How to Deregister a Company with ASIC: Form 6010 Walkthrough (2026)
Quick answer
You deregister a company by lodging ASIC Form 6010 (application for voluntary deregistration), which costs about $52. First check you qualify: all shareholders must agree, the company must have stopped trading, hold assets under $1,000, owe no debts and be up to date with ASIC fees. After ASIC accepts the form it publishes a notice, and the company is usually deregistered about two months later.
Form 6010 is short, but lodging it before the company is ready is the most common mistake. Work through the eligibility and wind-down steps below first — then the form itself takes minutes.
Step 1: Check you qualify
You can only use voluntary deregistration if every one of these is true:
- All shareholders agree to deregister the company
- The company is not carrying on business
- The company’s assets are worth less than $1,000
- The company has no outstanding liabilities — including to the ATO and employees
- The company is not a party to any legal proceedings
- All ASIC fees and penalties have been paid
If any of these fail — debts you can’t pay, or assets to distribute — you likely need a registered liquidator instead. See voluntary deregistration vs liquidation to compare the two paths.
Step 2: Wind the company down
- Finalise tax: lodge all outstanding BAS and the company’s final tax return, and pay any tax owing.
- Pay people: final wages, leave entitlements and super — under payday super, super is due with the final pay.
- Clear assets: sell or distribute everything. Anything left when the company is deregistered passes to ASIC — including bank balances and domains held in the company’s name.
- Close accounts: shut the company’s bank accounts and cancel licences, leases and subscriptions.
Step 3: Lodge Form 6010
Form 6010 is lodged online through ASIC’s RegistryConnect (or on paper). Here’s what it asks for, section by section:
- Company details: the company’s name and ACN, exactly as registered.
- Eligibility declarations: you confirm each of the six conditions above — that shareholders agree, the company isn’t trading, assets are under $1,000, there are no liabilities or legal proceedings, and fees are paid.
- Applicant details: who is applying (usually a director) and their contact details.
- Declaration and signature: a director (or authorised person) signs, declaring the information is true. False declarations carry penalties.
- Pay the fee: about $52 (indexed each 1 July — check ASIC’s fee table before lodging).
Tip: Double-check the ACN and company name character by character. A mismatch is the most common reason online lodgments get bounced back.
Step 4: Wait for the notice period
Once ASIC accepts your application, it publishes a notice of the proposed deregistration. Creditors and anyone else with an interest get about two months to object. If no one objects, the company is removed from the register. If someone does object — for example, an unpaid creditor — the deregistration stalls until it’s resolved.
After deregistration
- Keep the company’s books for at least 3 years and tax records for 5 years.
- Don’t use the company’s ABN or name again — they’re gone with the company.
- Remember a deregistered company can be reinstated by ASIC or a court, so the “no debts” condition really matters.
Want us to handle the deregistration?
We’ll check you qualify, prepare the wind-down and lodge Form 6010 for you. Fixed price from $249 plus the ASIC fee.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Form 6010 cost?
About $52 from 1 July 2026. ASIC indexes its fees each year, so check the current fee table before you lodge.
How long does deregistration take?
Usually about two months from when ASIC accepts the application and publishes its notice, provided no one objects.
Can I lodge Form 6010 if the company owes the ATO money?
No. The company must have no outstanding liabilities, including tax debts. Pay or formally arrange everything first — the ATO can object to the deregistration otherwise.
What if the company has more than $1,000 in assets?
Distribute or sell the assets first so the company is under the threshold. If there are significant assets or profits to distribute to shareholders, a members’ voluntary liquidation is usually the cleaner path — talk to a registered liquidator.
This article is general information only, not tax, legal or financial advice. Closing a company has legal consequences. Check asic.gov.au or speak with a registered liquidator or tax agent about your situation.
