Form RT01 is the Companies House application used to restore an eligible company through administrative restoration. A former director or member submits the form with the required filings, fees, penalties and supporting documents.Companies House currently charges £341 for an administrative restoration application. RT01 is not a standalone restoration document. The application can also require outstanding accounts, confirmation statements, late filing penalties and a Bona Vacantia waiver.The form also covers newer Companies House requirements. These include section 1002A cases, registered office issues and outstanding financial penalties affecting relevant persons.This explains how to complete Form RT01 and prepare the restoration package.
Complete Form RT01 by entering the company details, checking the restoration conditions, authenticating the statement of compliance, and providing an alternative company name where required.
The current form contains 4 main sections.
Section 1 requires the dissolved company's full registered name and company number.Both details should match the Companies House register exactly.Companies House can return documents where the company information is incorrect or incomplete.Check the public register before preparing the application.Do not shorten the company name or use an old trading name.
Section 2 sets out the conditions that must be satisfied before administrative restoration can take place.The applicant confirms that they are a former director or member.The application must normally reach Companies House within 6 years of dissolution.For a company struck off under section 1000 or 1001, the company must have been carrying on business or in operation when struck off.
Different wording applies to section 1002A cases. These concern companies struck off where the Registrar believed the company was registered on a false basis.The form also confirms that required documents have been delivered. Applicable penalties must have been paid. Crown consent is required where property vested as bona vacantia.
Section 3 confirms that the applicant is entitled to apply and the administrative restoration requirements have been met. The current RT01 requires the applicant's printed name. A handwritten signature is not required. The applicant's authentication will appear on the public record. Do not complete this statement before checking the company's restoration position. Submitting the form confirms that the statutory requirements have been satisfied.
Section 4 allows an alternative company name where the former name cannot be used on restoration. Another company may have registered the same name during the dissolved period. The applicant can enter an alternative name on RT01. If the alternative name cannot be registered, Companies House can restore the company using its company number as its name.
The restored company then has 14 days to change that name. Failure to change it within the required period is an offense under section 1033(6) of the Companies Act 2006.
The RT01 restoration package must include the documents, payments, and evidence needed to bring the Companies House record up to date. The exact documents depend on the company's filing history and dissolution circumstances.
A typical RT01 supporting documents checklist includes:
completed Form RT01;
£341 administrative restoration fee;
outstanding annual accounts;
outstanding confirmation statements or annual returns;
applicable document filing fees;
outstanding late filing penalties;
Bona Vacantia waiver letter where required;
Form AD01 where the registered office must change;
evidence supporting the new registered office where required;
Form EM01 where the registered email address must change; and
supporting evidence for certain section 1002A or registered office rectification cases.
The current RT01 specifically states that the form should form part of a package to avoid delays.Companies House can reject an application where required information is missing.
Outstanding late filing penalties and certain fines affecting relevant persons must be dealt with before administrative restoration. The current RT01 confirms that outstanding penalties under section 453 of the Companies Act 2006 must be paid. Each relevant person must have paid outstanding fines or financial penalties imposed for Companies Act offences relating to the company.
For these rules, a relevant person can include the applicant. It can also include a former director who will become a director immediately after restoration. The statutory definition contains further rules where firms are involved. This requirement should be checked before the RT01 package is submitted.
The current Companies House fee for Form RT01 is £341. The £341 fee applies to an application for administrative restoration.Companies House states that it will reject the application if the correct fee is not included.The current form states that cheques or postal orders should be payable to Companies House.
The £341 fee covers the RT01 application itself.It does not include other possible restoration costs.Separate amounts can arise for confirmation statements, late filing penalties, Bona Vacantia consent and professional work.
A Bona Vacantia waiver is required where company property or rights are vested in the Crown after dissolution. Property belonging to a dissolved company can pass to the Crown as bona vacantia. Where this applies, the relevant Crown representative must provide written consent to restoration. The applicant is responsible for obtaining that consent and meeting any applicable Crown costs.
Current Companies House RT01 guidance states that the Bona Vacantia waiver letter costs £64. The requirement often becomes relevant where the company held money, property, or other rights when dissolved.
Outstanding accounts must be submitted where they are required to bring the Companies House record up to date. The RT01 checklist specifically identifies outstanding accounts as part of the restoration package. Late filing penalties require separate consideration. A penalty can remain due where the filing deadline passed before dissolution.
However, the company is not liable for a Section 453 late filing penalty where the filing period ended after dissolution and before restoration. This means the number of outstanding accounts does not automatically equal the number of late filing penalties.
Are Confirmation Statements Required With RT01?
