For over twenty years, CFI has provided professional Registered Office services to clients based both locally and internationally.

This service is ideal for overseas clients who do not have a physical presence in the Republic of Ireland. It is also perfect for local professional firms who, for strategic reasons, may not wish to have client companies located at their premises.

It is equally attractive to individual companies that would benefit from having an address in Dublin 4

Our Registered Office services include:
• Use of 22 Northumberland Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 as Registered Office.
• Acceptance of service of legal documentation.
• Immediate forwarding of warning/strike off notices from Companies Registration Office.
• Holding Statutory Registers, if required (electronically or physically).
• Use of telephone line separate from main CFI lines.
• Taking and passing of telephone messages.
• Receiving and re-sending incoming/outgoing faxes.
• Mail forwarding of 20 items per annum.
• Advising receipt of Courier deliveries (DHL, UPS etc.) and re-sending.
• Meeting with callers to office, if necessary.

We offer attractive discounts to professional clients wishing to locate multiple Registered Offices with us.

Every company is required to have a company seal which is used when a company is executing important documents such a lease or a large contract.

CFI can arrange for the a company seal in 24 hours or less. Click below to order online.

The Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland provide the following explanation:

Legalisation (in some countries spelled ‘Legalization’) is an internationally recognised procedure for certifying the authenticity of official signatures and/or official seal applied to a public document. It operates by means of an unbroken chain of verifying signatures commencing with that of the first signatory to the document and ending with the signature of the diplomatic or consular representative of the state in which the document is to produced and acted upon.

The legalisation procedure usually commences with the attestation by a Notary Public of the signature of a person to a formal document e.g. a Power of Attorney. The Notary Public having subscribed his or her name and affixed his or her official seal to the document by way of notarial act arranges for the document to be produced to the Registrar of the Supreme Court for the purpose of having the Notary’s signature and official seal verified. The document is then produced at the Consular Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin for the purpose of having the signature of the Supreme Court Registrar verified and finally it is produced to the diplomatic or consular representative in Dublin (or London) of the foreign country in which it is intended the document shall be produced for the purpose of having the Irish Consular Officer’s signature legalised.

When all the foregoing steps have been completed, the document is said to have been “legalised”. Other countries in which the Apostille procedure applies may be checked on the Hague Convention website, where a list of countries adhering to the Apostille system abolishing the need for legalisation, and also those countries not Hague Convention Countries Adhering.

An Apostille is a certificate issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs verifying the genuineness of the signature and/or seal of a public officer e.g. a Notary Public, on a public document and the capacity in which he or she has acted. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘fast-track’ version of legalisation.

The Apostille certificate may be stamped on or attached to the public document required to be apostilled. It is obtained by presenting the document at the Department of Foreign Affairs,

The Apostille procedure applies in lieu of Legalisation between countries that have signed and ratified or acceded to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. Ireland ratified the Convention in 1999. Other countries in which the Apostille procedure applies may be checked on the Hague Convention website, where a list of countries adhering to the Apostille system abolishing the need for legalisation, and also those countries not Hague Convention Countries Adhering or likely also on the Department of Foreign Affairs webpage.

CFI have years of experience in helping clients draft documentation, for many different purposes, which we then arrange to have Notarised, Legalised or Apostilled. Examples of such documents would include:

• Certificates of Good Standing
• Powers of Attorney
• Certified extracts from the Companies Registration Office

CFI work with all of the major banks in Ireland and can offer guidance on current account opening procedures and Anti Money Laundering requirements. Physical attendance at the bank by the Directors/Owners has now become mandatory if an account is to be successfully opened with an Irish bank.

New companies and businesses will need to register for:

• Corporation tax
• PAYE/PRSI (Income tax/social insurance)
• Value Added Tax

CFI can complete the relevant application forms and submit to the Revenue Commissioners on your behalf. Please note that registration for VAT can sometimes be delayed until the Revenue Commissioners are convinced that the applicant has or will have a certain minimum level of ‘VATable’ activity in the State.

The Revenue Commissioners tell us that persons (individuals and companies) resident in the State for tax purposes may be in receipt of income from another jurisdiction.

As the extent of the tax charging provisions and tax relieving provisions on a person’s liability to tax in respect of income and/or assets may, in many foreign jurisdictions, depend on the tax residence position (i.e. resident or non-resident) of that person, such foreign jurisdictions often require Irish resident persons to obtain certification or clarification from Revenue that they are resident here for tax purposes for a relevant tax year.

