Dissolve a Private Limited Company

A private company that is not trading may apply to be struck off the register of companies.

Closing / Dissolving a company – striking-off or winding-up

A limited company can request to be dissolved under Section 1003 of the Companies Act 2006, providing that it meets all of the following requirements:

• Not traded within the last 3 months

• Not changed the company name within the last 3 months

• Is not subject to any legal proceedings, current or proposed

• Has not made a disposal for value of property or rights

If you have a private company and it is not trading you should be aware that the simplest and least expensive method of closing it down is for us to apply for it to be struck off the register of companies. This procedure is not an alternative to formal insolvency proceedings.

Copies of the form asking for dissolution must be given within 10 days of the application being submitted to members, creditors, employees, managers or trustees, and company directors who have not signed the form.

Insolvency proceedings before being dissolved

If the Registrar has reason to believe that a company is not carrying on business or is not in operation, its name may be struck off the register and dissolved without going through liquidation.

Applying to have a company struck off the register

The procedure is not an alternative to formal insolvency proceedings where these are appropriate, as creditors are likely to prevent the striking off. Even if the company is struck off and dissolved, creditors and others could apply for it to be restored to the register.

Please complete our company restoration form to enquire about restoring your company.