Irish company registered office addresses
Every Irish company must have a registered office in the State. It is where legal notices go, which is not always where the business actually operates.
What the registered office is for
The registered office is the address the CRO and anyone else can use to send official correspondence and formal legal notices to the company. The law treats a document sent to the registered office on the CRO record as delivered to the company, even if the company has since moved.
It must be a real place where post can be delivered, because people have the right to go there to inspect certain registers and to deliver documents by hand. Not keeping a registered office in the State is an offence.
Why it may not be the trading address
Many companies use their accountant’s or solicitor’s office, or a company secretarial provider, as their registered office. The law allows a registered office agent approved by the CRO to hold it. So:
- hundreds of unrelated companies can share one registered office in a Dublin business district;
- a shop, restaurant or trade business may trade from a completely different town;
- a registered office on its own tells you nothing about who runs the company or where it operates.
Dublin accounts for about 41% of active companies’ registered offices, followed by Cork (11%), Galway (5%), Kildare (4%), Meath and Limerick (4% each), partly because professional firms that hold registered offices are concentrated there. Browse companies by registered office on the county pages.
Changing a registered office
- The company files Form B2 on CORE. There is no fee.
- It should file within 14 days of the change. Failing to file a B2 when one is required is an offence.
- The change takes legal effect only once the CRO has registered the form.
CRO strike-off warnings go to the registered office on record. A company that moves and forgets the B2 can be struck off without seeing a single notice.
Using Eircodes
An Eircode identifies one specific address: a 3-character routing key followed by a 4-character unique identifier, for example A65 F4E2. It can separate addresses with similar text, such as two units on the same street, and it helps when rural addresses are written differently from one source to another.
Eircodes are optional on company records: about 63% of active companies have one in the register data (CRO open data, September 2026). An Eircode identifies an address, not the business at it. Use the official Eircode Finder to check that an Eircode and address belong together.
Checking an address you have been given
- Compare the registered office on the company profile with the address on the invoice, contract or website.
- If they differ, that is normal, but the company’s website should still state its registered office and number.
- Look for the company’s trading address on its website and on public listings, and check that the company number matches.
Common questions
Can an Irish company use a PO box as its registered office?
No. The registered office must be a physical location in the State where An Post can deliver letters and where people can inspect certain records.
Does the registered office have to be where the business operates?
No. Many companies use an accountant, solicitor or registered office agent. The registered office is the official address for notices, not necessarily the trading address.
How do I change a company’s registered office?
File Form B2 on CORE, free of charge, within 14 days of the change. The change takes effect once the CRO registers it.
Why do so many companies share the same address?
Accountancy firms, solicitors and registered office agents often provide the registered office for many client companies at once.
Official sources
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. CompanyCheck is independent and not connected with the CRO. Fees and deadlines can change; check the official source before acting.