What to Do After Registering a Business in Ireland (2026 Checklist)

You have done the hard part. You had the idea, worked up the courage, and made it official. The certificate is in your inbox and your business is registered with the CRO. Now what?

A lot of new Irish business owners hit a wall here. The registration process is well documented, but what comes immediately after is less so. This checklist covers exactly what needs to happen in the days and weeks after you register, in the right order, with no filler.

The essential first steps

1. 1
   Register for tax with Revenue This must happen within 30 days of starting to trade - do not leave it. Sole traders register for income tax through Revenue's myAccount. Limited companies register for corporation tax through ROS. You will also need to decide whether to register for VAT now (mandatory over €37,500 for services, €75,000 for goods) or wait until you approach those thresholds.
2. 2
   Open a dedicated business bank account Never run a business through a personal account. It makes your accounts a nightmare, looks unprofessional to clients, and becomes a serious problem at tax time. Most Irish banks offer business accounts - AIB, Bank of Ireland, and Revolut Business are popular choices for new businesses. Revolut Business has no monthly fee to start, which suits early-stage businesses.
3. 3
   Register your business name (if applicable) If you are a sole trader or partnership trading under any name other than your own legal name, you must register that business name with the CRO separately from your company registration. This costs €40 by paper or €20 online and must be done within one month of starting to use the name.
4. 4
   Get business insurance Public liability insurance is essential for most businesses and legally required for some. Professional indemnity insurance is important if you offer professional services. Employers' liability insurance is legally required if you have employees. Do not trade without at least public liability cover in place - one claim can end a business that is not insured.
5. 5
   Set up a bookkeeping system You are legally required to keep business records for 6 years. Start a proper system from day one rather than trying to reconstruct it later. Simple options include a spreadsheet, or low-cost software like Wave (free), QuickBooks, or Surf Accounts (built for Irish businesses and Revenue integration).

Getting your business online

This is where most new Irish businesses either get it right from the start, or spend months catching up. Getting your digital presence set up properly in the first few weeks pays off significantly.

1. 6
   Register your .ie domain name Your domain is your address on the internet. A .ie domain (such as yourbusiness.ie) is the right choice for any Irish business - it tells customers and Google you are genuinely Irish and builds trust immediately. Register through IEDR or an authorised registrar. A .ie domain costs roughly €15 to €25 per year. Do this as soon as possible - good names get taken quickly.
2. 7
   Get a professional website live In 2026, a business without a website is invisible to the majority of potential customers. When someone hears about your business from a friend, sees your van, or finds your card, the first thing they do is Google you. If they find nothing professional, they move on. Your website does not need to be complicated - it needs to clearly explain what you do, where you are, and how to contact you. Square Two builds professional websites for Irish businesses from €249, live within 7 working days.
3. 8
   Set up a professional business email address Sending emails from a Gmail or Hotmail address when you are in business looks amateur and erodes trust. A business email at your own domain (you@yourbusiness.ie) costs very little and makes an immediate impression. This is included in Square Two's packages, or you can set up Google Workspace from around €6 per month.
4. 9
   Create your Google Business Profile Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the free tool that puts your business on Google Maps and in local search results. It takes about 15 minutes to set up and is one of the most effective things you can do for local visibility. Add your address or service area, opening hours, phone number, website, and photos. Verify your listing and start asking happy customers for reviews from day one.
5. 10
   Set up social media (selectively) You do not need to be on every platform - pick one or two that your customers actually use. A Facebook Business Page is useful for local service businesses. Instagram suits visual trades like landscaping, painting, or food. LinkedIn suits B2B and professional services. Set these up, link them to your website, and post consistently rather than creating accounts on everything and abandoning them.

Other things worth doing early

Talk to an accountant

You do not need an accountant from day one, but a one-hour consultation in the first few weeks is money well spent. A good accountant will tell you what expenses you can claim, how to structure your invoicing, what records to keep, and how to minimise your tax bill legally. The cost of that hour will almost certainly save you more than it costs at your first tax return.

Register with your Local Enterprise Office

Every county in Ireland has a Local Enterprise Office (LEO) offering free mentoring, subsidised training, and in some cases grant funding for new businesses. The Trading Online Voucher scheme, for example, provides up to €2,500 towards getting your business online. It is worth checking what support is available in your area - most of it costs nothing to access.

Get your invoicing sorted

Even if you are not ready for full accounting software, have a professional invoice template ready before your first job. Your invoices must include your business name, address, the date, a description of the work, the amount, and your payment details. If you are VAT-registered, they must also include your VAT number and the VAT amount charged.

Frequently asked questions