Companies House PROOF explained

Corporate identity theft can be a serious problem for limited companies. All it takes is for a paper form to be filled out fraudulently and harmful changes can be made to a company.

For example, existing directors can be resigned and new directors appointed. The registered office can be changed. The company name can even be altered.

If you are concerned about corporate identity theft, the Companies House free PROOF service may be of interest.

What is Companies House PROOF?

If you sign your company up for PROOF (protected online filing), Companies House will stop accepting certain paper forms for your limited company.

This means particular changes must be made online with your company authentication code. 

What documents are only accepted online if I sign up for Companies House PROOF?

Here are some of the documents that become online only:

• AD01: Change of registered office address
• NM01: Change of company name
• AP01:  Appointment of director
• CH01: Change of director’s details
• TM01: Termination of appointment of director

You will still be able to use our Online Company Manager if you formed your company with 1st Formations and join PROOF.

It’s worth pointing out that the confirmation statement (CS01) is not covered by the PROOF scheme and can continue to be filed via paper if you wish.

How do I sign up for Companies House PROOF?

1. Sign in (or register) to Companies House WebFiling
2. Select your company’s jurisdiction and enter the company number and authentication code
3. Select ‘Join PROOF’ at the top of the page

You will receive an email confirming that you have been signed up.

If you decide to leave PROOF, follow steps 1 and 2, then select ‘Leave PROOF’.

Take care of your company authentication code

Of course, whether you join PROOF or not, your authentication code is key to your company’s security. Handle it with care and only pass it on to trusted individuals.

Thanks for reading! We hope you have found this post helpful. Please leave a comment if you have any questions.