How to Get a CRO Letter of Status in Ireland

A CRO Letter of Status—often called a Certificate or Letter of Good Standing—is an official document confirming that an Irish company is incorporated and authorised to undertake business in Ireland. It can be ordered through CORE under the Reports tab. It is different from a certificate of incorporation, company printout, company report and tax-clearance certificate.

What the Letter of Status confirms

The CRO describes the document as proof that the company is incorporated and authorised to undertake business in Ireland. It is commonly requested for overseas registrations, bank or payment-provider onboarding, tenders, licences, corporate transactions and due diligence where an official status document is required.

How it differs from other documents

Before ordering: verify the exact company

Obtain the legal name and CRO registration number. Similar names, former names and group structures make name-only ordering risky. Match the company to the contract, registered address and other identifying evidence.

How to order through CORE

1. open the CRO’s CORE service;
2. search using the exact CRO number where possible;
3. open the correct entity record;
4. select the Reports tab;
5. choose the Letter of Status or Letter of Good Standing option;
6. check the company and requester details;
7. complete the applicable order and payment process;
8. retain the official document and order evidence securely.

The CRO’s services and fees can change. CORE currently provides the ordering route identified in the CRO FAQ; confirm the live option, price and delivery method when ordering.

When a duplicate certificate is enough

If the recipient only needs evidence of incorporation, a duplicate certificate of incorporation may be the correct document. The CRO says duplicate certificates can also be obtained through CORE under Reports. Ask the recipient exactly what wording, issue date, certification, apostille or legalisation it requires before ordering.

International use, apostille and recency

An overseas authority may require a recently issued document, notarisation, authentication or an apostille. Those are recipient- and jurisdiction-specific requirements. A document accepted by one bank or registry may not satisfy another. Obtain written requirements first and use an Irish solicitor, notary or document-service specialist where authentication is needed.

Due diligence beyond the letter

• check the live CRO status and latest filing date;
• review directors, secretary and registered office;
• inspect overdue filings, strike-off notices or insolvency indicators;
• review available annual returns and financial statements;
• check registered charges where lending or security matters;
• verify tax clearance separately where required;
• confirm licences, insurance and authority relevant to the transaction.

Common mistakes

• ordering against a trading name instead of the legal company;
• confusing a certificate of incorporation with current good standing;
• assuming the letter is a credit report;
• using an old letter where the recipient requires a recent issue date;
• failing to ask about apostille or notarisation requirements;
• ignoring events filed after the letter’s date;
• treating a group company’s letter as evidence for another legal entity.

If you only need incorporation evidence, read how to obtain an Irish certificate of incorporation. For a broader evidence pack, see how to read an Irish company report.

Official source

The CRO explains the ordering route in its company FAQs, and CORE is described on the CRO CORE page. This article is general information, not legal, banking, authentication or transaction advice.