Business Name Registration?????

firemansam1

Hi,

Quick question,

If If John Kelly wants to start a business (sole trader) as "John Kelly Electrical", does he need to register the business name with the CRO.

Thanks

Swampy

Yes, if you want to trade under that name. Only costs €20.

mneylon

The basic rule is that if you want to trade as anything other than your given name you need to register it as a business name

So if John Murphy wants to sell services as John Murphy he wouldn't need to register a business name, but once he wants to trade as anything else he would ..

dahamsta

In my experience, the only thing you actually /need/ the RBN for is lodging cheques in that name. Back in the day, that was critical, but it can be less important these days, depending on the type of business.

mneylon

From the CRO:
"Registration of a business name is obligatory if any individual or partnership (whether composed of individuals or bodies corporate or any combination of both) or any body corporate carries on business under a name other than their own true names"
http://www.cro.ie/ena/business-registration-business-name.aspx

dahamsta

You do love a good nitpick Michele, eh?

I'm simply stating the fact that the only time I was ever asked for an RBN when I was a sole trader (~10 years, hence my use of the phrase "in my experience") was when I went to lodge cheques in that name, and even then that was after I had already lodged dozens. I wasn't asked for an RBN by the bank for any other purpose, or by any other institution, and that includes the Revenue and the Companies Office. The OP can take from that what they will.

This situation is very similar to when people tell business newbies authoritatively that they must "register", as if there's some kind of master list of sole traders out there, when of course all that really matters is that they pay their income tax and watch out for VAT thresholds.

adam