Any aggrieved person — usually a member, director or creditor — may apply to the High Court to restore the name of a company that has been struck off, under Section 555(1) of the Companies Act 2016. The application must be made within seven years after the name was struck off the register. When an office copy of the court order is filed with the Registrar, the company is deemed to have continued in existence as if its name had never been struck off.
- An application for restoration must be made within seven years after the company's name was struck off (Section 555(1)).
- It is a court process, not an administrative filing: an originating summons supported by an affidavit is filed at the High Court, with the Registrar (SSM) as defendant.
- Once an office copy of the order is filed with the Registrar, the company is deemed to have continued in existence (Section 555(3)).
Who this applies to: Members, directors, creditors or any aggrieved party whose company has been struck off the register under Section 549 or 550.
On this page
Your company name has vanished from the SSM register — but the striking off is not necessarily final. The law provides a seven-year window to apply to restore it, through the courts.
When the Registrar strikes a company’s name off the register under Section 549 or 550 of the Companies Act 2016, the company is dissolved. However, Section 555 provides a route to restoration for the parties affected. Here is who may apply, within what period, and what the effect is.
Who can apply to restore a company?
Under Section 555(1) of the Companies Act 2016, any aggrieved person affected by the striking off of the name may apply to the court. In practice, the usual applicants are:
- Members (shareholders) who still have an interest in the company;
- Directors who wish to resume the business;
- Creditors who have a claim against the company.
How long is the permitted period?
The application must be made within seven years after the company’s name was struck off the register. Once that seven-year period has passed, restoration under Section 555 can no longer be applied for.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provision | Section 555 of the Companies Act 2016 |
| Time limit | 7 years after the date of striking off |
| Forum | High Court |
| Defendant | Registrar (SSM) |
How does the court process work?
This is not an administrative filing at an SSM counter — it is a court proceeding. The process is typically as follows:
- File an originating summons at the High Court, in accordance with Order 88 of the Rules of Court 2012.
- Support it with an affidavit setting out the grounds and evidence — for example, proof that the company is still carrying on business (financial statements, assets, contracts).
- Name the Registrar (SSM) as defendant. The Registrar will review the application and state its support or objection to the court.
- The court weighs whether it is just and equitable to restore the name. This power is at the court’s discretion.
What happens after the court grants the order?
Under Section 555(2), the court may order that the company’s name be restored and give any directions necessary to place the company and all other parties in the position they would have been in as if the name had never been struck off.
The key is Section 555(3): once an office copy of the order is filed with the Registrar, the company is deemed to have continued in existence as if its name had never been struck off. The original registration number is retained.
After restoration, common follow-up matters include:
- Settling outstanding annual returns;
- Reappointing the company secretary;
- Reactivating bank accounts and reviewing assets and contracts.
What’s next
Before filing, review the SSM Guidelines for applications under Section 555(1) issued on 30 January 2023, which set out the procedural requirements in detail. Because this involves the courts, obtain advice from a lawyer and company secretary early — especially if your seven-year window is approaching its end. To understand why a company is struck off in the first place, refer to the related article on striking off a company’s name under Section 549 and 550.
How long is the window to apply for restoration?
Seven years after the company's name was struck off the register, under Section 555(1) of the Companies Act 2016. After that period, restoration can no longer be applied for.
Who can apply?
Any person aggrieved by the striking off — typically a member, director or creditor of the company.
Can this be settled directly with SSM?
No. Restoration requires a High Court order. The Registrar (SSM) is named as defendant and reviews the application before the hearing.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- URL sumber Bestar mengandungi pemisah 'reinst-ate' di tengah perkataan (…/application-to-reinst-ate-company-under-section-555-1-…). Ia menghasilkan HTTP 200 (slug kanonik sebenar Wix), tetapi sahkan secara manual token itu tidak rosak atau tersalin secara senyap.
- Tarikh 30 Januari 2023 bagi Garis Panduan SSM di bawah Seksyen 555(1) disahkan melalui pengumuman teknikal MAICSA dan TACPro; sahkan terhadap salinan garis panduan rasmi SSM sendiri jika boleh diakses.
- Rujukan Aturan 88 Kaedah 2 Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah 2012 disebut dalam sumber sekunder (MAICSA/TACPro); sahkan terhadap teks Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah 2012 yang berkuat kuasa.
Sources
- Striking Off a Company Under Section 549(a) and 550 of the Companies Act 2016 — Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
- Application to Reinstate Company Name under Section 555(1) of the Companies Act 2016 — Bestar
- How to Reinstate a Struck-Off Company in Malaysia — iComSec
- SSM Guidelines for Application to Reinstate Company Name (issued 30 January 2023) — Chartered Secretaries Malaysia (MAICSA)
- SSM Updates Guideline for Reinstating Name of Company that has been Struck Off — TAC Professional (Thang & Co.)
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 7 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |