A good company name has to work twice: customers must remember it and the Companies Registration Office must accept it. Buying a domain, ordering signs or announcing a launch before checking the register can leave a founder paying to rebrand after the incorporation application is refused.
Ireland provides an optional company-name reservation process through CORE. It can secure a proposed name for a short period while the Form A1, constitution, directors, secretary, shares and registered office are prepared. This guide explains the process and shows where StartCompany.ie's free name check and affordable formation packages fit.
- Reservation fee
- EUR25
- Initial period
- 28 days
- Possible extension
- 28 more days
- Where to apply
- CRO CORE
Check the company register before choosing the brand
Search the CRO register for identical names, close spellings, phonetic similarities and businesses in the same market. The CRO can refuse a name that is identical or too similar to an existing company, offensive, or suggestive of State sponsorship. Geographic words such as Ireland or Dublin and routine corporate words usually do little to distinguish two otherwise similar names.
StartCompany.ie provides a free company-name checker connected to current Irish company data. Use it to identify obvious conflicts and prepare alternatives. A clear search result is not a guarantee: the Registrar applies legal and administrative rules that an automated search cannot finally decide.
- Search the full proposed name and its strongest distinctive words.
- Check singular, plural, hyphenated and abbreviated versions.
- Search business names and relevant trademarks separately.
- Prepare two or three credible backup names before filing.
How the CRO name reservation works
The reservation application is made through CORE under sections 28 and 29 of the Companies Act 2014. If accepted, the reservation certificate is placed in the applicant's CORE workspace. It should be included with the incorporation application while it remains valid.
The first reservation lasts 28 days. The CRO permits one extension for a further 28 days on payment of another EUR25. If incorporation is not presented in time, a fresh reservation is needed. The certificate relates to a company name; the CRO states that a business or trading name cannot be reserved through this process.
Reservation, incorporation and trademark protection are different
A reservation temporarily holds a name for the CRO process. Incorporation creates the legal company and produces the Certificate of Incorporation. A trademark protects qualifying signs for specified goods or services. None of these steps automatically completes the others.
A CRO name can still conflict with earlier trademark, passing-off or domain rights. Search the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland and relevant EU trademark records before investing heavily in the brand. For a high-value or international launch, obtain trademark advice rather than treating CRO acceptance as a complete clearance.
| Step | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Name search | Finds visible register conflicts | Guarantee CRO acceptance |
| CRO reservation | Holds an accepted company name temporarily | Create a company or trademark |
| Incorporation | Creates the registered legal entity | Protect every brand use |
| Trademark registration | Protects a mark for covered goods or services | Register the company with the CRO |
| Domain registration | Controls a web address under registrar terms | Create company-name rights by itself |
Words that can delay or prevent acceptance
Names suggesting regulated or official activity need particular care. References to banking, insurance, universities, government, professions or charities may require consent, evidence or a company type suited to the activity. A creative spelling does not necessarily cure a misleading meaning.
The legal ending also matters. An LTD normally ends in Limited or Teoranta, subject to the statutory abbreviation rules. DAC, CLG, PLC and unlimited companies use endings appropriate to those structures. Choose the company type before finalising the name because the ending communicates the legal form.
Should you reserve the name or file the company directly?
A reservation is useful where several founders need time to sign documents, a launch depends on a particular name, or a professional adviser wants confirmation before completing the incorporation pack. It can also reduce uncertainty while identity, registered-office or non-resident director arrangements are finalised.
For a straightforward application that is ready to submit, direct incorporation may be simpler. StartCompany.ie checks the proposed name as part of every formation package and includes the CRO incorporation fee in the advertised price. The current Basic package starts at EUR240 and includes the core formation documents, so a separate reservation is not automatically necessary.
What to prepare while the name is reserved
Use the reservation period to complete the whole company structure. A valid name does not compensate for missing director identity details, an unsuitable address or an incomplete Form A1. Agree ownership before documents are issued.
- Confirm the LTD or other company type.
- Choose directors and a separate secretary where required.
- Secure the physical registered office in Ireland.
- Agree shareholders, share numbers and nominal value.
- Prepare PPSN or IPN identity details for directors.
- Address the EEA-resident director or Section 137 bond route.
- Complete the constitution and Form A1 consistently.
- Submit the reservation certificate before it expires.
Common company-name mistakes
The most expensive mistake is treating a social-media handle as legal clearance. Other frequent problems include using a famous brand inside a longer name, relying on punctuation to distinguish a name, omitting required consents and assuming a dissolved company name is immediately reusable.
Avoid spending on packaging, signage and advertising before incorporation. The CRO specifically advises applicants not to incur name-related expenses before receiving the Certificate of Incorporation. Keep the public launch flexible until the company exists.
Check the name, then form the company
Open your Irish company from EUR240
StartCompany.ie includes a free name check, CRO fee, Certificate of Incorporation, constitution and share certificates in its affordable Basic formation package. No hidden formation fee is added later.
Official sources used for this guide
- CRO: company name registration and reservation
- CRO: entity search services
- Intellectual Property Office of Ireland
Rules, fees and programmes can change. Check the current official guidance and obtain advice for the company's actual circumstances before acting.