DigiCert Document Signing Certificates

By attaching a cryptographically unique Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificate to a document, a document signing certificate ascribes the signer’s identity and signing location to the document. Any party will also be able to see if a document’s contents were altered or tampered with at any point after signing.

A Qualified Digital Signature is a highly secure way to sign because it requires a regionally valid digital ID. Qualified digital signatures have long-term validity and are legally binding, thanks to identity verification. In countries that use Qualified Digital Signatures, this form of signing is considered the legal equivalent of pen-on-paper.

A standard electronic signature, or e-signature, refers to any electronic process that shows acceptance of agreement or record, even for something as simple as typing your name in a form fill box. Basic electronic signatures differ from Qualified Digital Signatures because they aren’t legally binding and don’t carry long-term validity or identity verification.

You have three options for identity validation:

1. Take your regionally valid ID to an authorized agent for in-person registration.
2. Use Remote Identity Validation (RIV) to register online.
3. Have your approved enterprise organization verify your identity.
   

While requirements vary widely by location, DigiCert’s status as a globally recognized Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) enables our document signing solution to meet compliance standards anywhere in the world. For location-specific requirements, check the local governing authority (i.e., eiDAS) or reach out to your DigiCert account manager.

A DigiCert certificate subscription gives you the flexibility to quickly replace or reconfigure a variety of certificates and licensed products, annualize certificate-related fees to simplify budgeting, and streamline certificate lifecycle management to automate license renewals.