Companies in Ireland have an annual responsibility to file a statutory Annual Return and Financial Statements although certain exceptions (primarily related to regulated entities) apply.
Failure to file on time will incur, at a minimum, the automatic imposition of penalty filing fees and possible strike-off. The company could also lose the right to file audit exempt Financial Statements for the following two years.
An Annual Return provides a snapshot of the company on a specific date (the “Annual Return Date”).
The Annual Return and Financial Statements must be filed at the same time. There are only two exceptions to this rule when a company:
- files its first Annual Return within six months from the date of incorporation, and;
- seeks to change its Annual Return Date.
The Companies Registration Office designates the first Annual Return Date (ARD) based on the date of incorporation. The company may seek to change the ARD once every five years.
Annual Returns and accompanying documentation (Financial Statements and Signature Pages) must be filed within 56 days of the ARD.
Financial Statements attached to the Annual Return must be no more than nine months from the date of the financial year end.