Choosing an accountant in Ireland: cost and checks for 2026
To choose an accountant in Ireland, start with membership of a recognised professional body, then compare two or three written quotes for the same scope. There is no official fee scale: the price depends on whether you trade as a sole trader or a company, VAT registration, payroll and the volume of paperwork. Your accountant deals with Revenue through a ROS agent link that you approve.
Accountant, bookkeeper, tax adviser: who does what
Most small businesses in Ireland work with one practice for bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll and the annual tax return. What distinguishes practices is the qualification behind them and the supervision that comes with it.
According to IAASA, the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority, five prescribed accountancy bodies operate in Ireland: Chartered Accountants Ireland, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Association of International Accountants (AIA) and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). IAASA supervises how these bodies monitor and regulate their members and approves the rules that apply to them. CPA Ireland has been part of Chartered Accountants Ireland since September 2024, which is why you will see both ACA and CPA designations from the same institute.
Tax specialists often hold the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification of the Irish Tax Institute. A bookkeeper may be very good at day-to-day processing, but is not automatically a member of any of these bodies, so ask.
📊Who typically does what
| Task | Bookkeeper | Accountant (body member) | Statutory auditor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recording invoices and receipts | yes | yes | not usually |
| VAT returns and payroll | often | yes | not usually |
| Form 11 or CT1 tax return | sometimes | yes | not usually |
| Financial statements for the CRO | rarely | yes | yes |
| Audit report | no | only if approved as auditor | yes |
| Supervision by a professional body | only if a member | yes | yes |
Does your company need an audit?
For most small companies, no. A company that qualifies as small can claim audit exemption. The CRO uses three tests: a balance sheet total of 7.5 million euro, turnover of 15 million euro and 50 employees. A small company must stay within two of the three in the current and the preceding financial year. Public limited companies, credit institutions, insurance undertakings and some other categories cannot claim it.
Filing on time matters. Since 16 July 2025 a company loses audit exemption for the following two years if it fails to deliver its annual return on time and has also failed to do so in any of the previous five financial years, according to the Department of Enterprise. Late filing fees apply in every case. Keeping the CRO deadline is therefore part of what you pay an accountant for.
What does an accountant cost in 2026?
There is no official fee scale and no official price statistic, so every fee is a matter of agreement. Practices usually quote a fixed monthly or annual fee for a defined scope, or charge by the hour. What drives the fee:
- Legal form. A sole trader files a Form 11 under self-assessment. A company needs financial statements, a CT1 corporation tax return and a CRO annual return, often with a Form 11 for the director as well.
- VAT. You must register once turnover exceeds 42,500 euro for services or 85,000 euro for goods (Revenue). Each VAT return adds work.
- Payroll. Usually charged per employee and pay period.
- Volume. Ten sales invoices a month or two hundred receipts is a different job.
- Quality of records. Missing receipts and follow-up questions cost hours.
Compare the scope, not only the price
A low monthly fee says little if the year-end accounts, the CRO annual return or Revenue correspondence are billed separately. Ask two or three practices to quote on the same basis: documents per month, VAT returns, payroll, year-end work. Ask for an engagement letter that lists what is not included and the hourly rate that applies to extras.
How your accountant works with Revenue
Your accountant acts as your tax agent. Revenue gives agents a Tax Agent Identification Number (TAIN). To link to you, the agent sends an Agent Link Request through ROS. You receive an email and approve or reject the request in ROS, under the Revenue Record tab, or in myAccount through MyEnquiries (Revenue). When you change accountant, check which links are active.
Example: IT consultant in Cork
Aoife is a sole trader in Cork who works as an IT consultant, with fees of 70,000 euro a year. She is above the 42,500 euro services threshold and is registered for VAT. She sends about eight invoices a month and collects around thirty receipts for software, travel and equipment.
She asks two practices for a quote. Practice A offers a fixed annual fee covering VAT returns and her Form 11. Practice B charges by the hour and estimates the time based on complete records. B looks cheaper, but Aoife hands over her receipts once a quarter in a shoebox. Under B she pays for every hour spent sorting them. She decides to fix her record keeping first and then choose.
📋Choosing an accountant in five steps
- Check the body – Ask which prescribed body the accountant belongs to, and confirm it with the body directly.
- Sector and legal form – A practice with many contractors, retailers or limited companies knows the questions you will have.
- Software and records – Ask which accounting package they use and how receipts reach them.
- Contact and deadlines – Who is your contact, and when are VAT returns and the CRO annual return prepared?
- Engagement letter – Get scope, fee, extras and notice period in writing before you start.
What is coming: e-invoicing
Revenue has published a timeline for VAT modernisation. From 1 November 2028, large corporates must issue e-invoices and report in real time, and every business must be able to receive e-invoices (Revenue). From November 2029 this extends to all VAT-registered businesses for intra-EU B2B trade, and full ViDA applies from 1 July 2030. The format is EN 16931. Ask a new accountant how they plan to handle it. Background is in ViDA explained.
Working together: receipts as you go
Kontevia is in early access and is built for the step before your accountant. You send a receipt or invoice as a photo by WhatsApp or email. Amount, date, supplier and VAT are read, the document gets a category suggestion and is checked for duplicates. At month end your accountant receives a CSV export. More under receipts by chat and in how a receipt is read. Bookkeeping, tax returns and advice stay with your accountant.
Official sources
- IAASA: prescribed accountancy bodies
- CRO: small company
- Department of Enterprise: amended audit exemption regime
- Revenue: agent and advisor e-linking
- Revenue: VAT modernisation timeline
This article is general information and does not replace advice from a tax adviser or accountant. All details are correct as of 12 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an accountant cost in Ireland?
- There is no official fee scale or price statistic, so fees are agreed between you and the practice, usually as a fixed monthly or annual fee or an hourly rate. The price depends mostly on whether you are a sole trader or a company, VAT registration, payroll, the number of invoices and receipts, and how complete your records are.
- Does my small company need an audit?
- Usually not. A company that qualifies as small and meets the other conditions can claim audit exemption. The CRO applies three tests, a balance sheet total of 7.5 million euro, turnover of 15 million euro and 50 employees, and a small company must stay within two of them. Late filing of the annual return more than once in five years can cost you the exemption for two years.
- How does my accountant get access to my Revenue record?
- Your accountant needs a Tax Agent Identification Number (TAIN) and sends an Agent Link Request through ROS. You approve or reject it in ROS under the Revenue Record tab or in myAccount through MyEnquiries.
- Which professional bodies do Irish accountants belong to?
- IAASA lists five prescribed accountancy bodies operating in Ireland: Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACCA, CIMA, AIA and CIPFA. IAASA supervises how these bodies regulate their members. Tax specialists often hold the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification of the Irish Tax Institute.
Topics:choosing an accountant Irelandaccountant fees IrelandTAINROS agent linkaudit exemptionChartered Accountants Ireland
Kontevia is in early access. Country-specific behaviour described here reflects the rules of each state, not a promise that every feature is live in your country today.
Bookkeeping that keeps up with EU rules
Send a receipt by chat or e-mail, and Kontevia reads it, posts it under the rules of your country and prepares VAT and the export for your accountant. Early access is open.
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