Outstanding confirmation statements must be filed where they are required to bring the company's record up to date. Confirmation statements form part of the RT01 restoration package where they remain outstanding. For company restoration, Companies House currently requires the confirmation statement to be filed using paper Form CS01.
The current paper CS01 fee is £110 when the annual fee is due for the relevant 12-month payment period. The confirmation date should be the date that was due before the company was struck off. Companies House advises applicants to contact it if the correct confirmation date is unclear.
Form AD01 and supporting evidence are required where the registered office needs changing as part of the restoration. The current RT01 gives specific instructions where the registered office was the Companies House default address when the company was struck off.
In that situation, Form AD01 must be supported by evidence showing that the new registered office is an appropriate address. Companies House also requires additional information for companies struck off under the Registered Office Address (Rectification of Register) Regulations 2024. Form EM01 can also be required where the company's registered email address must change. These documents should be considered before posting the RT01 package.
Common RT01 mistakes include incorrect company details, missing filings, unpaid fees, and submitting the form before the restoration conditions are satisfied. One common error is treating RT01 as a standalone application. Another is submitting the wrong Companies House fee. Applicants can also overlook old accounts, confirmation statements, or late filing penalties. A missing Bona Vacantia waiver can delay a case where Crown consent is required.
Registered office problems can create another issue. AD01 and supporting address evidence may be needed before restoration can proceed. Applicants should also use the current form. Using an outdated form can create unnecessary queries or delays.
Companies House can reject an RT01 application where the correct fee, required information, or restoration documents are missing. The current GOV. UK RT01 guidance expressly states that applications without the correct fee will be rejected. It also requires applicants to include the completed form, outstanding documents, applicable penalties, and a Bona Vacantia waiver letter. Eligibility can also prevent an RT01 application.
Only an eligible former director or former member can use the administrative restoration route. A company voluntarily struck off following an application by its directors cannot normally use RT01. That type of company generally requires court restoration instead.
Where Do You Submit Form RT01?
The complete RT01 administrative restoration package must currently be posted to Companies House. Companies House's specific RT01 guidance instructs applicants to post all restoration information to its main office.
The postal address is
Companies House
Crown Way
Cardiff
CF14 3UZ
Companies House states that paper documents for companies registered across the UK are sent to its main Cardiff office. Use a reliable postal service where delivery timing matters. Companies House notes that documents sent to the wrong address can take longer to reach it.
Companies House confirms whether it has decided to restore the company after reviewing the RT01 application. Companies House does not currently describe a dedicated online RT01 tracking service in its published restoration guidance. The registrar notifies the applicant of the restoration decision. The current RT01 states that the decision is given in writing. If Companies House approves restoration, it takes effect from the date the notification letter is sent.
Applicants with restoration queries can contact Companies House by email. The current RT01 guidance gives enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk and specifically states not to telephone for restoration assistance. If Companies House refuses administrative restoration, a court application can potentially follow within 28 days.
Only an eligible former director or former member can submit an RT01 administrative restoration application.A creditor cannot use RT01 solely because the dissolved company owes money.Other interested parties can also fall outside the administrative route. The company itself must meet the statutory administrative restoration conditions.These conditions depend partly on why the Registrar removed the company.
FAQs
The complete RT01 restoration application is currently submitted by post to Companies House. Although Companies House allows certain forms to be uploaded, its specific RT01 guidance instructs applicants to post the complete administrative restoration package.
No. RT01 Version 9.0 requires the applicant's printed name rather than a signature. The printed name authenticates the statement of compliance and appears on the public record.
No. A creditor cannot submit RT01 solely in their capacity as a creditor. Administrative restoration applications are restricted to qualifying former directors and former members.A creditor may instead need to consider the court restoration route.
An applicant can potentially apply for court restoration after Companies House refuses administrative restoration.Current Companies House guidance gives a 28-day period following refusal, including where the normal restoration period has expired.
A complete RT01 restoration requires more than filling in the Companies House form.The company's dissolution route, filing history, penalties, confirmation statements, accounts and Bona Vacantia position should be checked before submission.Company Restoration UK can review the Companies House record and identify the documents required for administrative restoration.We can also help prepare the RT01 restoration package and coordinate the outstanding Companies House compliance work.
Send us the company name and Companies House number for an initial review.
Specialists at Xact+ Accountants helping UK directors reinstate struck-off companies, meet Companies House and HMRC obligations, and recover frozen funds.
Speak to a restoration specialist today — most eligible companies are back on the register in 4–6 weeks.
Start restorationSend the basics. A case manager checks the register and comes back with the route, the documents and the official costs.
Start with how the company was dissolved.
These answers help estimate work and official costs.
We use these details only to prepare your email summary.
This is an indication from your answers, not a formal assessment.
Leave a comment