Winding-up petition search

Check whether a company is facing a winding-up petition.

A creditor’s winding-up petition must be advertised in The Gazette at least seven business days before the court hears it. Type a company name or number and see whether a petition, or the order that follows it, has been published.

  • Winding-up petitions
  • Winding-up orders
  • Company number lookup
  • Built on official data
Check a company — free How it works

Free, no card, no account. One name or up to 150 per run — checked against 317,411 official Gazette notices, current to 8 October 2026.

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Check a company for a winding-up petition

Type one name, company number or postcode — or paste up to 150, one per line. Real results from The Gazette.

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Free, no card, no account — one name or up to 150 per run.

What you are searching

What a winding-up petition search shows

Winding-up petitions

Once a creditor’s petition is served it has to be advertised in The Gazette before the hearing. The notice names the company, its registered office and number, the petitioner, the court and the hearing date. This is usually the first public sign that a company is in serious trouble.

Winding-up orders

If the court grants the petition the resulting winding-up order is gazetted too, with the court and case number. A company with an order has entered compulsory liquidation.

HMRC petitions

HMRC is the most frequent petitioner but publishes no list of its own. Its petitions appear in The Gazette once advertised, exactly like any other creditor’s, so this search is where you find them.

Not every dispute

A statutory demand, a county court judgment or a petition that is withdrawn before advertisement never reaches The Gazette. No match here means nothing has been advertised; it does not mean the company has no creditors chasing it.

Common questions

Winding-up petition questions

How do I find out if a winding-up petition has been issued against a company?

Search the company name or Companies House number above. A petition that has been advertised shows with the petitioner, court and hearing date. Petitions are advertised at least seven business days before the hearing, so there is usually a short window to act.

Is there an HMRC winding-up petition list?

No. HMRC does not publish one. Its petitions become public when they are advertised in The Gazette, which is what this search covers.

What happens after a winding-up petition is advertised?

The company’s bank will usually freeze its accounts once it sees the notice, and the court hears the petition on the date given. If the order is made, the company goes into compulsory liquidation and that order is gazetted as well.

Can I watch a list of companies for new petitions?

Paste up to 150 names or company numbers above for a one-off check. Ongoing monitoring of a customer or supplier list is available on a free account.

Guides

Winding-up petitions: how to find them early

Where petitions surface, how long you have, and what to do in the window.

How to check if a company is in liquidation (UK)

Petition, order, CVL or administration: reading what the notices mean.

CVL vs compulsory liquidation: the Gazette notices

The two routes into liquidation and how each shows up in the record.

Checking more than a handful of names?

Collections, legal and compliance teams screen whole debtor books in one run — with CSV export, deadlines and practitioner contacts.

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