One person can set up and own an Irish private company limited by shares. The founder may be the company's sole shareholder, sole beneficial owner and sole director. This structure is commonly called a one-person, single-member or single-director company.
There is one important qualification: the same person cannot fill every required office. An Irish LTD with one director must appoint a separate company secretary. The company must also meet the normal rules on director residency, registered office, identity details, share capital, beneficial ownership, tax registration and annual compliance.
Quick answer
Yes. One individual can own 100% of the shares and act as the only director of an Irish LTD. A different individual or eligible corporate secretary must be appointed. The sole director must also satisfy the EEA-residency rule or arrange an accepted alternative before filing.
How the Three Roles Work
A company has roles that are legally distinct even when one founder occupies more than one of them. Understanding those roles prevents one of the most common Form A1 filing errors.
| Role | What the role means | Can the solo founder fill it? |
|---|---|---|
| Shareholder | Owns shares and exercises member rights | Yes, including all issued shares |
| Director | Manages the company and owes statutory duties | Yes, an LTD may have one director |
| Company secretary | Supports statutory administration and filings | No, not when that founder is the sole director |
One Shareholder Is Permitted
The Companies Act allows one or more people to form a private company. One person may subscribe to the constitution and receive all the initial issued shares. That person becomes the sole member or shareholder. There is no need to give a nominal share to a friend merely to create a second owner.
The number, class and value of shares should still be chosen deliberately. Issued shares determine ownership and voting rights. Authorised but unissued capacity, where used, does not give anyone ownership. Read our forthcoming share-capital guide or the current Irish LTD requirements guide before deciding.
One Director Is Permitted for an LTD
CRO guidance confirms that a private company limited by shares registered under Part 2 of the Companies Act 2014 can choose to have a single director. Other company types, including DACs, CLGs, PLCs and unlimited companies, generally require at least two directors.
The director must be an individual aged 18 or older. A body corporate cannot act as a director. An undischarged bankrupt cannot act without the required High Court permission, and disqualified or restricted directors face additional prohibitions or capital conditions. A person is also generally limited to 25 Irish directorships, subject to statutory exceptions.
A Separate Company Secretary Is Required
Every Irish company must have a secretary. Where an LTD has only one director, that director cannot also be the secretary. The separate secretary may be another suitable adult, such as a family member or professional adviser, or an eligible body corporate. A company cannot act as its own secretary.
The appointment should not be treated as a name added only to complete the form. Directors must ensure that the secretary has the skills necessary to carry out the statutory and delegated duties, or that a corporate secretary has the resources required. Secretary work may include maintaining registers, supporting board records and coordinating CRO filings.
A founder without a suitable appointee can use a nominee company secretary service. Our company secretary guide explains what to compare.
Does the Sole Director Have to Live in Ireland?
The rule is based on the European Economic Area, not Irish citizenship. At least one director of an Irish company normally must be resident in an EEA member state. An Irish citizen living outside the EEA does not satisfy the rule merely because of nationality, while a qualifying EEA resident may satisfy it without living in Ireland.
If the only director is not EEA-resident, the usual formation route is to put a Section 137 bond in place before incorporation. The prescribed bond has a value of EUR25,000 and runs for two years. A Section 140 certificate based on a real and continuous link with economic activity in Ireland can be relevant later, but it is not normally an immediate substitute for a new company with no trading history.
Review the Section 137 bond guide or the non-resident formation package before filing.
PPSN, VIF and IPN Requirements
Irish company directors must provide identity information for incorporation, annual returns and officer changes. A director with a PPSN should ensure that the first name, surname and date of birth supplied to the CRO match the Department of Social Protection record.
A director without a PPSN must use the CRO's Verification of Identity Form process and obtain an Identified Person Number. Current CRO guidance states that VIF forms submitted after 30 April 2026 must be witnessed with the witness and declarant physically in the same room. A mismatch in name, date of birth or IPN details can hold up a later filing.
See our PPSN, IPN and VIF guideor IPN application service for the practical steps.
Irish Registered Office and Activity
Every Irish LTD needs a physical registered office in the State. It is the address for CRO correspondence and legal notices, and certain registers may be inspected there. A post-office box alone is not sufficient. Home addresses can be used where appropriate, but the privacy and reliable mail-handling consequences should be considered.
Form A1 also states the principal activity, NACE code, the place in Ireland where the activity will be carried on and where central administration will normally be conducted. The CRO must be satisfied that the company will carry on an activity in Ireland.
Founders who need an address can review our registered office address service.
