HOW TO HIRE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a company formation agent in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A company formation service in Ireland costs €100–€500 per formation, typically around €250. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a company formation agent in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers company formation agent work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — ongoing Compliance Support — many services offer ongoing support to help you maintain compliance with legal requirements, such as filing annual returns and financial statements.
- How does complexity of your business structure change the price?Anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does required legal documentation change the price?It decides whether a specialist is needed at all. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does any additional services like tax registration or compliance support change the price?The figure you are quoted should say whether VAT is included. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Company Structure Advice — advisors provide guidance on the best company structure for your needs, whether it's a sole trader, partnership, or limited company — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a company formation agent job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
THE TERM 'ACCOUNTANT' IS NOT PROTECTED — anyone may use it, which surprises most people. What is checkable is membership of a professional body (Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACCA, CPA Ireland), each of which maintains a searchable member list, requires professional indemnity insurance and gives you a complaints route. An agent filing on your behalf also needs an agent registration with the tax authority.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Which professional body, and their member number — then check it on that body's own register; Professional indemnity insurance and its limit; Their agent registration, if they will file for you; Who does the work and who reviews it; The fee basis: fixed, hourly, or per return, and what is outside it; What you are responsible for providing, and by when.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect professional indemnity insurance, which the professional bodies require. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers company formation agent work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — ongoing Compliance Support — many services offer ongoing support to help you maintain compliance with legal requirements, such as filing annual returns and financial statements.
A good answer: Anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It decides whether a specialist is needed at all. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The figure you are quoted should say whether VAT is included. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Company Structure Advice — advisors provide guidance on the best company structure for your needs, whether it's a sole trader, partnership, or limited company — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a company formation agent job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance, which the professional bodies require — tax Registration — setting up your business also involves registering for tax purposes, such as obtaining a VAT number if applicable.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the company formation agent starts, and an itemised invoice after — business Registration — this includes the submission of necessary documents to register your business with the appropriate government authority.
Getting the quote right
- Complexity of your business structure — anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made.
- Required legal documentation — it decides whether a specialist is needed at all.
- Any additional services like tax registration or compliance support — the figure you are quoted should say whether VAT is included.
- Limited Company Formation — it is the difference between a quick visit and a long one.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: complexity of your business structure — anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made
- They will not talk about it: required legal documentation — it decides whether a specialist is needed at all
- They will not talk about it: any additional services like tax registration or compliance support — the figure you are quoted should say whether VAT is included
- A price for the company formation agent before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the company formation agent has begun
What a company formation agent costs: €100–€500 per formation
The figures are for the job, per formation, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Limited company formation and Sole trader registration each carry their own band. Company Formation Service price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Company formation agents near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstComplexity of your business structure — anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made — that is what the company formation agent is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneRequired legal documentation — it decides whether a specialist is needed at all — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfAny additional services like tax registration or compliance support — the figure you are quoted should say whether VAT is included — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherLimited Company Formation — it is the difference between a quick visit and a long one — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the company formation agent is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, understand the ongoing compliance requirements, such as annual filings and tax obligations.
- Business Registration
- This includes the submission of necessary documents to register your business with the appropriate government authority.
- Tax Registration
- Setting up your business also involves registering for tax purposes, such as obtaining a VAT number if applicable.
- Company Structure Advice
- Advisors provide guidance on the best company structure for your needs, whether it's a sole trader, partnership, or limited company.
- Ongoing Compliance Support
- Many services offer ongoing support to help you maintain compliance with legal requirements, such as filing annual returns and financial statements.
- Sole Trader Registration
- This service helps individuals register as sole traders, providing guidance on tax responsibilities and business regulations.
- Partnership Agreement Setup
- Involves drafting a partnership agreement for two or more individuals starting a business together, outlining roles and responsibilities.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a company formation agent: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the complexity of your business structure, the required legal documentation, and any additional services like tax registration or compliance support. More complex formations typically incur higher fees.
Some service providers offer expedited services for an additional fee, allowing for same-day registration in certain circumstances. However, this is not universally available and may depend on the specific requirements of your business.
Yes, many providers offer packages that include multiple related services, such as tax registration and compliance support, which can save you time and potentially reduce overall costs. Be aware of potential additional costs for services such as registered office provision or ongoing company secretarial services.
Out of scope services may include ongoing legal advice, accounting services, or business consultancy that goes beyond the initial formation process. It's important to clarify what is included in your chosen service package.
THE TERM 'ACCOUNTANT' IS NOT PROTECTED — anyone may use it, which surprises most people. What is checkable is membership of a professional body (Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACCA, CPA Ireland), each of which maintains a searchable member list, requires professional indemnity insurance and gives you a complaints route. An agent filing on your behalf also needs an agent registration with the tax authority.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
MORE GUIDES