In general, such certification is requested where a claim is made to the tax authorities in a foreign jurisdiction by an Irish resident person seeking, for example, either exemption from tax or a reduced rate of withholding tax in that jurisdiction under the terms of a double taxation agreement.
In some instances, the foreign tax authority provides a form to be completed by the Irish resident person which is to be stamped and signed by Revenue. Alternatively Revenue will be requested by the Irish resident person to issue a letter of residence for transmission by the taxpayer to the foreign jurisdiction.

Requests for certification (form/letter) are dealt with by the appropriate Revenue district dealing with the individual or company’s tax affairs. That
district must be satisfied that the individual or company is resident in Ireland for tax purposes for the year in question before certifying the residence position.

CFI can assist in making application for Tax Residency Certificates either by Letter or by processing a Form from an overseas tax authority. Turnaround times vary but can generally be achieved with seven/ten days.

Not only is it a requirement of the Companies Act, 2014 that a company keeps proper books and records but it also is vital for the business owners to know the financial position of their business at any given time. Bookkeeping/accounting that is done on a timely basis also allows a company to make all its tax filings on time which avoids penalties, interest and an increased chance of a Revenue Audit.

For these reasons it is vital that a company attends to its bookkeeping and accounting either ‘in-house’ or through engaging a proper accountant.

CFI works with accountants and auditors in all parts of the country and who specialise in many different industry sectors. Accordingly, we can connect you with an accounting firm that will that will match your needs perfectly.

Companies which have missed or know they will their Annual Return Filing (ARD) deadline in the CRO are subject to an immediate late filing fee of €100 with a further €3 per day for every day thereafter, up to a maximum of €1,200.

They also lose the capacity to be exempt from having their accounts formerly audited, for a two year period. This results in higher accounting costs and greater scrutiny of their accounts.

However, a company can now make an application to the District Court for an Order to extend the time for delivery of the annual return and accounts. If the company then subsequently delivers the annual return, for the year in question, to the CRO within the extended time period specified by the Court, the annual return will be deemed to have been delivered on time and as such late filing penalties will not apply and the company will avoid losing audit exemption (if applicable).

CFI have assisted in making many, successful, applications to the District Court.

Another weapon in the CRO’s arsenal against late/non-filing companies in the power to Summons a company or indeed an individual Director to the District Court. This is done, typically, twice a year.

Any Company, or a Director of any company, which is even one year behind in filing its Annual Returns and accounts can potentially be Summonsed. Because these criteria create a very large group, the selection by for prosecution is as a direct result of the CRO’s “Integrated Enforcement Environment” (IEE). This provides that the severity of the enforcement measures employed by the CRO relate directly to a company’s annual return compliance history for the previous years.

Essentially companies are ranked in terms of their recent compliance history, with the level of late filing fees levied also taken into consideration. The more non-compliant a company has been, the more likely is the possibility of being summonsed.

Companies and/or Directors can be fined up to €1,900 per Annual Return.

CFI can arrange expert legal representation for companies and/or directors who receive such summonses.

Every company is required to maintain seven registers which are:

1. Register of allotments (of shares)
2. Register of Transfers (of shares)
3. Register of Members/Shareholders
4. Register of Directors and Secretaries
5. Register of Directors and Secretaries Interests
6. Register of Debenture Holders
7. Register of Sealings

Typically these registers are presented together in what is commonly called the ‘Combined Company Register’, which is usually prepared when a company is first incorporated.

CFI can provide blank registers which can be written up. We also provide a service of reconstructing company registers which have been mislaid.

CFI works with Brighter Domains which is an interactive website which allows you to search and secure your domain name online. Whether you want a .ie, .org, .net or a .com Brighter Domains can guide you through the maze of registering your Internet Domain Name.

With over 900,000 new Domain Names being registered each month it’s important you protect your company’s Domain name now. Even if you don’t want to use it for a while it’s a good idea to secure your name on the web.

It’s so easy to register a name ! And once your name – or your company name – is registered no one else can use it.

Please refer to the Brighter Domains Price List for the terms for each suffix.

A good website is absolutely vital for the success of any business. CFI work with a number of web design companies and we will be able to refer you one which will meet your budget and needs, perfectly.

All businesses need to protect themselves through having insurance policies to cover all eventualities. Some of the more common business insurance policies are:

• Property Damage
• Business Interruption
• Glass Breakage
• Money and Personal Injury
• Loss of License
• Employers Liability Insurance
• Public Liability Insurance
• Products Liability Insurance
• Employment Practices Liability Insurance
• Product Recall Insurance
• Credit Insurance

CFI can recommend a number of insurance brokers around the country who can advise and offer guidance on all business insurance issues.

One of the big advantages of operating through a limited company is the flexibility when it comes to Directors Pensions.

CFI can recommend a number of brokers who will give impartial and independent advice on all matters relating to Directors Pensions.