You can restore a dissolved company to the Companies House register. Once restored, the law treats your business as if it never closed.
How you restore your company depends on how Companies House closed it. You will either use administrative restoration or a court order.
Administrative restoration
This is the fastest and simplest route. You can only use it if Companies House struck off your company for missing paperwork.
To qualify, you must meet all three of these statutory rules:
You are a former director or shareholder.
The company dissolved less than six years ago.
The business was actively trading at the exact point of dissolution.
Follow these steps to complete an administrative restoration:
Message our team in the app so we can log your restoration request.
Complete form RT01 and send it to Companies House with the statutory fee.
File any overdue accounts and pay any outstanding late filing penalties.
Restoration by court order
Use this route if you chose to close the business yourself with form DS01. You must also use it if you do not meet the rules for administrative restoration.
Former directors, shareholders, liquidators, or creditors can apply. You usually have six years from dissolution to apply to the court. This time limit does not apply if you are making a personal injury claim.
Follow these steps to apply through the court:
Complete court claim form N208 and write a supporting witness statement.
Access the official forms and guidance on GOV.UK.
Submit your paperwork to the court and notify the relevant Crown representative.
Reclaiming your business funds
When a company dissolves, all remaining funds legally pass to the Crown as bona vacantia.
If your account held funds, you must contact the correct government office for your jurisdiction:
England and Wales: Contact the Bona Vacantia Division at the Government Legal Department.
Scotland: Contact the King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer.
Northern Ireland: Contact the Crown Solicitor's Office.
Once you obtain your official waiver letter, Companies House can finalise your restoration.
Next steps for your Countingup account
Once your company is active on Companies House, message our team in the app. Send us your official restoration notice. We will review your account status and guide you through the next steps to access your money.