Striking Off & Withdrawal

Close your company formally, or stop the process if plans change.

If your company is no longer needed, you can ask for it to be struck off the register, which closes it officially. Before making this request, it is important to make sure the company has met certain conditions, such as having no unsettled business matters. If you change your mind or the situation changes, the application can be withdrawn before the company is dissolved. We help you with both the application and the withdrawal. Forms covered: DS01, DS02.

DS01 Striking Off Application by a Company (Version 9.0, 02/26)

Purpose

DS01 is made under section 1003 of the Companies Act 2006 and is used to apply to strike a company off the register. It cannot be used to strike off a limited liability partnership (LL DS01 is used for that). On dissolution any remaining property and rights pass to the Crown, and it is an offence to knowingly or recklessly provide false or misleading information on the application.

Deadlines

Copies of the application must be sent to all notifiable parties within 7 days from the day on which the application is made, and to anyone who later becomes a notifiable party within 7 days of that happening, until the application is finally dealt with or withdrawn.

Requirements

The company name and number must match the public register. The form must be authenticated and dated by the sole director if there is one, by both if there are two, or by the majority if there are more than two (for example 4 of 6 directors), using a continuation sheet if needed. The £18 fee must be enclosed (cheque or postal order payable to Companies House).

Filing Process

The form opens with a warning to interested parties that the company has applied to be struck off. Section 1 gives the company number and name. Section 2 is the application, in which the director or the majority of directors declare that none of the circumstances in sections 1004 or 1005 of the Act (which would prevent an application) exists and that they have complied with sections 1006 and 1007 by giving, or being about to give, copies of the application to the people listed in those sections. Section 3 is the authentication by the directors, giving each director’s forename, surname and authentication date. Section 4 explains what to do next: notify all notifiable parties and, if the company stops being eligible, withdraw the application.

DS02 Withdrawal of Striking Off Application by a Company (Version 5.0, 03/26)

Purpose

DS02 is made under section 1010 of the Companies Act 2006 and is used to withdraw a company’s striking off application. It cannot be used to withdraw a striking off application by a limited liability partnership, or to stop the Registrar striking off a company for default filing.

Deadlines

The form does not print a fixed date. DS01 states that if the company ceases to be eligible for striking off after the application is made and before it is finally dealt with, the application must be withdrawn using DS02.

Requirements

The company number and name must match the public register, a director must sign the form (any director may sign) and the company must be in a position to file the form following an application to strike it off. The circumstances in which an application must be withdrawn are in section 1009 of the Companies Act 2006.

Filing Process

Section 1 gives the company number and the company name in full. Section 2 is the notice of withdrawal, which states that the directors withdraw the application in which it was requested that the company be struck off the register. Section 3 is the signature on behalf of the company.