How to Strike Off a Company Online in the UK: DS01 Steps, Cost and Tax (2026/27)
Quick answer
To strike off a company online, a director files Form DS01 through the Companies House online service, using the company’s authentication code. The fee is £13. Your company must be solvent and must have stopped trading at least three months earlier. If nobody objects, it is removed from the register and dissolved in around three months.
Last reviewed: [INSERT REVIEW DATE] · Written by Marina Jahan · Reviewed by Shamayun Chowdhury, ACMA, CMA
A limited company keeps creating paperwork long after the work dries up. Annual accounts, a confirmation statement and a Company Tax Return are still due every year, even when nothing is happening. If you no longer need the company, the cheapest way out is usually to strike off a company online and let Companies House close it for you.
The form is quick; the preparation matters more. This guide covers who qualifies, what to settle first, each step, the timeline, the cost and the 2026/27 tax rules.
What does it mean to strike off a company online?
Striking off means asking Companies House to remove your company from its register. When that happens, the company is dissolved and stops existing as a legal person. It can no longer trade, hold money, own property or enter contracts.
You may also see this called voluntary strike-off, voluntary dissolution or simply dissolving a limited company. They all describe the same process: the directors choose to close a company that has paid its way and has no further purpose. When you strike off a company online, you start that process digitally instead of posting a paper form.
Strike-off is not liquidation
Liquidation is a formal procedure handled by a licensed insolvency practitioner. It is used when a company cannot pay what it owes, or when a solvent company has large reserves to hand back to shareholders. Both routes end with the company dissolved. Strike-off is simply the faster, cheaper option, and the directors run it themselves.
Can you strike off a company online? Eligibility checklist
You can only strike off a company online if it meets the conditions in the Companies Act 2006. Go through every point before you prepare anything, because a failed application wastes time and the fee.
During the three months before you apply, the company must not have:
- traded or run its business;
- changed its name;
- sold stock or other trading assets, other than as part of winding down;
- done anything except what is needed to close down and settle its affairs.
The company must also:
- not be in administration or liquidation, or about to be;
- not be part of a formal deal with its creditors, such as a CVA;
- have the application approved by its directors, or a majority of them.
Accountant insight: Strike-off is only for companies that can meet their bills. If the company owes money it cannot repay, particularly to HMRC, do not use this route. Creditors can block the application. Directors who strike off a company to escape its debts risk disqualification and personal liability.
Before you apply: put the company in order
Most rejected or delayed applications fail because of loose ends, not the form itself. Clear the debts, deal with HMRC and empty the bank account, in that order.
1. Pay what the company owes and collect what it is owed
Settle supplier invoices, end any leases or contracts and chase customers who have not paid. Clear the director’s loan account, or record exactly how it will be repaid. An unpaid creditor can object and stop the process.
2. Close everything with HMRC
Prepare final accounts and a final Company Tax Return (CT600) up to the date trading stopped, and pay the corporation tax due. If you ran payroll, send a final submission marked as the last one and close the PAYE scheme. If you are VAT-registered, cancel the registration and file a final VAT return. HMRC can object too, so everything should be filed before you apply.
3. Take out what is left, then close the bank account
Once every bill is paid, take any remaining cash or assets out of the company. Anything still in its name on the day it is dissolved passes to the Crown. Keep back enough to cover the £13 fee and any final costs, then close the account.
Accountant insight: A common slip is closing the bank account before the final tax bill and the accountant’s fee have been paid. List every closing cost first, pay them, and only then withdraw the balance.
How to strike off a company online: step by step
Once the company is ready, filing takes very little time. Each step below is done through GOV.UK or by email.
Step 1: Gather what you need
You will need the company number, the authentication code Companies House sent to the registered office, a GOV.UK sign-in and a debit or credit card for the fee. Every director should have completed identity verification with Companies House, which is now required under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act.
