Official form guide
Form No. 4A Notice of Tender Offer
Form No. 4A – Notice of Tender Offer is a filing required by the Courts Service of Ireland when a company or person makes a public tender offer for shares or securities of an Irish company. It must be lodged before the offer is opened to the market.
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Form Overview
Courts Service of Ireland - Form No. 4A Notice of Tender Offer
Form No. 4A – Notice of Tender Offer is a filing required by the Courts Service of Ireland when a company or person makes a public tender offer for shares or securities of an Irish company. It must be lodged before the offer is opened to the market.
Risk Radar
Scan points- 1The most common mistake is filing the notice after the tender has already opened.
- 2Late filing (misses the 5‑day rule)
- 3Incorrect share count or price details
- 4Missing signature or electronic authentication
- 5Failure to attach required annexes
Plain English
If you plan to buy a big chunk of an Irish company's shares by making a public offer, you have to tell the courts about it. This form is the official heads‑up that lets the regulator and shareholders know a tender is coming.
Submission Date
- Filing date: The notice must reach the Courts Service at least five business days before the tender offer is opened to the public. Late filing can invalidate the offer.
- Preparation window: collect IDs, supporting records, and signatures in advance.
- Final review: verify names, dates, and required fields before submission.
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Glossary Terms
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What this form is for
- When you are making a public tender offer for shares of an Irish company.
- If the offer is made under the Companies Act 2014 or EU Take‑over Directive.
- When the offer exceeds the 5 % threshold that triggers a public tender.
- For any tender that requires a court‑registered notice, not just private negotiations.
- If you need to provide the courts with the offer terms for regulatory transparency.
Form selector
Use this form or another form?
Private off‑market purchase
Not a public tender, no court notice needed
✓ Verify the transaction is truly private
Take‑over bid above 30%
Higher threshold triggers a different filing
✓ Check the share percentage
Offer of debt securities
Different instrument type
✓ Confirm you are offering shares, not debt
Deadline or filing window
The notice must reach the Courts Service at least five business days before the tender offer is opened to the public. Late filing can invalidate the offer.
Before you submit
- 1All offeror details (name, address, registration number) are entered.
- 2Target company name and CRO number are correct.
- 3Tender price, number of shares, and conditions are accurate.
- 4All required annexes (offer document, prospectus) are attached.
- 5Form is signed by an authorized officer.
- 6Electronic PDF is clear and searchable.
- 7Submission receipt or postal tracking number is saved.
- 8Check that the correct filing fee (if applicable) is paid.
- 9Confirm the filing date is at least 5 business days before opening.
How to file this form
- 1Download the latest Form 4A from the Courts Service website.
- 2Complete the form in Word or PDF editor, typing rather than handwriting.
- 3Attach the tender offer document and any required disclosures.
- 4Sign the form electronically or print, sign, and scan.
- 5Upload the PDF to the eCourts portal or mail a hard copy to the High Court Registry.
- 6Record the acknowledgment reference number.
- 7Store a copy of the filed form and receipt for future reference.
Known limitations
- 1The form does not accept handwritten entries for electronic filing.
- 2Only PDF format is accepted on eCourts.
- 3No automatic validation of share count against the target’s register.
- 4The portal may experience downtime during peak filing periods.
- 5Annex size limit of 10 MB per file.
Field map
Compact field-by-field guide
Proceedings
3 items
The names of the parties exactly as they appear on the originating document.
The court record number for the case, if one has been assigned.
The court and the office where the document is being filed.
Substance
2 items
What you are asking the court to do, or the information the form requires.
The facts relied on and any documents exhibited with the filing.
Execution
1 items
Signed, sworn or certified as the form requires, with proof of service where needed.
Almost done reviewing the fields?
Fillable formOpen in Editor->Form 4A is currently the latest version (as of 2024) and remains valid. No major amendments have been announced this year.
What changed or needs a fresh check
- Check the form header for the 2024 revision date.
- Verify the required annexes list matches the latest guidance.
- Confirm the electronic signature field is present.
- Ensure the filing fee amount (if any) is up to date.
- Review the deadline wording – 5 business days before opening.
Quick Facts
Form Details
- Revision date
- 19/01/26
Downloads & source
Common confusion points
Mixing up Form 4A (share tender) with Form4C (debt tender).
Assuming a private sale needs a Notice of Tender Offer.
Incorrectly calculating the 5‑business‑day deadline.
Leavingthe signature field blankelectronic vs. manual signing.
Uploading the form in a non‑PDF format.
Ongoing changes to the target company's share capital not reflected
Unclearwhether annexesmust be separate files or combined
source_log: ["Form name and number from user input","Issuing agency CourtsService of Ireland", "General filing deadline inferred from Companies Act 2014", "eCourts portal as submission method inferred from other COURTS forms", "No official source confirming annex list – marked not confirmed in official source", "No official source for fee amount – marked not confirmed in official source"]
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