Convert limited company to sole trader

How do I change from a limited company to a sole trader?

Whatever your reason might be, the process of changing from a Limited Company to a Sole Trader is relatively straightforward. To stop trading as a Limited Company and start trading as a Sole Trader once again, you need to close down your Limited Company. This will occur through two methods;

Can a small business switch from a sole trader to a limited company?

Many small businesses often start out as a sole trader business and eventually switch to a limited company once their earnings increase. You can find out exactly how to do this in our article 'How to change from a sole trader to a limited company.'

Can a limited company be a sole trader?

Yes you can, says Simon Thomas of Ridgefield Consulting. But you have to follow these steps to wind up your limited company first I bought and took over a small business a few years ago, a limited company. Sales now are far less and so a lot less admin is needed. Is it possible to change from a limited company to a sole trader?

Do I need to be registered as a sole trader?

Sole Traders do not need to be officially registered anywhere at all, but since a Limited Company is, you will need to inform the HMRC of any changes to the structure of your company and that you have stopped trading as a Limited Company. The next step is now to begin officially trading as a Sole Trader.

How do I register as a sole trader?

If you only want to register as a sole trader you simply need to contact HMRC. There is no public register. Simple, Quick, Company Formation! There is no faster company formation. You can change from Limited Company To Sole Trader status. You will need to prepare some documents and inform HMRC of your new structure.

Should you change from a limited company director/shareholder to a sole trader?

Before we look at why you might change from being a small limited company director/shareholder to a sole trader, let’s briefly compare both options. A key reason why people register and operate as a limited company is to shield themselves from personal financial risk.