How to Voluntarily Deregister a Company That Has Stopped Trading in Australia
Learn when an Australian company can use voluntary deregistration, the ASIC eligibility rules, Form 6010, the current fee, annual review timing and what happens after notice is published.
AU Australia
Business ~ 7 min read
8 FAQ
Updated 2026-09-10
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You can apply to ASIC to voluntarily deregister an Australian company if all members agree, the company is no longer carrying on business, its assets are worth less than $1,000, it has no outstanding liabilities or legal proceedings, and all ASIC fees and penalties have been paid. Lodge Form 6010 online through the relevant ASIC portal or by post. The ASIC application fee is $52 from 1 July 2026. ASIC publishes a notice if the application is approved, and the company may be deregistered two months after that notice is published.
What you need
- All members of the company must agree to the deregistration.
- The company must not be carrying on business.
- The company's assets must be worth less than $1,000.
- The company must have no outstanding liabilities, including liabilities such as unpaid employee entitlements.
- The company must not be a party to any legal proceedings.
- All fees and penalties payable to ASIC under the Corporations Act must have been paid.
- Use Form 6010, Application for voluntary deregistration of a company.
Eligibility
Voluntary deregistration under section 601AA of the Corporations Act 2001 is available only when every statutory condition is satisfied. All members must agree, the company must have stopped carrying on business, its assets must be worth less than $1,000, it must have no outstanding liabilities, it must not be involved in legal proceedings, and all ASIC fees and penalties must be paid. If the company does not satisfy these conditions but is solvent, ASIC says a solvent winding up may be required instead. If the company is insolvent, ASIC recommends obtaining professional accounting and legal advice because an insolvent winding up may be necessary.
How to do it
- Confirm the company meets every deregistration condition. Check member agreement, business activity, remaining assets, liabilities, legal proceedings and ASIC amounts owing before making the declaration in Form 6010.
- Deal with remaining company assets. ASIC recommends disposing of company assets before deregistration because property still owned by the company will generally vest in ASIC or the Commonwealth after deregistration.
- Pay outstanding ASIC fees and penalties. ASIC will not approve voluntary deregistration while money payable to ASIC remains outstanding.
- Complete Form 6010. The form is the official application for voluntary deregistration of a company under section 601AA of the Corporations Act 2001.
- Pay the application fee. The ASIC deregistration application fee is AUD $52 from 1 July 2026. ASIC states that the application fee is not refunded if the application is rejected.
- Lodge the application online or by post. ASIC allows Form 6010 to be lodged online through the relevant portal. A paper application can be posted to Australian Securities and Investments Commission, PO Box 4000, Gippsland Mail Centre VIC 3841; payment must accompany a postal application.
- Watch the annual review timing. If you want to avoid the next annual review fee, ASIC recommends applying at least two weeks before that fee is due. If the proposed deregistration notice has not been published before the relevant review fee becomes payable, you may still need to pay it before deregistration can proceed.
- Wait for ASIC's notice and deregistration. If ASIC approves the application, it publishes a notice of the proposed deregistration. The company may then be deregistered two months after publication.
- Confirm the final status. Once deregistration takes effect, the company's status will appear as 'Deregistered' on the companies register.
Can a company that has stopped trading be voluntarily deregistered?
Stopping trade by itself is not enough to close an Australian company. While the company remains registered with ASIC, it continues to have legal obligations. Voluntary deregistration is available only when the conditions in section 601AA of the Corporations Act 2001 are satisfied.
The key test is that all members agree, the company is not carrying on business, assets are worth less than $1,000, there are no outstanding liabilities or legal proceedings, and all ASIC fees and penalties have been paid.
A company that still owes creditors, employees, the ATO, ASIC or another party cannot truthfully satisfy the no-liabilities declaration merely because it has stopped trading. ASIC specifically warns that an arrangement to repay an outstanding liability does not make that liability disappear.
What should you do before applying to deregister the company?
Check that no liabilities remain
Review the company's financial position carefully before lodging Form 6010. Outstanding liabilities can include unpaid employee entitlements and other amounts still legally owed. ASIC has warned directors not to assume that a company has no liabilities simply because trading has ceased.
The declaration in Form 6010 confirms that the statutory conditions are satisfied. Providing false or misleading information in a document lodged with ASIC can have serious legal consequences.
Dispose of remaining company assets
ASIC recommends dealing with all company assets before deregistration. After deregistration, property still owned by the company generally vests in ASIC, while property held on trust generally vests in the Commonwealth represented by ASIC. Former officeholders then lose the ability to deal with property in the company's name.
The company must in any event have assets worth less than $1,000 to qualify for voluntary deregistration.
Cancel relevant ASIC licences
If the company holds an Australian financial services licence or an Australian credit licence, ASIC says these should be cancelled before the company is deregistered.
How do you lodge Form 6010 with ASIC?
Use Form 6010, Application for voluntary deregistration of a company. ASIC permits online lodgement through the relevant portal and also provides a paper form for postal lodgement.
