Resigning

Most articles let a director resign by giving the company written notice, effective on the date in the letter or when it is received. Keep the letter with the company’s records and note the date: that’s the date you report.

A sole director can’t simply resign and leave the company empty. Appoint the new director first, then file the resignation. Read adding a new director for what the new director must do before they can be appointed, starting with identity verification.

Being removed by the shareholders

Shareholders can remove a director before their term ends “by ordinary resolution at a meeting”, whatever any agreement between the company and the director says2. An ordinary resolution is a simple majority of the votes1. Two points make this different from most decisions:

  • Special notice is required of the resolution to remove a director2.
  • The resolution is passed at a meeting: section 168 is written that way2, so don’t plan on a written resolution.

Removal doesn’t take away any compensation or damages the director may be owed for losing the job2. If the director also holds shares, that’s a separate matter: they stay a shareholder until they transfer their shares.

Telling Companies House

Report the change within 14 days1. Companies House identifies an existing director on the termination form by their name and full date of birth, not just their name, so have the date of birth to hand. The resigned appointment stays visible on the register, marked as resigned.

Since 18 November 2025 companies no longer keep their own register of directors, so the Companies House filing is the record4. Keep the resignation letter or the resolution, and the meeting minutes, with the company’s other records.

Check your company’s dates and set a reminder

Search the Companies House register. Your company page shows its filing dates, what to file next and a reminder you can set.

If the director was also a PSC

A director who held more than 25% of the shares or votes is usually also a person with significant control. Leaving the board doesn’t change that: their PSC entry only changes if their shares or votes change. Read PSC changes for when that needs its own filing.

If the company is closing

If all the directors want to leave because the company is finished, removing them isn’t the answer: the company still owes its filings. Read the ways to close a limited company instead.

Filing the change

Fileyear’s director removal lists the directors from the register, asks for the date they stopped and their date of birth, checks that a director who is a person remains, and files form TM01. It also gives you a resignation letter template.