How you open a business account in Ireland depends on your legal form. A sole trader can often start the application online and have an account within a few working days once identity is verified. A limited company must be incorporated first through the Companies Registration Office, and the bank then checks the company filings and the beneficial owners before the company account opens.
- Sole trader or partnership
- Commonly opened in about five working days once identity is verified, as of 1 May 2026.
- Limited company
- The company is incorporated first, then the company account opens. A company application can take up to about fifteen working days or longer.
- Required for a company?
- Yes. A limited company must hold a business account in the company name, because it is a separate legal entity.
- Verification
- Identity and address checks, plus a check that a company is filed on the Register of Beneficial Ownership.
General information, not financial, legal, or tax advice. Verify current terms and eligibility with the provider before applying.
How to open a business account in Ireland
The steps depend on your legal form. A sole trader trading in their own name can often start an application online and complete identity checks within a few working days. A limited company must first be incorporated before a normal company account opens, because the account holder is the company rather than the owner. Across all forms the bank runs identity and anti money laundering checks, and for a company it also checks the directors and beneficial owners. Figures and steps below are shown as of 1 May 2026.
For sole traders and partnerships
If you trade in your own name, you usually need a valid photo identity document and proof of your address. Several high street banks let a sole trader begin the application online, and a partnership or sole trader account commonly opens in about five working days once the documents are in order. A separate business account is not legally required for the self employed in Ireland, but it keeps the business record clean and makes the annual tax return easier to prepare.
For a limited company
A company account is opened in the company name, so the company must be incorporated first. You register the company with the Companies Registration Office, which issues the Certificate of Incorporation, and you file the beneficial owners on the central Register of Beneficial Ownership. Banks will not open the account until the beneficial ownership filing is in place. With a high street bank a company application often involves an in person meeting, and two directors, or one director and the company secretary, usually need to sign the forms. A limited company is legally required to hold a business account in the company name.
Documents you usually need
Have these ready before you apply, since a missing document is the most common cause of delay. Requirements vary by provider, verify before applying
- A valid photo identity document and proof of address for each director and authorised person, as of 1 May 2026.
- For a company, the Certificate of Incorporation and the company constitution.
- Proof that the company is filed on the Register of Beneficial Ownership, plus details of the directors and beneficial owners. Confirm the full list with the provider.
How to choose where to open
- Confirm your legal form, since it decides whether you need a company account or can use a personal name account.
- List the features you need, such as an Irish IBAN, SEPA payments, team cards, invoicing, accounting software feeds, cash lodgement or multi currency receiving.
- Total the monthly fee plus the per item charges for your usage, read the provider fee schedule for the current figures, and confirm before you apply.
Compare business accounts available in Ireland
These providers accept business customers in Ireland. Fees and eligibility shown as of 1 May 2026. Confirm current terms with the provider before applying.
Compare business accounts →Questions about opening a business account in Ireland
How long does it take to open a business account in Ireland?
What documents do I need to open a business account in Ireland?
Do I need a business account if I am a sole trader in Ireland?
Can a non resident open a business account in Ireland?
Fees, features, and eligibility change and vary by region. This page was last reviewed on 1 May 2026. Confirm current terms with the provider before applying.