Step 2: Open the Companies House online service
Search for “apply to strike off and dissolve a company” on GOV.UK. Sign in, enter the company number and the authentication code, and confirm that the company meets the strike-off conditions.
Step 3: Add the directors who must approve
Enter the email address of each director who needs to approve the application. Companies House emails them a link, and the application is only submitted once the required directors have approved it. If you are the sole director, you approve it yourself.
Step 4: Pay the £13 fee and submit
Pay by card and submit Form DS01. You will get a confirmation email. Filing digitally is faster than posting the paper form. Our DS01 form guide explains each question in detail.
Step 5: Send a copy to everyone with an interest within 7 days
Within seven days, send a copy of the application to shareholders, creditors, employees, pension trustees and any director who did not approve it. This includes HMRC if the company owes or is owed tax. Failing to do this is a criminal offence, so keep proof of when each copy went out.
Step 6: Wait for the Gazette notice and objection period
Companies House publishes a first notice in The Gazette, the official public record. This starts an objection period of at least two months, during which creditors, HMRC or anyone with a valid reason can object.
Step 7: The company is dissolved
If no one objects, Companies House removes the company from the register and publishes a second Gazette notice. From that date the company no longer exists. You will usually receive email updates at each stage.
How long does it take to strike off a company online?
Expect about three months from filing until the company is dissolved, plus your preparation time. The part you cannot speed up is the two-month objection period.
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Paying debts, final accounts, closing PAYE and VAT | 2 to 8 weeks, depending on your records |
| DS01 filed and copies sent to interested parties | Day 1 (copies within 7 days) |
| First Gazette notice | Usually a few weeks after filing |
| Objection period | At least 2 months |
| Company dissolved and second Gazette notice | Around 3 months after filing |
What can hold things up?
The usual cause is an objection, often from HMRC over a missing return or unpaid tax. Companies House can then suspend the application until the problem is sorted. Unverified directors, incomplete details or any business activity after filing can also cause delays. If the company starts trading again or changes its name, you must withdraw the application using Form DS02.
How much does it cost to strike off a company online?
The Companies House fee to strike off a company online is £13 from 1 February 2026. The paper form costs more and takes longer. For most directors, the larger cost is the accountancy work needed to close the company properly.
| Cost | Who pays it | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|
| Companies House DS01 fee (online) | Every company | £13 |
| Final accounts and Corporation Tax return | Most companies | Depends on complexity; ask for a fixed quote |
| Closing payroll and VAT | Employers and VAT-registered companies | Usually included in the closing work |
| Members’ voluntary liquidation (alternative) | Solvent companies with large reserves | Insolvency practitioner fees, often several thousand pounds |
For a simple company with tidy books, the total is often just the £13 fee plus your accountant’s charge for the final accounts. Costs go up when records are behind, when HMRC matters are unresolved, or when the amount being paid out makes liquidation the better choice.
Tax when you strike off a company online
The tax on any money you take out before you strike off a company online depends mainly on one figure: £25,000. Up to that amount, a final distribution can be taxed as a capital gain. Above it, the whole amount is normally taxed as a dividend.
The £25,000 limit
Under Corporation Tax law, a distribution made in anticipation of strike-off counts as capital if the total is £25,000 or less. Capital is usually taxed at lower rates than dividends. Go even £1 over and the full distribution becomes income, not just the excess.
Business Asset Disposal Relief
If the payment is a capital gain, Business Asset Disposal Relief may apply. You usually need at least 5% of the shares and voting rights, and to have been a director or employee for at least two years. The rate is 18% for disposals made from 6 April 2026, up from 14% in 2025/26.
Worked example (illustrative)
Priya is the sole director and shareholder, and is already a higher-rate taxpayer. After clearing all debts, her company has £20,000 left. As a capital distribution with Business Asset Disposal Relief, she pays 18% on £17,000 (after the £3,000 annual exempt amount), which is £3,060. Taken as a dividend instead, the same £20,000 would cost about £6,971 at the higher dividend rate. Keeping the payment under £25,000 saves her roughly £3,900.
