You set up a limited company, it ran its course, and now it sits there generating filing deadlines and accountancy fees for no good reason. Plenty of Irish limited companies end up in exactly this spot. If the company is clean, you can close it yourself through a voluntary strike-off for less than the cost of a tank of diesel.
This guide walks through the voluntary strike-off process step by step, including the two blockers that catch people out: liabilities over €150 and any ongoing or pending litigation.
What is a voluntary company strike-off?
A voluntary strike-off (often shortened to VSO) is the simplest way to close a company in Ireland. You apply to the Companies Registration Office (CRO) to have the company removed from the register of companies. Once the CRO publishes the final notice in the CRO Gazette, the company is dissolved and will cease to exist as a legal entity.
It's a do-it-yourself route for clean, solvent companies, not a form of liquidation. If the company owes money it can't pay, you should be talking to an insolvency practitioner instead.
Who qualifies for a voluntary strike-off in Ireland?
The conditions sit in section 731 of the Companies Act 2014, and the CRO applies them strictly. Your company qualifies if:
- It has never carried on business, or the company has ceased to trade and won't restart while the application runs.
- The assets of the company do not exceed €150, and its liabilities do not exceed €150 either. Even one forgotten supplier invoice or contingent liability can breach this.
- The company is not a party to ongoing or pending litigation. "Pending" is broad; a solicitor's letter threatening a claim or a WRC complaint from a former employee can count.
- Every outstanding annual return has been filed with the CRO. Missing returns are the most common reason applications stall.
- Revenue has confirmed in writing that it doesn't object to the strike-off.
Don't use this process if the company is insolvent, faces active claims, or holds assets that are awkward to distribute. If any of that sounds familiar, our company secretarial team can review your position before you commit to anything.
What should you do before you apply?
Most rejected or delayed applications fail on preparation, not on the form itself. Run through this checklist first:
- Clear the liabilities. Pay the last bills, settle any Revenue balances, and keep proof that the remaining total does not exceed €150. Think about guarantees and unresolved disputes, not just invoices on the desk.
- Confirm there's no litigation. Check for threatened claims and employment matters. If in doubt, resolve them before applying.
- Deal with assets and the bank account. Distribute whatever the company owns, then close the bank account after the final payments clear. Assets left behind at dissolution become the property of the State.
- Bring CRO filings up to date. File any outstanding returns with the CRO, including your final annual return. Year end accounts support helps if the books have drifted.
- Square things with Revenue. File outstanding tax returns, pay what's due, and cancel tax registrations using Form TRCN1; Revenue explains the steps on its ceasing a business pages. Our tax return service can close out the final corporation tax return.
One more practical point. Keep the company's records, filings, bank statements and resolutions for at least six years after dissolution; questions sometimes surface late.
How do you apply for a voluntary strike-off with the CRO?
The application for voluntary strike-off follows a fixed sequence, and the order matters because two of the documents have short shelf lives:
|
Stage |
What happens |
Timing rule |
|
1. Special resolution |
The members resolve to ask the Registrar of Companies to strike the company off, and confirm it won't trade or incur liabilities in the meantime. |
Within 3 months before the application |
|
2. Letter of no objection |
Revenue confirms in writing that it doesn't object to the strike-off. |
Dated within 3 months of the CRO receiving the application |
|
3. Newspaper advertisement |
You publish an advertisement of the company's intention to apply, in the prescribed form, in at least one daily newspaper circulating in the State. |
Within 30 days before the application |
|
4. Submit Form H15 |
You deliver Form H15 to the CRO with the directors' certificate of eligibility, plus the resolution, letter and advertisement. The filing fee is €15. |
After steps 1 to 3 |
|
5. CRO Gazette notice |
The CRO publishes notice of its intention to strike the company off the register. |
Starts the 90-day objection window |
|
6. Dissolution |
If nobody objects, the company is struck off and a final notice appears in the CRO Gazette. Dissolution takes effect that day. |
Roughly 4 to 6 months start to finish |
The strike-off procedure itself is not complicated. The friction is sequencing: get the advertisement too early or the Revenue letter too late and the CRO will bounce the application.
What happens after the CRO publishes the strike-off notice?
Once the notice appears, anyone may lodge an objection within 90 days, though it must claim that one of the section 731 conditions wasn't satisfied. Creditors, employees and Revenue are the usual objectors; debts that exceed €150, missing filings and undisclosed disputes are the classic triggers.
