year director bond. This guide explains the package, the costs that founders commonly overlook, and how to compare a quotation without paying twice for the same work.
Why Does Non-Resident Company Formation Cost More?
Irish companies should have at least one EEA-resident director unless an exception applies. When every director lives outside the EEA, a prescribed bond is the most common route for a new company. CRO guidance states that the bond is in force to a value of €25,000.
The €25,000 figure is the value of the statutory bond, not the package fee and not normally a cash deposit paid to the CRO. The actual formation cost covers arranging the bond through a suitable provider, preparing the company documents and managing the incorporation route.
Who Needs the Non-Resident Package?
The non-resident package is intended for a company that will not have an EEA-resident director. It is commonly relevant where all directors live in places such as the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, UAE, Australia, India or another country outside the EEA.
A founder can live outside Ireland without automatically needing a bond. If another full director genuinely resides in an EEA country and meets the CRO requirement, the company may be able to use a lower-cost resident formation package. The rule concerns directors, not simply shareholders or customers.
What Does the €2,499 Non-Resident Package Include?
The current StartCompany.ie Non-Resident package includes the core formation work and the two-year bond route:
- Free company name check.
- Certificate of Incorporation.
- Memorandum and Articles of Association (constitution).
- Share certificates.
- Non-Resident Director Bond.
- Companies Registration Office fees.
- Schedule of Company Officers document.
- Post-formation support.
- Directors and Secretary booklets.
- Minutes of the first meeting of directors.
- Four director changes in the first year.
- Four allotments of shares in the first year.
- Four transfers of shares in the first year.
- One change of company name.
- Support available seven days a week.
- Free web design consultation.
- Two-year Non-Resident Director's Bond.
- First Annual Return, listed as worth €119, included.
- Registration of Beneficial Owners (RBO), listed as worth €99, included.
Package inclusions and prices can change, so use the current pricing page as the final source before ordering.
What May Cost Extra?
Company formation packages are not identical. Check whether your quote separately requires any of the following:
- An Irish registered office address.
- A company secretary service.
- IPN or VIF preparation for directors and beneficial owners without a PPSN.
- Corporation Tax, VAT, PAYE or RCT registration.
- Bookkeeping, annual accounts and Corporation Tax returns.
- Bank or payment-provider application assistance.
- Apostilled or certified company documents.
- Legal advice for shareholder agreements or complex share classes.
- Renewal planning when the initial two-year bond period ends.
The registered office point is especially important. Every Irish company needs a physical registered office in Ireland, even where all owners and directors live abroad. Confirm the address arrangement before filing rather than after incorporation.
Can a Non-Resident Use a Standard Formation Package?
Sometimes. A non-resident shareholder or founder may use a resident package where the company has an appropriate EEA-resident director and all other requirements are met. StartCompany.ie currently lists Basic at €240, Standard at €490 and Premium at €798.
Do not choose a cheaper package until director residence has been checked. If all directors are outside the EEA, the formation documentation and bond must be coordinated correctly. Paying for a basic package first can create delay and duplicated work.
How to Compare Non-Resident Formation Quotes
A headline price is useful only when the scope is clear. Ask each provider the same questions:
- Is the two-year Section 137 bond included?
- Are CRO incorporation fees included?
- Is an Irish registered office included, and for how long?
- Is the company secretary role included or only the formation documents?
- Are IPN or VIF applications included for every person who needs one?
- Is RBO registration included after incorporation?
- Is the first Form B1 annual return included?
- Are tax registration and accountant services separate?
- What happens if the proposed company name is rejected?
- What support is provided if the CRO asks for a correction?
This comparison reveals whether a cheaper quote is genuinely lower cost or simply excludes work that will be required later.
How Long Does Non-Resident Company Formation Take?
There is no responsible fixed guarantee. Timing depends on complete identity and company details, name acceptance, bond documentation, signatures and the CRO's current processing queue. Non-resident cases can take longer to prepare because more parties and documents are involved.
The best way to reduce avoidable delay is to decide the director, secretary, shareholder, registered office and share structure before the application is drafted. Prepare identity and address documents promptly and give a clear description of the proposed business activity.
What Happens After the CRO Registers the Company?
Incorporation creates the Irish company and produces its CRO number and Certificate of Incorporation. Several practical tasks follow:
- Complete RBO registration within the applicable period.
- Register for the taxes the company needs.
- Set up company records and approve initial director decisions.
- Apply for banking or payment services with the required evidence.
- Keep accounting records from the start of activity.
- Track the first annual return date.
- Review the director-residency position before the bond expires.
RBO guidance gives a newly incorporated entity five months from incorporation to register its beneficial ownership. CRO guidance says the first annual return is made up to a date six months after incorporation and does not have financial statements attached.
Budget for Tax and Accounting Separately
Revenue requires a CRO number before a new company can register for tax. Depending on its activity, the company may need Corporation Tax, VAT, employer PAYE, RCT or a combination of registrations. All companies do not need every tax registration.
An Irish-incorporated company is generally treated as Irish tax resident under Revenue's rules, unless a relevant Double Taxation Agreement treats it as resident elsewhere. Where directors manage the business from abroad, get cross-border advice on company residence, director pay, dividends and home-country reporting. The formation fee does not replace ongoing accounting and tax advice.
How to Avoid Unexpected Non-Resident Formation Costs
- Confirm director residence before choosing a package.
- Ask for a written list of included and excluded services.
- Check the term of the bond and any later renewal requirement.
- Confirm the registered office and secretary arrangements.
- Identify who needs a PPSN, IPN or VIF.
- Budget for tax registration, bookkeeping and annual accounts.
- Do not assume bank approval is part of company incorporation.
- Use a simple share structure unless professional advice supports a complex one.
- Keep a calendar for RBO, tax and CRO deadlines.
Is the €2,499 Non-Resident Package the Right Route?
It is designed for founders whose Irish company will have no EEA-resident director and therefore needs the two-year bond route. If that describes your directors, review the complete non-resident company formation serviceand ask any questions before ordering.
If one director is EEA-resident, compare all four company formation packages. The right choice is the lowest package that truthfully covers the company you are forming, not simply the lowest advertised price.
Official Sources
This guide was checked against the CRO company officer rules, CRO incorporation guidance, CRO annual return guidance, RBO guidance and Revenue's new-company tax registration guidance.