DS02 Form UK: Withdraw Striking Off Application

What this document is

The DS02 is the official Companies House form used to withdraw a striking off application that was previously submitted on form DS01. When a company files a DS01, the registrar publishes a notice in the Gazette giving creditors and other interested parties the chance to object before the company is removed from the register.

If, during that window, the directors decide the company should not be dissolved after all, they can file a DS02 to stop the process. The legal basis sits in section 1010 of the Companies Act 2006, which states that an application made under section 1003 is withdrawn simply by giving notice to the registrar.

The DS02 is that notice in standardised form. Common reasons for withdrawing include the company resuming trade, an asset sale falling through, a change of plan between directors or shareholders, discovery of outstanding liabilities, or a mistake on the original DS01 such as wrong names or signatures. Filing the DS02 stops the clock: the registrar halts the strike-off action and the company remains on the register.

How to use this document

1. Check whether you still need to act. Before preparing the DS02, look up your company on the Companies House register to confirm the dissolution is still pending and has not yet been completed. If the Gazette notice is still active and the company has not been struck off, you can proceed. Act quickly, because once dissolution is final a different, more complex restoration process applies.
2. Identify who needs to sign. The DS02 must be signed by the appropriate directors, following the same signing rules that applied to the original DS01. For a company with one or two directors, all of them sign. For companies with more than two directors, a majority must sign. Get this right or Companies House will reject the form.
3. Complete the DS02 form accurately. Fill in the company name and registration number exactly as they appear on the register, then confirm the withdrawal of the striking off application. Double-check spelling, numbers and signatures, because errors on the original DS01 are a common reason people end up filing a DS02 in the first place, and you do not want to repeat them.
4. Submit the form to Companies House. Post the completed DS02 to the Companies House address shown on the form. At the time of writing there is no fee for filing a DS02, but always check gov.uk for the current position. Keep a dated copy and proof of postage, as this is your evidence that the withdrawal was sent in time.
5. Confirm the withdrawal has been processed. After submission, monitor the company record on the Companies House register. You should see the strike-off action discontinued and the Gazette notice updated. If the record still shows pending dissolution after a reasonable period, contact Companies House to check the form was received and actioned correctly.