Revenue Commissioners
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Learn about the Revenue Commissioners, Ireland's tax authority, how to register your company, and your key obligations as a company director.
Learn about the Revenue Commissioners, Ireland's tax authority, how to register your company, and your key obligations as a company director.
The Revenue Commissioners (commonly known as "Revenue") are the Irish government body responsible for the collection and management of all taxes in Ireland. Revenue administers corporation tax, income tax, VAT, PAYE, capital gains tax, stamp duty, and a wide range of other levies and duties. For every Irish company founder, Revenue is one of the two most important regulatory bodies you will interact with, alongside the Companies Registration Office (CRO).
From the moment your company is incorporated, you must register with Revenue for the relevant tax heads. At a minimum, this means registering for corporation tax. If you plan to hire employees, you will also need to register for PAYE and PRSI. If your turnover exceeds (or is expected to exceed) the VAT registration thresholds, you must register for VAT as well. Revenue provides an online system called ROS (Revenue Online Service) through which all registrations, filings, and payments are managed.
Revenue plays a dual role: it collects taxes, but it also provides guidance, rulings, and support to businesses. The Revenue website contains extensive information on tax obligations, and the organisation offers a range of services to help businesses comply, including advance opinions on complex tax questions. For founders, building a positive relationship with Revenue through timely filings and honest reporting is an important part of running a compliant and successful business.
Registration with Revenue is typically done as part of the company formation process or immediately afterwards. When you submit the Form A1 to the CRO to incorporate your company, you can simultaneously register for tax by completing the relevant sections. Alternatively, you can register directly through the Revenue Online Service (ROS) after incorporation.
To register, you will need your company's company registration number, details of the directors, the company's registered address, information about your expected business activities, and details of your bank account. Revenue will then issue your tax registration number, which you will use for all future tax filings and payments. The registration process is straightforward, but it is important to register promptly, as failure to do so can result in penalties.
The primary tax for Irish companies is corporation tax, which is charged on the company's profits. The standard rate is 12.5% on trading income and 25% on non-trading (passive) income. You must file a CT1 return annually, even if your company made no profit or has no tax to pay. The CT1 return and any tax owed are due within nine months and 21 days of your financial year end.
If you employ staff, you are responsible for deducting PAYE (Pay As You Earn) income tax, PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance), and USC (Universal Social Charge) from employee salaries and remitting these to Revenue. These employer obligations are ongoing and require regular monthly submissions. VAT-registered companies must file VAT returns (typically bi-monthly) and remit the VAT collected on sales, after deducting VAT paid on business purchases.
ROS is Revenue's secure online platform for managing your company's tax affairs. Through ROS, you can file all your tax returns (CT1, VAT, PAYE), make tax payments, view your tax account balances, and correspond with Revenue. The platform is mandatory for most business tax filings, and Revenue strongly encourages all businesses to use it rather than paper-based processes.
To access ROS, you need a digital certificate, which you can apply for through the Revenue website. Once set up, ROS provides a comprehensive dashboard of your company's tax position, including upcoming filing deadlines and any outstanding balances. Many accountants also access ROS on behalf of their clients through an agent link, allowing them to file returns and manage tax affairs on the company's behalf.
The most important deadline for most companies is the CT1 corporation tax return, which must be filed within nine months and 21 days of your financial year end. Any corporation tax owed must be paid by the same date. For companies with employees, PAYE returns must be submitted monthly, and employer taxes must be remitted to Revenue on a regular basis. VAT returns are typically filed bi-monthly, with the VAT owed being paid at the same time.
Maintaining a compliance calendar that includes all Revenue deadlines alongside your CRO filing dates is essential for staying on top of your obligations. Late filings attract surcharges (up to 10% of the tax due) and interest charges that compound daily. Revenue also publishes a "tax defaulters list" for significant non-compliance, which can cause reputational damage to your business.
Non-compliance with Revenue can have serious consequences for your company and its directors. Late filing of tax returns triggers automatic surcharges and interest on any outstanding tax. Persistent non-compliance can lead to Revenue audit, where an inspector examines your company's books and records in detail. If discrepancies are found, additional tax, penalties, and interest can be imposed.
In serious cases, Revenue has the power to apply to the courts to have a company wound up for non-payment of tax. Directors can also face personal liability in certain circumstances, particularly if Revenue determines that tax was not remitted due to deliberate default. Maintaining good corporate compliance and meeting your directors' duties in relation to tax is therefore not just a financial matter but a personal one for every company officer.
Beyond tax collection, Revenue provides a range of support services for businesses. These include published guidance notes on all tax heads, a comprehensive FAQ section on the Revenue website, and the ability to request advance opinions on complex tax matters. Revenue also operates a "Business Tax" section that provides sector-specific guidance and information on available tax reliefs and incentives.
For startups, Revenue offers specific supports including the Employment Investment Incentive Scheme (EIIS), which provides tax relief to investors in qualifying companies, and the R&D Tax Credit, which rewards companies that invest in research and development. Your accountant can help you identify which reliefs and incentives your company may be eligible for, potentially reducing your overall tax compliance burden while supporting your growth.
Revenue works closely with other Irish regulatory bodies, including the CRO, the Corporate Enforcement Authority, and the Central Bank. Information is shared between these bodies to ensure that companies are meeting their obligations across all regulatory frameworks. For example, if a company is struck off the CRO register for failing to file its annual return, Revenue is notified and will take appropriate action regarding the company's tax affairs.
This interconnected regulatory framework means that maintaining compliance with one body generally supports compliance with the others. Keeping your CRO filings up to date, maintaining accurate company records, and filing your tax returns on time creates a virtuous cycle of good governance that protects both the company and its directors from regulatory action.
