Irish micro and small thresholds at a glance
CRO's micro-company table lists turnover up to EUR900,000, balance-sheet total up to EUR450,000 and employees not exceeding 10. Its small-company guidance lists EUR15 million turnover, EUR7.5 million balance-sheet total and employees not exceeding 50. Generally two of the three measures must be satisfied, with applicable period and eligibility rules.
These are Irish reporting criteria, not the UK's table or a test of financial strength. The Department explains that the 2024 adjusted thresholds apply for years beginning on or after 1 January 2024, with an option to apply from 1 January 2023. Check the actual period and accounting basis rather than applying today's reference points to every historic filing.
| Measure | Micro | Small |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover not exceeding | EUR900,000 | EUR15 million |
| Balance-sheet total not exceeding | EUR450,000 | EUR7.5 million |
| Employees not exceeding | 10 | 50 |
Why two out of three is not a complete calculator
A reader may have assets but no disclosed turnover. Another may mistake year-end headcount for the average employee measure. Mixed or missing inputs produce a result that looks precise while answering a different question from the statutory test. Public company data should not be stretched beyond what its source establishes.
Rules also concern financial years, first-year treatment and excluded entities. Group situations require separate analysis rather than automatic reuse of an individual-company table. If classification is material to a filing or contract, ask the preparer for the stated regime and supporting reasoning. Keep that response distinct from your own numerical comparison and from any subsequent commercial approval.
Worked example: one measure above the micro limit
A fictional standalone supplier reports EUR1.2 million turnover, EUR300,000 balance-sheet total and an average of eight employees. It exceeds the micro turnover reference point but is below the other two. This illustrates why sales alone cannot answer the size question; it is not a final determination that this business qualifies for every exemption.
The reviewer still needs the relevant periods, company type and any restrictions. If turnover is absent, do not substitute zero and run the arithmetic. Record the missing input and the reporting basis actually stated. When a professional assessment is required, provide the original documents rather than a table stripped of dates and scope.
| Input | Micro comparison | Review note |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover EUR1.2 million | Above EUR900,000 | One measure exceeded |
| Assets EUR300,000 | Below EUR450,000 | Confirm the correct measure |
| Average employees 8 | Below 10 | Do not substitute year-end headcount |
Short accounts can still answer useful questions
A reduced filing may establish identity, financial-year end, reporting basis and some balance-sheet relationships. Those facts are useful when labelled correctly. A short set of accounts does not need to become a complete credit model to contribute to a proportionate supplier review.
Create an inventory of statements, notes, signatures and comparative amounts actually present. Then identify what they do not answer, such as current trading or capacity to fulfil a contract. This is more useful than a long narrative that quietly assumes every schedule exists. It also prevents an information request from becoming broader than the decision needs.
Compare scope, time and units before comparing size
A consolidated statement may include several subsidiaries while separate-company accounts cover only the contracting entity. A twelve-month period and an extended reporting period do not support an unqualified turnover comparison. A micro or small label cannot repair mismatched scope, time or measurement units.
Use a comparison header: legal name, company number, individual or group scope, period, currency, units and regime. If one supplier provides more detail, describe that disclosure difference without assuming it proves a stronger business. Record whether the figures are current enough and whether any later information changes the relevance of the historical comparison.
Missing turnover is not zero turnover
Use a clear state such as not disclosed in the reviewed filing. Keep it separate from a reported zero and from source access being unavailable. This prevents accidental misinformation in spreadsheets and later reports. It also makes it possible to explain precisely why a comparison was not completed.
For a material commitment, ask for appropriate current evidence through an authorised channel. Explain the purpose and restrict private responses. Do not estimate sales from assets, age or headcount merely to populate a dashboard. If the missing amount is not relevant to the transaction, say so instead of creating an unnecessary collection of confidential information.
- Save the exact document and period.
- Distinguish disclosed zero, not disclosed and source unavailable.
- Request additional information only when it affects the decision.
- Keep unsupported estimates out of factual company summaries.
Use classification to choose evidence, not approve credit
The regime can explain the shape of a filing and guide the next request. It does not establish payment behaviour, available cash or protection for an advance. Those are separate questions. A micro company can fulfil an order well, while a larger company can still present unacceptable exposure for a particular transaction.
Search the legal entity first, then choose a company report or individual filing against a defined question. Coverage varies by company and source. A report does not turn undisclosed figures into verified facts or certify the accounting classification. Keep the original evidence, interpretation and approval decision as separate parts of the record.