Strike Off Company: Apply to Strike Off Online (DS01)

Quick answer

Striking off is usually the cheapest way to close a UK limited company that has stopped trading and can pay its debts. The directors apply to Companies House on form DS01, which costs £13 online or £18 on paper. The company must not have traded, sold stock or changed its name in the last 3 months. After a Gazette notice and at least 2 months for objections, the company is dissolved.

What voluntary strike off is

Voluntary strike off is how the directors of a limited company ask Companies House to remove it from the register. Once struck off, the company is dissolved and no longer legally exists. GOV.UK says striking off is usually the cheapest way to close a company.

It suits a company that has finished trading, has paid or can pay its debts, and has nothing left to wind up. It does not suit a company with debts it cannot pay, or one that holds valuable assets or cash that needs to go to shareholders in a tax-efficient way. For those, and for a members' voluntary liquidation, see our guide on how to close a limited company.

Who can apply

A company can apply only if, in the last 3 months, it has not:

traded or carried on business
sold off any stock, or otherwise disposed of property or rights for value
changed its name

It must also not be threatened with liquidation, must not have an agreement with creditors such as a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), and must not be in insolvency proceedings. Activity needed to close the company, such as paying final bills, is allowed. Companies House's strike off guidance says it is an offence to apply if the company is not eligible.

The application must be signed by a majority of the directors. If the company does not qualify, the usual alternative is liquidation.

Government fees

Filing	Fee	Notes
DS01 strike off, online	£13	Paid by debit or credit card
DS01 strike off, paper	£18	Cannot be paid with a cheque from the company's own account; slower to process

Fees are from the Companies House fee schedule, current since 1 February 2026. The online service is the faster route; Companies House says paper forms usually take much longer.

Before you apply

GOV.UK lists what to close down properly before applying:

Tell interested parties and HMRC about your plans.
If you have staff, follow the redundancy rules, pay final wages and tell HMRC you have stopped employing people.
Send final statutory accounts and a Company Tax Return to HMRC. GOV.UK says you do not have to file these final accounts with Companies House.
Pay all Corporation Tax and any other tax owed.
Deal with the company's assets, share out what is left among shareholders, and close the bank account.
Cancel VAT registration if the company is registered for VAT.
Keep business records such as bank statements, invoices and receipts for 7 years after the company is struck off.

If the company made a loss in its final year of trading, GOV.UK notes you might be able to set it against profits of earlier years. Ask your accountant, or our accounts and CT600 service can prepare the final return.

Who must be notified

Within 7 days of applying, the directors must send a copy of the application to:

members (usually the shareholders)
creditors
employees
managers or trustees of any employee pension fund
any directors who did not sign the application

Anyone who becomes a member, creditor or employee while the application is pending must also get a copy within 7 days. The strike off guidance warns that failing to notify can lead to a fine or, in the most serious cases, up to 7 years in prison.

Gazette notice, timing and objections

Companies House checks the application. If it is correct, Companies House confirms receipt.
First Gazette notice. Companies House publishes notice of the proposed strike off in the relevant Gazette, the official public record.
Objection period. The company is struck off not less than 2 months after the notice. Any interested party, for example a creditor, can object, and objections must arrive at least 2 weeks before the strike off date.
Strike off and second notice. If nobody objects, the company is struck off, and a second Gazette notice confirms it has been dissolved.

An objection can delay or stop the strike off while the issue is dealt with. If the company stops meeting the conditions while the application is pending, for example because it starts trading again, the directors must withdraw it straight away on form DS02. Not withdrawing when required is an offence.

Bank balance and bona vacantia

When the company is dissolved, its bank account is frozen. Any money left in it, and any other assets, pass to the Crown as bona vacantia (ownerless property). This includes payments that arrive later, such as refunds from HMRC. To get anything back, the company must be restored to the register, and a company that the directors struck off voluntarily needs a court order to be restored. So empty the account and move every asset out before you apply.

What is included

An eligibility check against the 3-month rules and the other conditions
A pre-closure checklist covering HMRC, VAT, payroll, bank and assets
Preparation and online submission of form DS01, with the £13 fee paid from your order
Template notice letters for shareholders, creditors, employees and other directors
Tracking of the Gazette notices and the final dissolution in your portal

Not included

Final accounts and the final Company Tax Return, unless you add our accounts and CT600 service
Liquidation or insolvency advice. A licensed insolvency practitioner handles these.
Legal advice on disputes or objections

How it works

Order and intake. Tell us about the company's last trading date, name changes, debts, staff, VAT and bank account.
Document upload. Share your latest accounts, bank statement and any HMRC letters through the secure portal.
Review. Our filing team checks eligibility and sends you the checklist of what to finish first.
Approval. A majority of the directors approve the DS01.
Submission. We file online with Companies House and give you the notice letters to send within 7 days.
Tracking. We watch for both Gazette notices and update your portal until the company is dissolved.

What we need from you

Company name, number and authentication code
Names of all directors, and which of them will approve the application
The date the company last traded, and confirmation it has not changed its name in the last 3 months
A list of creditors, employees and shareholders to notify
Confirmation that final tax returns are filed or in hand, and the bank balance is cleared

Timelines

The legal minimum is 2 months from the first Gazette notice to strike off. Companies House does not publish a fixed time for checking the application and publishing that notice, and paper applications take longer. Our filing team starts once your intake is complete and the pre-closure checklist is done.

Doing it yourself vs using us

You can apply online yourself for £13, and for a company that never traded, with no staff, no VAT and an empty bank account, that is realistic. Most problems come from applying too early: trading or selling assets within the 3-month window, forgetting a creditor, or leaving money in the bank that then goes to the Crown. Our service is the checklist, the filing and the tracking in one place. See pricing or start your order.

Sources

Fees, deadlines and rules on this page were last checked on 27 September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to strike off a company?

At least 2 months from the first Gazette notice, plus the time Companies House takes to check the application and publish that notice. Paper applications take longer than online ones. An objection adds more time.

Can I strike off a company with money in the bank?

You can apply, but you should not leave money there. On dissolution the account is frozen and any balance passes to the Crown. Pay debts, share out what is left and close the account before you apply.

Can I strike off a company that owes money?

Creditors must be sent a copy of the application within 7 days, and they can object. A company threatened with liquidation or in a creditors’ arrangement cannot apply. If the company cannot pay its debts, speak to a licensed insolvency practitioner first.

Can I cancel a strike off application?

Yes. The directors withdraw it on form DS02. They must do this straight away if the company stops meeting the conditions, for example if it starts trading again.

What happens if someone objects to the strike off?

Any interested party can object after the first Gazette notice, and objections must reach Companies House at least 2 weeks before the strike off date. The strike off can then be delayed or stopped while the issue is dealt with.

Can a struck off company be restored?

Yes, but if the directors struck it off voluntarily, restoration needs a court order. Administrative restoration through Companies House only applies to companies struck off by the registrar.