How to close a company with DS01 in the UK 2026: steps and fee

If your private limited company is no longer needed and is not trading, you can close it voluntarily by removing it from the Companies House register. To do this you file form DS01 (strike off). The process is simple and cheap, but it does not suit every company.

When can you file DS01?

You can strike off a company if it: has not traded or sold off stock in the last 3 months; has not changed its name in the last 3 months; is not threatened with liquidation; and has no agreements with creditors, such as a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). If these conditions are not met, you cannot simply strike it off — you will need a voluntary liquidation through a licensed insolvency practitioner.

What does it cost and how long does it take?

The fee to apply to strike off is £18. After you apply, Companies House publishes a notice in the official journal The Gazette. If no one objects within the 2 months stated in the notice, the company is struck off the register, a second notice is published, and the company legally ceases to exist.

Who must you tell?

You must send a copy of the application to interested parties: any directors who did not sign the form, shareholders, creditors and employees. This gives them the chance to object if they have grounds — for example unpaid debts. A creditor's objection can stop the strike off.

What to do before closing?

Before closing, settle the company's affairs: deal with employees under the rules, close your accounts with HMRC (VAT, PAYE, Corporation Tax), and share out remaining assets among shareholders — after strike off, anything left in the accounts passes to the Crown (bona vacantia). Keep the accounting records: you must hold them for several years after closing. If you are unsure which route fits — strike off or liquidation — take advice from an accountant.

What are the alternatives and pitfalls?

If the company owes money it cannot pay, strike off is the wrong route: creditors can later have the company restored, and directors can face action for an improper closure. In that case a formal liquidation is used instead. A dormant company that merely holds a name can stay on the register by filing dormant accounts and a confirmation statement each year — sometimes cheaper than closing and reopening. After strike off, a company can in some cases be restored by court order, for example if a creditor comes forward. Before the process completes, close the company's bank accounts: any money left in them passes to the Crown.

Details and the form are on GOV.UK.