Journey

Sell your business

Navigate the business sale process from preparation to completion and beyond - valuation, finding buyers, due diligence, TUPE, deal negotiation, and post-sale obligations

Changing Updated 3 November 2026

  1. Prepare your business for sale

    Put your accounts, contracts, property and intellectual property in order, and reduce how much the business depends on you.

  2. Value your business

    Get an independent valuation before you set an asking price.

  3. Find a buyer

    Choose how to sell, and keep the sale confidential until you are ready to tell staff and customers.

    Set up an Employee Ownership Trust

  4. Choose between a share sale and an asset sale

    The structure changes what the buyer takes on, what happens to your staff and contracts, and how the sale is taxed.

    Business Asset Disposal Relief

  5. Agree heads of terms

    Set out the main deal points before either side spends money on lawyers.

    Negotiate your acquisition deal

  6. Prepare for the buyer's due diligence

    Put your documents in a data room so the buyer's checks keep moving.

    Conduct business due diligence

  7. Inform and consult your employees

    In an asset sale your staff usually move to the buyer under TUPE, and you have duties to inform, consult and pass on information.

    TUPE business transfers

  8. Negotiate the sale agreement

    Understand the terms that bind you after the sale: warranties, indemnities, disclosure, limits on claims and restrictive covenants.

  9. Complete the sale

    Sign the completion documents, receive the price and hand over the business.

  10. Report the gain and pay Capital Gains Tax

    Report the gain on your Self Assessment return and claim any relief you qualify for.

    Report capital gains on your Self Assessment

  11. Close down your registrations

    Deal with VAT, PAYE, insurance and remaining contracts after the sale.

    Cancel VAT registration Close PAYE scheme

  12. Close your company if it is no longer needed

    After an asset sale you may be left with a company holding cash. You can strike it off, liquidate it or keep it dormant.

    Close a solvent company using MVL Strike off your company

  13. Keep your records after the sale

    Keep the sale agreement, completion accounts and tax calculations for as long as HMRC can ask for them.

    Keep business records after closing

Official guidance

Business Relief for Inheritance Tax (opens in a new tab)

GOV.UK

Capital Gains Tax when you give away business assets (opens in a new tab)

GOV.UK

BusinessesForSale.com (opens in a new tab)

www.businessesforsale.com

Find a corporate finance adviser (opens in a new tab)

www.icaew.com

File changes to a company with Companies House (opens in a new tab)

GOV.UK

Business Asset Disposal Relief (opens in a new tab)

HMRC

Daltons Business (opens in a new tab)

www.daltonsbusiness.com

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Buy an existing business

Navigate the business acquisition process from finding opportunities to completing the purchase and your first 90 days as owner

Stop your sole trader business

Step-by-step guide to closing your self-employment - telling HMRC, filing final returns, and keeping required records