When registering an Irish incorporated company it is important to be aware of the difference between your company’s Registered Office Address and your company’s trading address.
Registered Office Address
Every Irish incorporated company is obliged to have a physical address (not a P.O. Box) within Ireland where official correspondence from government bodies and other relevant institutions can be delivered. This address does not necessarily have to be the location where the business trading activities of the company are carried out. Quite often the registered address of a new company may be the offices of the company’s legal advisers, accountants or company formations agent.
Business Trading Address
The Company’s business trading address is where the actual business activities are carried on. Although a company is incorporated in Ireland, this does not necessarily result in the company being tax resident in Ireland. In order for the company to be tax resident in Ireland and therefore eligible to register for Irish corporation tax and Irish VAT the company’s business trading address must be within the Republic of Ireland.
While being incorporated in Ireland will be a contributing factor to determining where the company is tax resident, the main factor in determining what country the company will be tax resident is the country from which the company is ‘centrally managed and controlled’. A company will normally be ‘managed and controlled’ in the country where key decisions are made, where board meetings are held and the country where the majority of directors live.
Business Trading Address and Irish VAT registration
If you wish to register your Irish incorporation company for Irish VAT, it will be necessary to demonstrate to the Irish tax authorities that an actual vatable activity is being carried on within Ireland. If your company does not have any Irish based directors or employees who are responsible for performing necessary business trading activities.
Should you have any queries about incorporating a company in Ireland and/or require any advice with regards to your company’s tax status, please do not hesitate to email us on info@registeredoffice.ie