In short: £950 covers managing the restoration of a dissolved private limited company or LLP to the Companies House register, plus any Companies House or Crown representative fees. We check whether administrative restoration is possible, prepare the overdue confirmation statements and form RT01, obtain the bona vacantia waiver if the company had assets, and deal with Companies House for you. Administrative restoration usually takes several weeks; court restoration takes longer.
What's included
- Review of why and when the company was struck off
- Advice on administrative restoration or court restoration
- Preparation of form RT01 and the statement of compliance
- Overdue confirmation statements prepared
- Coordination of overdue accounts with your accountant or ours
- Bona vacantia waiver letter requested from the Crown representative
- Submission of the full application to Companies House
- Communication with Companies House until restoration
- Guidance on reopening bank accounts and telling HMRC
Who needs this service
A company can be removed from the register in two ways: Companies House strikes it off because it stopped filing (compulsory strike-off), or the directors apply to close it (voluntary strike-off). Either way, once it is dissolved it no longer legally exists. Its bank account is frozen and any assets belong to the Crown.
You might need it back to recover money in the bank, sell a property it owned, take or defend a legal claim, or simply carry on trading.
Two routes to restoration
Administrative restoration is handled by Companies House without going to court. It is available when:
- the applicant was a director or shareholder (member) when the company was struck off
- Companies House struck the company off — not the directors through voluntary strike-off
- the company was trading or in operation at the time
- the company was dissolved within the last 6 years
Before applying, all overdue accounts and confirmation statements must be filed and any late filing penalties paid. The Companies House fee for administrative restoration is £341.
Court restoration is needed when administrative restoration is not available — for example, when the directors applied for voluntary strike-off, or the applicant was not a director or shareholder. A wider group can apply, including creditors and former employees. The application is generally made within 6 years of dissolution (there is no time limit for some personal injury claims). It involves court fees and usually a solicitor's costs, which are not included in our price. We can explain the process and work with a solicitor if you need this route.
What bona vacantia means
"Bona vacantia" means ownerless goods. When a company is dissolved, its property passes to the Crown. In England and Wales this is dealt with by the Government Legal Department's Bona Vacantia Division (or the Duchy of Lancaster or Cornwall in their areas); in Scotland by the King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer; in Northern Ireland by the Crown Solicitor.
If the company had any assets at dissolution, you need a waiver letter from the relevant Crown representative before Companies House will restore it. The Crown representative may charge for this and may require costs to be paid. Assets the Crown has already sold cannot normally be returned, though you may be able to claim the proceeds.
How it works
- We review the company's history and confirm which route applies.
- We list the overdue filings and penalties, and arrange the accounts with your accountant or our accounts team.
- We request the bona vacantia waiver if one is needed.
- We prepare form RT01 and the overdue confirmation statements.
- We submit the complete application and deal with Companies House until the company is restored.
Once restored, the company is treated as if it had never been dissolved.
What you need to provide
- Company name and number
- Your role in the company at the time it was struck off
- Details of any assets the company held, such as bank accounts or property
- Financial records for the missing accounting periods
- Identity verification and personal codes for the directors (as a Companies House ACSP, we can verify them for you)
Costs to expect beyond our fee
Our £950 fee is for managing the restoration. It is plus any Companies House or Crown representative fees, including the £341 administrative restoration fee, any unpaid late filing penalties, and any waiver or costs charged by the Crown representative. Overdue accounts are priced separately.
After restoration
Reopen or reactivate the bank account, tell HMRC, and keep filings on time so the company is not struck off again. Our Confirmation Statement service and deadline reminders help with that. If you no longer need the company once its affairs are settled, close it properly with voluntary strike-off.
Frequently asked questions
Can a dissolved company be restored?
Often, yes. If Companies House struck it off within the last 6 years and you were a director or shareholder, administrative restoration may be possible. Otherwise a court order is usually needed.
What is the difference between administrative and court restoration?
Administrative restoration is an application to Companies House with no court hearing, available only in certain cases. Court restoration is needed in other cases, such as after a voluntary strike-off, and costs more.
Does the £950 include the Companies House fee?
No. Our £950 is plus any Companies House or Crown representative fees, including the £341 administrative restoration fee and any unpaid penalties.
What is a bona vacantia waiver letter?
When a company is dissolved, its assets pass to the Crown. If the company had assets, the Crown representative must issue a waiver letter before Companies House will restore the company.
Do I need to file overdue accounts before restoration?
Yes. For administrative restoration, all missing accounts and confirmation statements must be filed and any late filing penalties paid as part of the application.
What happens to the company after restoration?
It is treated as if it had never been dissolved. Its company number and history stay the same and it can trade, hold assets and use a bank account again.
Related services
Company Dissolution (Voluntary Strike-Off)
Close a solvent UK limited company you no longer need, with the DS01 strike-off application handled for you.
Confirmation Statement Filing
We check your company details and file your annual confirmation statement (CS01) with Companies House.
Annual Accounts Preparation and Filing
Year-end statutory accounts and Corporation Tax return prepared and filed for your limited company.
Dormant Company Accounts
Prepare and file annual accounts for a UK company that has not traded, and tell HMRC it is dormant.