Watch the company's post during the notice period and deal with any problem fast; a sustained objection stops the strike-off dead. If the 90 days pass quietly, the Registrar strikes the company off and, under section 733, dissolution takes effect on the date the final notice is published.
How do you get a letter of no objection from Revenue?
The letter of no objection (LONO) is mandatory for every application. You request it from Revenue's National Companies Unit through MyEnquiries in ROS or MyAccount. Revenue's guidance lists what to include: the CRO number, the tax registration number, the exact date the company ceased trading, and a statement that it has no assets or outstanding liabilities.
Two things trip people up. The letter is valid for three months only, so don't request it long before you're ready to send Form H15 to the CRO. And Revenue won't issue it while returns or balances are outstanding; if the Revenue Commissioners object or sit on the request, fix the underlying compliance gap first.
Can you cancel a voluntary strike-off once it has started?
Yes. During the 90-day notice window, the company can ask the Registrar to cancel the strike-off process by delivering a notice in the prescribed form. People do this more often than you'd think, usually because an unexpected bill arrives or a claim is threatened. Cancelling and regrouping is almost always cheaper than letting a flawed application run on, and you can reapply later.
What happens after your company is struck off the register?
From the date of dissolution, the company no longer exists. It can't trade, sign contracts, hold a bank account or own anything in its own name. Anything it still owned at that moment vests in the State, which is why clearing assets beforehand matters so much.
Is dissolution always final? Not quite. A member or officer who has been disadvantaged can apply to the CRO to restore the company within 12 months of dissolution under section 737, and the court can restore the company for up to 20 years under section 738. Restoration is a remedy of last resort, not a safety net to rely on.
Should you strike off, liquidate, or keep the company dormant?
Strike-off isn't the only exit. Citizens Information has a useful overview of the options when you're closing a business, and the right route depends on the company's debts and your future plans:
|
Route |
Best for |
Watch out for |
|
Voluntary strike-off |
Solvent companies with assets and liabilities under €150, no litigation, clean filings |
Strict eligibility; objections restart the clock |
|
Liquidation |
Companies with meaningful debts or larger assets to distribute |
Costs typically run to several thousand euro |
|
Dormant company |
Owners who want to keep the entity for future use |
Annual returns, accounts and tax filings continue every year |
A surprising number of owners keep paying compliance costs for years even though the company is no longer needed. If the entity has no future use, striking it off usually pays for itself within one filing cycle. And if plans change later, setting up a fresh company in Ireland is quick and cheap.
FAQs about voluntary strike-off in Ireland
Can I strike off my company if it has any debt at all?
Small amounts are fine, but total liabilities must not exceed €150, including contingent and prospective liabilities. If you owe more, pay it down first or look at liquidation. A director writing off money the company owes them personally is a common, legitimate way to get under the threshold.
How long does a voluntary strike-off take in Ireland?
Budget 4 to 6 months from the special resolution to dissolution. The 90-day objection window is fixed by law; the rest depends on how quickly Revenue issues the letter of no objection and whether your CRO filings are already clean.
What if someone objects to the strike-off?
Any person can lodge an objection with the Registrar during the 90-day notice period, on the ground that a statutory condition wasn't met. If the Registrar sustains it, the strike-off stops. Resolve whatever prompted it, then restart once the company genuinely qualifies.
Can I reopen a company after it's been struck off?
Sometimes. An application to restore the company can go to the CRO within 12 months of dissolution, or to the court for up to 20 years. Both routes involve cost and conditions, so treat restoration as the exception rather than the plan.
What happens if I leave assets or an open bank account behind?
Assets held at dissolution pass to the State, and banks freeze accounts of dissolved companies. Getting either back generally means restoring the company first, which costs far more than the asset is usually worth. Empty the account and distribute everything before you file.
Ready to close your Irish company the right way?
The voluntary strike-off process rewards preparation. Confirm the company has ceased trading, get liabilities under €150, rule out litigation, file the outstanding returns, then work through the CRO and Revenue in the right order. Do that and an involuntary strike-off, where the Registrar removes your company for non-compliance and the company directors carry the consequences, never enters the picture.
If you'd rather hand the whole thing over, we prepare the resolution, the Revenue request, the advertisement and the H15 so nothing bounces. Get in touch today and we'll check your eligibility before you spend a cent.
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Speak to a qualified accountant about your specific circumstances before acting on anything covered here.