The two-year anti-avoidance rule
If you close a company and carry on a similar trade within two years, HMRC can tax the final distribution as income instead of capital. Plan any new venture before you apply. Our guide on how to pay the least tax when closing a limited company sets out the options.
Strike-off vs liquidation vs dormant company
Striking off is not the only way to stop. The right route depends on whether the company can pay its debts, how much money is left and whether you might need it again.
| Voluntary strike-off | Members’ voluntary liquidation | Creditors’ voluntary liquidation | Dormant company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Solvent, under £25,000 left | Solvent, larger reserves | Cannot pay its debts | May trade again later |
| Who runs it | Directors | Insolvency practitioner | Insolvency practitioner | Directors |
| Cost | Low | Higher | Higher | Low yearly filings |
| Typical time | About 3 months | Several months or more | Several months or more | Ongoing |
| Tax on final payment | Capital up to £25,000 | Capital, no £25,000 limit | Usually nothing left to pay out | None until it restarts |
If you might restart the business, keeping a dormant company can be easier than closing it. If the company owes more than it can pay, speak to a licensed insolvency practitioner. Our wider guide to closing a limited company covers liquidation in more depth.
What happens after the company is dissolved?
From the date of the second Gazette notice, the company no longer exists. Anything it still owns passes to the Crown, and directors can still be held responsible for how it was run.
Assets left behind
Money in a forgotten account, or any other asset, becomes bona vacantia (ownerless property) and passes to the Crown. Recovering it usually means restoring the company first.
Directors’ responsibilities continue
Dissolution does not cancel a personal guarantee you gave for a loan or lease. Keep the company’s books and records safe for at least six years, in case HMRC or a creditor raises questions.
Restoring the company
A company closed by voluntary strike-off can be restored by court order, normally within six years, for example if an asset turns up or a creditor was missed. See our guide to restoring a dissolved company.
Strike off a company online: FAQs
Can I strike off a company online myself?
Yes. Any director can file DS01 through the Companies House service. The final accounts and tax return must still be correct before you apply.
How much does it cost to strike off a company online?
The Companies House fee is £13, paid by card when you submit.
How long does it take to strike off a company online?
Around three months from filing, because of the two-month objection period.
What do I need to strike off a company online?
The company number, its authentication code, a GOV.UK sign-in, a payment card and verified directors.
Can I strike off a company with debts?
Not if it cannot pay them. Creditors can object, and an insolvent company should use a creditors’ voluntary liquidation.
What happens to money left in the company?
It passes to the Crown when the company is dissolved, so take it out before you apply.
Can I cancel the application after filing?
Yes, by filing Form DS02. You must do this if the company starts trading again.
Can a struck-off company be restored?
Yes, by applying to the court, normally within six years of dissolution.
Final verdict: should you strike off a company online?
If your company is solvent, has stopped trading and has less than £25,000 left, the best route is usually to strike off a company online. Pay the debts, settle with HMRC, take out the cash and then file DS01 for £13. The company should be dissolved in about three months.
If the company cannot pay its debts, or has well over £25,000 to distribute, liquidation is usually the better option.
Ready to close your company?
Major Accountancy can prepare your final accounts and tax return and plan the final distribution before you file DS01.
About the author and reviewer
Written by Marina Jahan
Senior Content Strategist, SEO and Marketing Specialist · Major Accountancy Ltd
Marina writes plain-English guides to UK company and tax rules from GOV.UK and HMRC sources. [ADD: years of experience and any relevant qualification, only if held.]
Technically reviewed by Shamayun Chowdhury
BA (Hons), MSc, ACMA, CMA, CIPFA (Affil), MAAT, AATQB
Senior Accountant, Leicester · Director, Major Accountancy Ltd · Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University · 15+ years’ UK practice
Checked against GOV.UK in October 2026. General information, not personal tax or legal advice.