Close a limited company
To close a solvent limited company you stop trading, wait three months, file final accounts and a final tax return, tell everyone with an interest, then apply to strike it off with form DS01. Fileyear does the filings and the letters; you file the £13 DS01 yourself at Companies House.
- Prepared for you, checked by you
- Pay only when you’ve checked it
- Not HMRC or Companies House
How it works, start to finish
- Stop tradingNo sales from now on
- Wait 3 monthsNo trading or name change
- Final accounts + CT600Filed in one sitting
- Notice lettersSent within 7 days
- DS01 (£13)You file it
- Gazette noticePublished by Companies House
- DissolvedAbout 2 months later
Can your company close this way?
You’ll answer these when you start, before you pay anything.
- It hasn’t traded or sold anything in the last 3 months
- It hasn’t changed its name in the last 3 months
- It can pay all its debts and isn’t in insolvency
- Any money left has been, or will be, paid out
What’s included
Fileyear does
- Eligibility check before you pay
- Final accounts and final CT600 (two CT600s if the last period runs over 12 months)
- Notice letters to shareholders, creditors, employees and HMRC
- A closing checklist for VAT, PAYE, the bank account and subscriptions
- A warning if more than £25,000 would be paid out
You do
- Pay out or settle any money left in the company
- Send the notice letters within 7 days
- File the DS01 at Companies House (£13)
How it works
Check you can close
Four questions, before you pay.
File the final year
Accounts and CT600 in one sitting.
Send the letters
Generated for you, with proof of sending.
File the DS01
At Companies House, £13. We walk you through it.
The rules
| Condition | Rule |
|---|---|
| Trading | None in the last 3 months |
| Name change | None in the last 3 months |
| Debts | Able to pay them; no insolvency |
| Money paid out | Up to £25,000 can be taxed as capital; above that, consider a liquidator |
| Timescale | Dissolved about 2 months after the Gazette notice |
Fileyear compared
| Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Fileyear | £191.80 | Final accounts, CT600, letters and a DS01 guide |
| A typical accountant | £349–598 | The same, done for you |
| Strike-off agents | £46–149 plus VAT | The DS01 only |
Questions directors ask
How long does it take to close a limited company?
At least three months after trading stops, then about two months after the strike-off notice appears in the Gazette.
Can I close a company with money in the bank?
Pay it out first. Up to £25,000 can usually be taxed as capital. Above that, the whole amount is taxed as a dividend unless a liquidator is used, so speak to an accountant.
Can I close a company with debts?
Not this way. A company that can’t pay its debts needs an insolvency practitioner.
My company never traded. Is it cheaper?
Yes. Closing a dormant company is £71.80 in total.
What happens to the bank account?
Close it before you apply. Anything left in it when the company dissolves passes to the Crown.
Guides for this filing
Related filings
Close your company, prepared for you
Enter your company and Fileyear prepares it. You only pay once you’ve checked it.