Company Name, Constitution and Form A1
The company needs a CRO-acceptable name, a one-document LTD constitution and a completed Form A1. Form A1 records the registered office, email address, director, secretary, subscriber, shares and principal activity. The named officers must consent to act.
Search more than the exact spelling before committing to a brand. The CRO can reject names that are identical or too similar to existing companies, contain restricted words without approval, imply State sponsorship or are otherwise undesirable. Use our company name check Ireland guide before filing.
Tax Registration for a Solo Company
The company is a separate legal and taxable person. Revenue issues it a tax reference number that is separate from the founder's PPSN. Once the company begins trading, it may need Corporation Tax, employer PAYE, VAT or RCT registrations depending on its activity.
Revenue states that director salary and fees are paid through PAYE. Owning the company does not allow the founder to treat the company bank account as personal money. Salary, expenses, dividends, loans and pension contributions each need correct records and tax treatment.
Use the Irish company tax registration checklistand obtain individual accounting advice before deciding how to draw money from the company.
RBO and First-Year Filing Deadlines
A sole shareholder is normally straightforward to identify as the beneficial owner, but the filing is not automatic. A newly incorporated relevant entity has five months from incorporation to file its beneficial ownership details with the RBO. The identity data should match the CRO and PPSN or IPN records.
The first CRO annual return is generally due six months after incorporation. Financial statements are usually not attached to that first return, but the filing still must be made on time. Later annual returns, accounts and Corporation Tax deadlines continue even when the company has one owner or has not traded.
Step-by-Step One-Person LTD Checklist
- Confirm that an LTD is the appropriate legal and tax structure.
- Choose and search a distinctive company name.
- Confirm the founder will be sole shareholder and sole director.
- Appoint a different qualified person or body corporate as secretary.
- Check EEA director residency and arrange a Section 137 bond if needed.
- Prepare PPSN details or complete the VIF and IPN process.
- Select a physical registered office in Ireland.
- Decide issued shares and prepare the LTD constitution.
- Complete Form A1 with the principal activity, NACE code and Irish activity location.
- After incorporation, open company banking and register applicable taxes.
- File beneficial ownership information within five months.
- Prepare the first annual return for the six-month deadline.
Which Formation Package Fits a Solo Founder?
The Basic package starts at EUR240 for a straightforward Irish LTD and includes the company name check, CRO incorporation fee, constitution, Certificate of Incorporation and share certificates. A founder who needs IPN support, a company secretary, registered office or a non-resident director bond should select a package that covers those requirements rather than adding them after the application is prepared.
Compare all company formation packages or ask us to check your director, secretary and address setup before submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one person set up a limited company in Ireland?
Yes. One person can be the sole shareholder and sole director of an Irish private company limited by shares. If the LTD has only one director, it must appoint a different person or eligible body corporate as company secretary.
Can the sole director also be the company secretary?
No. CRO guidance states that a single-director LTD must have a separate secretary. If an LTD has two or more directors, one of those directors may also act as secretary, subject to the Companies Act requirements.
Can the sole director own all the shares?
Yes. The same individual can be the sole director, sole shareholder and beneficial owner. The company still remains a separate legal entity and the director owes legal duties to it.
Does the sole director have to live in Ireland?
Not necessarily. At least one director normally must be resident in the EEA. If the sole director is not EEA-resident, the company generally needs a Section 137 bond in place at incorporation or another available statutory exemption.
Does a sole director need a PPSN?
A director must provide a PPSN for relevant CRO filings. A director without a PPSN uses the CRO identity-verification process and VIF to obtain an Identified Person Number. Names and dates of birth should match official identity records exactly.
Can a company act as secretary for a one-person LTD?
An eligible body corporate may act as secretary to another company, but a company cannot act as its own secretary. The directors must ensure the appointed secretary has the skills or resources needed to discharge the role.
Is a one-person company still required to file annual returns?
Yes. A single-member or single-director LTD has the same core CRO, accounting, tax and beneficial-ownership duties as another LTD. Its first CRO annual return is generally due six months after incorporation.
How much does it cost to form a one-person LTD with StartCompany.ie?
StartCompany.ie formation packages begin at EUR240, including the CRO incorporation fee, company name check, constitution, Certificate of Incorporation and share certificates. Secretary, registered-office, IPN and non-resident requirements can affect the appropriate package.
Official Sources
- CRO: company incorporation guidance
- CRO: Irish company types and single-director LTDs
- CRO: duties of directors and secretaries
- CRO: current VIF and director identity guidance
- RBO: beneficial ownership requirements for new companies
- Revenue: tax treatment of companies and sole traders
This guide is general information and is not legal, tax or company-secretarial advice.