Should consultants incorporate as a limited company in Ireland?

Yes, consultants benefit significantly from incorporation, especially when dealing with larger corporate clients. Limited companies provide professional credibility, 12.5% corporate tax rate, limited liability protection, and ability to claim business expenses for office costs, travel, and professional development.

What are the tax advantages for consulting companies in Ireland?

Irish limited companies pay 12.5% corporate tax on trading income. Consultants can deduct business expenses including office costs, travel, equipment, and professional development. This provides significant tax savings compared to sole trader personal income tax rates.

How much does consultant company incorporation cost in Ireland?

Open Forest offers consultant incorporation from €99 including CRO fees and basic constitution. For growth-oriented consulting businesses, the Future Proof package (€250) includes investor-ready documentation and advanced share structures.

Do consulting companies need a company secretary in Ireland?

Yes, if you're the sole director of your consulting company, you must appoint a separate company secretary by law. Open Forest provides professional company secretary services for €99/year to handle all CRO filings and statutory compliance.

Can consultants use trading names different from their company name?

Yes, consultants can use trading names that differ from their registered company name. For example, 'Smith Consulting Ltd' might trade as 'The Digital Marketing Experts.' Trading names must be registered with the CRO if they differ from your company name.

When should consultants register for VAT in Ireland?

Consultants must register for VAT once turnover exceeds €42,500 for services in a 12-month period. However, you can voluntarily register before reaching this threshold if it benefits your business operations or client requirements.

What package should startups choose for incorporation in Ireland?

Startups should choose Open Forest's Future Proof package (€250) which includes investor-ready constitution, founders agreements, IP assignment agreements, multiple share classes, and flexible structures designed for fundraising and growth.

How do share structures work for Irish startup companies?

Irish startups can create multiple share classes during incorporation to accommodate future investment rounds, employee option schemes, and founder protection. Different classes can have varying voting rights, dividend rights, and conversion mechanisms for investors.

What legal documents do startup founders need in Ireland?

Irish startups need a company constitution, founders agreement (for multiple founders), IP assignment agreements, share certificates, and proper corporate governance documentation. These ensure legal protection and investment readiness.

How long does startup company incorporation take in Ireland?

Open Forest completes startup incorporation within 5 business days, including all investor-ready documentation and share structures. This is significantly faster than traditional law firms while ensuring investment-grade legal frameworks.

Can Irish startups access government funding after incorporation?

Yes, Irish startups can access LEO grants (up to €15,000), Enterprise Ireland's Pre-Seed Start Fund (€50,000-€100,000), and various other government supports. Open Forest helps structure companies to be eligible for these funding programs.

What are the tax benefits for startups in Ireland?

Irish startups benefit from 12.5% corporate tax rate, generous R&D tax credits, access to EU markets, and various government incentives. Ireland's startup-friendly ecosystem and English-speaking environment make it ideal for tech companies seeking European headquarters.

Startups | Open Forest

Why do I need a limited company?

Asset Protection

Without a limited liability company, all assets you have gains over your life are exposed and unprotected.

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Tax Advantages

Limited companies allow you the flexibility to avoid getting taxed the moment you get paid.
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Professional Credibility

Clients, suppliers, investors, banks and business partners generally view limited companies as more established and trustworthy.
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Flexibility

Investors need to invest in limited companies to receive shares. Shares can also attract the best employees as incentives.
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Especially for startups

Everything you need from a legal, tax and accounting perspective to run your new startup. All of your company compliance needs under one roof.

Legal contracts including SaaS agreements, founders agreements, IP agreements, software development agreements, GDPR website packs and so much more.

Tax registrations and filings including corporation tax, VAT and PAYE for when it's time to pay yourself and staff. We've got it covered.

Day to day accounting and bookkeeping - keep track of your sales and expenses and run year end reports.

Here's how we do it

Company Registration

We know the legal process inside out and so we deal with all of the tricky parts and just ask you the important questions.

Ongoing Compliance

We built new technology to ensure you never miss an obligation or a deadline - and it's free when you incorporate with us.

Legal Solutions

We give you easy access to hundreds of legal agreements and we have lawyers on hand should you ever need any serious advice.

Tax Compliance

We can ensure that your tax registrations and ongoing tax filings are done cheaply, correctly and right on time.

