What is the Companies House PROOF scheme?
By DormantFile · Updated 24 July 2026
PROOF — PROtected Online Filing — is a free Companies House scheme that stops anyone changing your company's key details on paper. Once your company is registered for PROOF, Companies House rejects paper versions of the protected forms, so those changes can only be made through your authenticated online (WebFiling) account.
What it protects
PROOF covers the forms fraudsters use to hijack a company:
- Director appointments, terminations and changes (AP01, TM01, CH01 and related forms)
- Registered office address changes (AD01)
- Confirmation statements
With PROOF active, a paper AP01 appointing a stranger as your director is rejected automatically — the change has to come through your account, protected by your sign-in and your authentication code.
How to sign up
Sign in to Companies House WebFiling, select your company, and join PROOF from the company overview — it's a one-off, free step. You'll receive confirmation, and from then on the paper routes are closed.
What it doesn't do
PROOF is a lock on the paper door, not a full alarm system. It can't help if your authentication code has leaked, and it doesn't tell you when any filing appears on your record. That's why it pairs naturally with daily monitoring — DormantFile's free watchdog checks your public record every day and emails you about any filing you didn't make. For the full picture, see our guide to protecting your company from hijacking.