How to Register for ROS as a New Company
How to register for ROS as a new company: the ROS Access Number, verification codes, your digital certificate, ROS login and fixes for common problems.
- Author
- Abbey Blue Formations
- Published
- Reading time
- 7 min read
Once your company is incorporated and registered for tax, the next job is to register for ROS, the Revenue Online Service. Almost everything your company does with Revenue happens there: filing VAT returns, paying corporation tax, submitting the CT1, applying for tax clearance and running payroll.
The process has three steps, a letter in the post and a certificate file that is easy to lose. This guide explains each step and how to fix the most common problems.
Before you start: what your company needs
ROS is for businesses, the self-employed and tax practitioners. Before you can begin a ROS registration for a company, you need:
- A tax registration number. Your company must already be registered with Revenue for at least one tax, usually corporation tax, and often VAT and employer PAYE too. If this is not done, start with company tax and VAT registration.
- A correct business address on Revenue's records. Your access number is sent there by post.
- An email address and mobile number you can access straight away, as verification codes are sent to them.
- A computer or device where you can safely save the digital certificate.
If you are a PAYE employee only, you use myAccount instead. ROS is the service for your company.
How to register for ROS: the three steps
Revenue splits ROS registration into three steps. You cannot log in until all three are complete.
Step 1: Apply for your ROS Access Number (RAN)
On the ROS registration page, choose to register as an individual or company and enter:
- Your company's tax registration number.
- The tax type (for example, corporation tax).
- Your email address and mobile number.
Revenue emails a verification code, which you enter to confirm the application. Revenue then posts a ROS Access Number (RAN) to the business address it holds. Allow up to five working days for an Irish address, longer for an overseas one. The RAN is valid for three months.
Step 2: Apply for your digital certificate
When the RAN arrives, return to ROS and enter:
- The RAN from the letter.
- The tax type.
- The company's tax registration number.
Choose whether to receive a verification code by text or email. Texts only go to Irish and UK mobile numbers, so choose email if you use a number from elsewhere. The code is valid for one hour, so do Step 3 straight away.
Step 3: Download and save your digital certificate
In the final step you:
- Create a certificate name of up to 20 characters, with no spaces or symbols.
- Create a password of at least eight characters, with at least one upper-case letter, one lower-case letter and one number. It cannot match the certificate name.
- Save the certificate file (a P12.BAC file) to your device.
The person who completes this step becomes the ROS Administrator, with full access to the company's ROS account. The administrator can later create sub-user certificates for colleagues or an extra device, with limited access if needed.
Your ROS login after registration
Your ROS login uses two things: the certificate file saved on your device and the password you created. Revenue cannot reissue a lost password, so store it securely and keep a backup copy of the certificate file.
ROS digital certificates are valid for up to two years. When yours is close to expiry, ROS prompts you to renew it when you log in. You set a new password and receive a new certificate file, valid for another two years.
Common ROS registration problems (and how to fix them)
The RAN never arrived. It goes to the business address Revenue holds, not necessarily where you are now. If your company recently moved or uses a registered office address service, check post is being forwarded and that Revenue has the right address.
The RAN expired. It is only valid for three months. Start again at Step 1.
The verification code expired. Codes in Step 2 last one hour. If yours lapses, or your contact details have changed, contact the ROS Technical Helpdesk.
No text message. Texts only go to Irish and UK mobile numbers. Select email instead.
Lost certificate or forgotten password. Use the "Reset ROS Login" option to apply for a new certificate. Revenue staff cannot tell you your old password.
New laptop. Your certificate is a file on your old device. Copy the backup across, or create a sub-user certificate from the administrator account.
ROS, deadlines and your bookkeeping
Registering is only the start. Once your company can log in, you file VAT returns, pay preliminary tax, submit the CT1 and, if you have staff, run payroll through ROS. Our first-year compliance calendar sets out what falls due and when, and our guide to your first VAT return (VAT3 and RTD) walks through a typical first filing.
The figures you file in ROS are only as reliable as your records. Many directors choose to keep ROS access themselves but hand the numbers to a bookkeeper. Our online bookkeeping and accounting packages keep your VAT, payroll and year-end figures ready to file.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to register for ROS?
Step 1 takes a few minutes online, but you then wait for your ROS Access Number by post, up to five working days to an Irish address and longer abroad. Once it arrives, Steps 2 and 3 can be done in one sitting. Most new companies can complete ROS registration within about a week of starting, provided Revenue has the right address.
Can my company register for ROS before it is registered for tax?
No. You need a tax registration number, so the company must first be registered for at least one tax, usually corporation tax. Tax registration normally follows incorporation. Once Revenue has issued the number, you can register for ROS and apply for your access number straight away.
What do I need for my ROS login?
You need your digital certificate file, saved on the device you are using, and the password you created in Step 3. If either is lost, use the Reset ROS Login option to apply for a new certificate. Keep a secure backup of the certificate file so a broken or replaced computer does not lock you out of your ROS login.
Who should be the ROS Administrator for a company?
Usually a director. The administrator has full access to the company's ROS account and can create sub-user certificates for other people or devices, with restricted access if required. Choose someone who will stay with the business, as that account controls who else can file and view records on the company's behalf.
Does my accountant need access to my ROS account?
Not necessarily. Tax practitioners register for ROS in their own right and can file on behalf of clients they are linked to as agents. Many companies still complete their own ROS registration for a company so directors can view returns, payments and tax clearance status directly.
Get your company ready for Revenue
From incorporation and tax registration to monthly bookkeeping and first filings, we get your company ready to deal with Revenue from day one. Click here to get an instant quote with our Formation Calculator, or request a call back and we will talk you through it.