Registering, changing the legal form of or closing a business

You must register the name of your business if you or your partners intends to do business under a name that is not their own. This is done to make sure the people who run the business are publicly known.

Registering a business name is required if:

• you use a business name that is not your true surname. It doesn't matter if your first name or initials are added. For example, Tim O'Brien may trade as O'Brien or Tim O'Brien, but must register if he wishes to do business as O'Brien Builders
• a firm uses a business name that is different from the true names of all individual partners and the corporate names of all partners
• a company uses a business name that is different from its full corporate name
• a person who holds a business in the State publishes a newspaper

Learn more here:

When a company changes from one form to another, you must reregister. It is possible to change from any type to the any other type, such as sole traded to limited company, public to private, or vice versa.

Learn more about changing the legal form of a business here:

If you are operating as a sole trader and wish to close your business, you can just stop trading and tell the relevant parties that you are no longer in business (clients and suppliers). You will also need to retain financial and other records for 6 years after closing.

A company can be closed by:

• decision by members declaring solvency
• a decision by members who have been ratified by Creditors
• Court order

A liquidator is usually appointed to file accounts under the Companies Act. The company will then be dissolved with an effective date of either three months after registering of the final documents, or when the court orders its dissolution after being wound up by an official liquidator.

Learn more here:

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