For paper applications, send the completed form to Australian Securities and Investments Commission, PO Box 4000, Gippsland Mail Centre VIC 3841. ASIC states that payment must accompany a postal application and can be made by cheque or money order.
The current ASIC application fee is AUD $52 from 1 July 2026. ASIC fees are indexed periodically, and GST does not apply to ASIC fees. The application fee is not refundable if ASIC rejects the application.
Should you deregister before the next ASIC annual review fee?
Timing matters if the company's annual review is approaching. ASIC recommends submitting a voluntary deregistration application at least two weeks before the next annual review fee is due if you want enough time for the application to be processed.
If ASIC has not published the proposed deregistration notice before the relevant review fee becomes payable, the company may still need to pay that fee before it can be deregistered. The Corporations Act also contains specific rules under which a review fee is not payable when the annual review date falls within the prescribed period around publication of an approved deregistration notice.
What happens after Form 6010 is lodged?
ASIC assesses the application against the statutory requirements. If the application is rejected, ASIC will tell the applicant why, and the application fee is not refunded.
If ASIC approves the application, it sends confirmation and publishes a notice of the proposed deregistration on its Published notices website. Two months after the notice is published, ASIC may deregister the company. Once completed, the companies register will show the company as 'Deregistered'.
Deregistration means the company ceases to exist as a legal entity. It can no longer act in its own name, and legal proceedings involving the deregistered company generally cannot continue in the normal way.
Can voluntary deregistration be stopped after you apply?
If you applied voluntarily and change your mind before deregistration occurs, ASIC says you may be able to ask it to stop the process. You should contact ASIC and explain why the company should not be deregistered. ASIC states that it will review such a request and respond within 28 days.
A third party such as a creditor can also ask ASIC to defer deregistration. ASIC may initially defer it for 30 days, allowing time for the creditor to commence or continue relevant legal action.
Do you also need to cancel the company's ABN?
ASIC company deregistration and cancellation of an Australian Business Number are separate processes. The Australian Business Register says an ABN should be cancelled when the business has closed or is no longer operating, and business operators should first complete outstanding government lodgment, reporting and payment obligations.
If the business has ceased operating, the ABR states that its details must be updated or the ABN cancelled within 28 days. PAYG withholding should be cancelled before the ABN if applicable. Cancelling an ABN also cancels associated GST, luxury car tax, wine equalisation tax and fuel tax credit registrations.
Do not treat cancelling the ABN as a substitute for ASIC deregistration. A company remains a registered legal entity until ASIC deregisters it.
What if the company has debts or more than $1,000 in assets?
Form 6010 is not available simply because directors want to close the company. If any eligibility condition is not met, another closure process may be required.
ASIC says a company that does not qualify for voluntary deregistration but remains solvent may need to use a solvent winding-up process. If the company is insolvent, professional accounting and legal advice should be obtained promptly because an insolvent winding up may be required.
Do not lodge Form 6010 while liabilities remain and assume they will disappear when the company is deregistered.
Frequently asked questions
Can I deregister an Australian company just because it has stopped trading?
No. Stopping trade is only one condition. All members must agree, assets must be worth less than $1,000, there must be no outstanding liabilities or legal proceedings, and all ASIC fees and penalties must be paid.
How much does ASIC charge to voluntarily deregister a company in 2026?
The ASIC application fee for Form 6010 is AUD $52 from 1 July 2026. ASIC states that the application fee is not refunded if the application is rejected.
Can Form 6010 be lodged online?
Yes. ASIC allows Form 6010 to be completed and lodged online through the relevant ASIC portal. A paper form can also be lodged by post.
How long does voluntary company deregistration take after ASIC publishes the notice?
ASIC may deregister the company two months after publishing the proposed deregistration notice.
Can a company be voluntarily deregistered if it still owes money?
No. One of the statutory conditions is that the company has no outstanding liabilities. ASIC also requires all fees and penalties payable to ASIC to have been paid.
What happens to assets left in a company after deregistration?
Property still owned by a deregistered company generally vests in ASIC, while trust property generally vests in the Commonwealth represented by ASIC. ASIC therefore recommends dealing with company assets before deregistration.
Do I still have to pay the next ASIC annual review fee if I apply for deregistration?
It depends on the timing. ASIC recommends applying at least two weeks before the fee is due. If the proposed deregistration notice is not published in time for the applicable review-fee exemption, the fee may still need to be paid before deregistration.
Does deregistering the company automatically replace the need to cancel its ABN?
No. Company deregistration with ASIC and ABN cancellation are separate administrative processes. The Australian Business Register says businesses that permanently cease operating should finalise relevant obligations and cancel the ABN.
Official sources
ASIC - Voluntary deregistration of a companyASIC - Form 6010 Application for voluntary deregistration of a companyASIC - Fees for commonly lodged documentsASIC - Fee indexationFederal Register of Legislation - Corporations Act 2001Federal Register of Legislation - Corporations (Fees) Regulations 2001Australian Business Register - Cancel your ABNRelated procedures
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