Accounting

We can take care of your day to day bookkeeping, help you pay staff, prepare your year end financial statements and make sure they are filed on time.

Organisation

Our technology ensures your corporate governance is in great shape - from our (free) legal dataroom to our compliance calendar, you won't miss a thing.

See Pricing

Chat to us

Timeline

And here's what to expect:

Get started

Learn more

Complete our Incorporation Form

We take away the complexities of figuring out how to start a company. Just let our simple interactive form guide you.

Due Diligence Process

Upload your ID, we run some quick checks and send you a (digital) pack to sign online. This just takes a couple of hours.

Incorproaton Process

We make the filing with the Companies Registration Office on your behalf. This usually takes 5 business days.

Approval Process

Once approved, you get full access to the Open Forest platform. You'll find all of your legal documents in your data room and upcoming legal obligations in your compliance calendar. We will introduce you to our banking and accounting partners at this stage if required.

Post-incorporation Filings

Check you upcoming obligations on your free compliance calendar and when the time comes, make the filings through the Open Forest platform. No more guesswork.

Ongoing Support

Incorporation is only the beginning. Open Forest will be there in support for your whole business journey. From legal agreements, to company changes, to tax filings - we do it all at super-low costs.

Don’t just take our word for it

Hear from some of our amazing customers who can now focus on their business,
while we watch their compliance.

PS - these are real reviews, see for yourself.

"OpenForest were so helpful to myself and my co-founder as first time founders. They helped us get setup quickly and ensured we had a constitution and founders agreement in place that was right for the company."

Christopher Lynch

Founder, Rekord

"Thanks to the Open Forest team for helping us navigate Irish company registration so seamlessly - professional, friendly and highly recommend".
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Fi from Fineo

Founder, Fineo

"Super helpful and efficient service that saved us so much time in setting up our business. Would highly recommend Open Forest to any start up that wants to get their business set up perfectly from the start"

Conor Fay

Founder, Abhar Materials

"Open Forest has truly been a game changer for us as founders. Their service has made obtaining vital legal documents at this early stage incredibly seamless."
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Laura Downes

Founder, Everly

"Open Forest set up our business, the entire process was seamless, stress-free and very efficient. The team just gets it, which allowed us to focus on other parts of the business with confidence. Thank you, Open Forest!"

Elaine Kelly

Founder & CEO, Curly Crowns

"Super service. They worked on weekends and after hours to ensure rapid registration. Despite a name change request by the CRO, we had the company registration in a week."

Brian Mahony

CEO, LCA Developments

Frequently asked startup questions

What is Open Forest?

Open Forest is an alternative legal services provider. We're a team of experienced lawyers and software developers - and importantly, we are founders too.

How does it work?

Incorporate through us and get easy access to all of the compliance tools you will ever need including contracts, cap tables and trackers.

What if my startup fails?

We make sure all your filings stay up to date, which means it usually only costs around €250 to close a company down.

Do I need to register for tax?

You will likely need to register for corporation tax, but we can take care of that for you. Later on you may also need to register for VAT and other taxes.

What do I need to do after incorporating?

Get the founders agreements signed (if relevant), get any IP agreements signed and then speak to us about your bespoke needs.

How do I get started?

You simply need to click "Incorporate Now" above, fill our our interactive form, follow our instructions and we will take it from there. Our pricing page is here.

We help all types of startups

Hardware

Software

Vibe Coders

Dropshippers

Side Hustles

Crypto

AI/ML

BioTech

Marketplaces

Electronics

Digital Products

SaaS

FinTech

AdTech

and much more...

Why do I need a limited company?

Asset Protection

Tax Advantages

Professional Credibility

Flexibility

Especially for startups

Here's how we do it

Company Registration

Ongoing Compliance

Legal Solutions

Tax Compliance

Accounting

Organisation

And here's what to expect:

Complete our Incorporation Form

Due Diligence Process

Incorproaton Process

Approval Process

Post-incorporation Filings

Ongoing Support

Don’t just take our word for it

Frequently asked startup questions

What is Open Forest?

How does it work?

What if my startup fails?

Do I need to register for tax?

What do I need to do after incorporating?

How do I get started?

Contact us