What Irish businesses must display on their website: legal requirements

Irish business websites face two separate sets of legal disclosure requirements: the Companies Act 2014 for registered companies, and the E-Commerce Regulations 2003 (SI 68/2003) for online service providers. These overlap but are not identical — and many Irish SMB websites are missing one or more required elements.

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Companies Act 2014 — Section 49

Every Irish company registered with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) must display the following on all business letters, notices, and official publications. Courts have consistently held that websites qualify as "official publications."

Required for all registered Irish companies:

| Requirement | Notes | |-------------|-------| | Full company name | As registered with the CRO — including "Limited" or "DAC" | | Company registration number | Your CRO number (typically 5-6 digits) | | Registered office address | The address on file with the CRO | | At least one director's name | For an LTD with a single director, that director's name | | Company type | "Limited", "Designated Activity Company", "Public Limited Company", etc. |

What your CRO number looks like: A 5 or 6-digit number, often displayed as "Company No. 123456" or "Registered in Ireland No. 123456."

Sole traders are not subject to Section 49, but must display their own name and address on their website under the E-Commerce Regulations (see below).

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E-Commerce Regulations 2003 — SI 68/2003

The E-Commerce Regulations 2003 implement the EU's E-Commerce Directive. They apply to any "information society service provider" — which in practice means any business with a website that provides information or sells products or services online.

Required for all online service providers:

| Requirement | Notes | |-------------|-------| | Name of the service provider | Your business name | | Geographic address | Where the business is established — a PO Box is not sufficient | | Contact details including email | A direct email address, not just a contact form | | VAT registration number | If VAT-registered | | Trade register | CRO number and the Companies Registration Office | | Supervisory authority | For regulated professions (solicitors, financial advisers, estate agents) | | Professional body registration | Law Society number, Central Bank authorisation, PSRA licence, etc. |

The regulations require this information to be "easily, directly and permanently accessible." This means visible in the footer or within one click from the footer — not hidden inside a terms document.

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For e-commerce businesses: additional requirements

If you sell products or services online to consumers, additional obligations apply under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 and the E-Commerce Regulations:

• Price transparency: Prices must clearly state whether they include VAT. For B2C sales, display prices inclusive of tax.
• Right of withdrawal: Consumer purchases online have a 14-day cooling-off period. Your terms must explain this and provide a withdrawal procedure.
• Order confirmation: Customers must receive confirmation of their order and your acceptance.
• Pre-contractual information: Before the customer commits to payment, they must see the total price, delivery costs, and your withdrawal right — not just on a checkout page they might skip.

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For regulated professions

If your business is in a regulated profession, additional disclosure is required:

| Profession | Required disclosure | |------------|---------------------| | Solicitors | Law Society of Ireland member number | | Financial advisers | Central Bank of Ireland authorisation reference | | Estate agents | PSRA (Property Services Regulatory Authority) licence number | | Accountants | Professional body membership (CPA, ICAI, ACCA, CFA) | | Architects | Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) registration | | Pharmacists | Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland registration |

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What a compliant Irish business website footer looks like

Acme Services Limited
Company Registration No. 123456 | VAT No. IE 1234567T
Registered Office: 1 Main Street, Dublin 2, D02 AB12
Directors: Jane Smith, John Murphy
Email: info@acmeservices.ie | Tel: 01 234 5678

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Sources

• Companies Act 2014 — Section 49 (Irish Statute Book)
• SI 68/2003 — E-Commerce Regulations (Irish Statute Book)
• CRO — Companies Registration Office
• CCPC — E-Commerce guidance for businesses

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This is technical analysis, not legal advice. Consult a qualified solicitor for advice specific to your business.