How to Register a Business Name in Ireland

A business name is a trading name used by an individual, partnership or company when the name is different from the legal person’s true name. In Ireland, the appropriate RBN form should be filed with the Companies Registration Office within one month of adopting the name. Registration promotes transparency, but it does not create a company, limited liability or exclusive ownership of the name.

Who must register a business name?

CRO guidance says registration is obligatory where a person carries on business under a name other than the applicable true name. This commonly includes:

• an individual trading under a name that differs from their true surname—for example, John Murphy trading as “Murphy Builders”;
• a partnership using a name that does not consist of the true names of all individual partners and the full corporate names of all corporate partners;
• a company trading under a name other than its full incorporated name—for example, Example Services Limited trading as “Example Studio”;
• a person with a place of business in the State carrying on the business of publishing a newspaper.

The applicant must have a place of business in the Republic of Ireland and actually carry on business under the name.

Which RBN form applies?

Deadline and current CRO fee

The application must be submitted within one month of adopting the business name. The CRO currently charges €20 for an electronic RBN1, RBN1A or RBN1B filing through CORE and €40 for a paper filing. Confirm the current fee and procedure at the time you apply.

Step 1: identify the legal owner correctly

Decide whether the business is being operated by an individual, a partnership or an incorporated company before completing the form. The answer affects legal liability, tax registration, contracts, invoices and the RBN form.

A trading name should never obscure the counterparty. If a company owns the trading name, use the company’s exact legal name and CRO number in the registration and in appropriate business disclosures. If you have not decided on a structure, compare a sole trader and limited company and obtain accounting or legal advice.

Step 2: check the proposed name properly

Search the CRO company and business-name registers and the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland trade mark register. The CRO does not guarantee that a registered business name is unique, does not protect the name against duplication and does not decide whether another person has trade mark or passing-off rights.

You cannot reserve a business or trading name through the CRO. Avoid committing to signs, packaging or a domain until you understand the naming risk. Our separate guide explains how to check whether a business name is already registered.

Step 3: collect the filing information

The details depend on the owner type, but the filing generally needs the proposed business name, the nature of the business, the principal place of business, the date the name was adopted and accurate particulars of the person or people behind it. A company filing an RBN1B should use its full registered company identity.

Describe the activity specifically enough to be meaningful. Keep the adoption date and address evidence with the business records so the filing can be reconciled later.

Step 4: submit through CORE

1. create or sign in to a CORE account;
2. choose RBN1, RBN1A or RBN1B for the correct owner type;
3. enter the business name and principal business address;
4. provide the owner, partner or company particulars requested;
5. review spelling, dates and the legal owner carefully;
6. complete the signature process and pay the electronic fee;
7. retain the submission confirmation and later certificate.

What registration does—and does not—do

CRO registration and Revenue registration are separate

Registering a business name with the CRO is not the same as registering for tax. Revenue says a person must register for tax when becoming a sole trader, setting up a partnership or starting a company, subject to the rules applying to that structure. Revenue notes that a sole trader must register as self-employed where net income is above €5,000.

VAT, employer PAYE, Relevant Contracts Tax and other registrations depend on the activity and thresholds. Use Revenue’s current guidance or a tax adviser rather than assuming the CRO certificate completes the tax setup.

What must appear on business documents?

Using a trading name does not let the owner hide the legal identity behind it. CRO guidance sets disclosure requirements for business letters and other documents. An Irish company trading under a business name must still comply with the company-law requirements applying to its full corporate name, registered number, registered office and other prescribed particulars.

Review invoices, order forms, website terms, email signatures and contracts so customers can identify who they are dealing with. The exact disclosures depend on whether the owner is an individual, partnership or company.

Changing or ceasing a registered business name

A change to registered particulars—such as the business name or business address—should be notified to the CRO within one month using RBN2, RBN2A or RBN2B. These change forms are currently free online.

Ownership cannot simply be swapped on the existing record. The CRO says the former owner must cease trading under the name and the new owner must apply for a new registration. When the business stops using the name, Form RBN3 should be filed within three months; the CRO currently lists no fee for that form.

Business name versus company name

If an incorporated company needs to replace its legal name—not merely add a trading style—read how to change an Irish company name using Form G1Q.

Common registration mistakes

• believing the registration creates a limited company;
• using the wrong RBN form for the legal owner;
• missing the one-month registration deadline;
• checking only company names and ignoring business names and trade marks;
• assuming registration grants exclusive rights to the name;
• forgetting separate Revenue and licensing obligations;
• failing to show the legal owner on appropriate business documents;
• trying to transfer ownership through a simple change form.

Official sources

Check the CRO’s current business-name registration guidance, forms and fees and change and cessation rules. Revenue explains tax registration separately. This article is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice.