A business name is a name used to carry on business by any individual, body corporate or partnership and which the name is not the same as their own true name.

Every business is required to register its name. No matter what type of business you own, the name must be registered with the Company Registrations Office (CRO). Its purpose is to make public the identities of those individual(s), partnerships or corporate bodies being the legal entity behind the business name.

Specifically registration of a business name is required if:

• an individual uses a business name which differs in any way from his/her true surname. It makes no difference whether the individuals first name or initials are added (so registration is required if, for example, Mr. John Murphy traded as Murphy Builders but not if he traded as Murphy or John Murphy);
• a firm uses a business name which differs in any way from the true names of all partners who are individuals and the corporate names of all partners which are bodies corporate;
• a company uses a business name which differs in any way from its full corporate name;
• a person having a place of business in the State carries on the business of publishing a newspaper;
• the applicant must have a place of business in the state and carry on business under a business name.