Exemption Codes & Document Modes
Tag each redaction with the legal reason it was applied. RedactProof includes a built-in library of exemption codes for UK, US, Canadian, and EU jurisdictions - or create your own.
Last updated: Mar 31, 2026
What are exemption codes
When redacting documents for disclosure - SARs, FOI requests, litigation bundles - you often need to record why each piece of information was redacted. An exemption code is that reason, tagged directly onto the redaction.
A paralegal redacting a SAR response might tag one name with "s.40(2) - Third party personal data" under the Freedom of Information Act, and tag legally privileged material with "Schedule 2, Part 4" under the Data Protection Act. The codes appear in the audit trail, linking each redaction to its legal basis.
This matters when your redaction decisions are challenged. An ICO investigation, a tribunal, or an internal audit can review the codes to understand why each piece was removed - without needing to see the original content.
Document modes
Before you start redacting, set the document mode to filter the exemption codes to the relevant set:
Default mode. All codes available, no workflow-specific filtering.
Data Subject Access Request. Filters to data protection exemptions (GDPR Art 15, DPA 2018 Schedule 2).
Freedom of Information. Filters to FOI Act exemptions (s.40, s.41, s.42, etc.).
Disclosure and proceedings. Filters to legal privilege and procedural exemptions.
The mode filters which codes appear in the picker. You can still search for any code regardless of mode.
Jurisdictions
The built-in code library covers four jurisdictions:
- United Kingdom - FOI Act 2000, DPA 2018, UK GDPR exemptions
- United States (Federal) - FOIA exemptions (b)(1)-(b)(9), HIPAA, Privacy Act
- Canada (Federal) - Access to Information Act, Privacy Act (PIPEDA)
- EU/EEA (GDPR) - GDPR articles and recitals for cross-border processing
Codes are grouped by category: data protection, national security, law enforcement, government, commercial, legal privilege, and procedural.
Custom codes
If the built-in library doesn't cover your specific requirement - state-level US regulations, internal policies, or industry-specific exemptions - you can create custom codes. Each custom code has a label and an optional description.
Custom codes appear alongside the built-in library in the picker and are included in the audit trail and export metadata.
Team sharing
On the Team plan, admins can share custom codes across all team members. When a shared code is created, every team member sees it in their picker immediately - no manual distribution or configuration.
This is useful when a firm has standardized its redaction codes across a department or practice area. Create the codes once, share them, and every team member applies them consistently.
Enabling exemption codes
Exemption codes are available on Pro and Team plans. They're opt-in - you need to enable them in Settings before they appear in the editor. This keeps the interface clean for users who don't need them.
Once enabled, each redaction in the sidebar shows a code picker. You can also set a default code for the current document, which auto-applies to new redactions.
Exemption codes in bulk mode
In bulk mode, exemption codes propagate across documents via the session vocabulary. Approve a redaction with code "s.40(2)" in document one, and the same entity gets the same code in all subsequent documents. The code travels with the approval.
Plan availability
Exemption codes and document modes are available on Pro and Team plans. Shared team codes are Team only. See the plan comparison for full details.
How your files are processed
PDFs are opened, rendered, and redacted entirely in your browser. Files are never uploaded.
Only cryptographic hashes and certificate metadata are stored - for tamper-evident verification.
Extracted text (not files) is sent to Cloudflare for enhanced detection. Processed in memory, never stored.