Qualified electronic signature (QES)

What does Qualified electronic signature mean?

A qualified electronic signature (QES) is the highest level of electronic signature under the EU's eIDAS regulation: an advanced electronic signature that is created by a qualified signature creation device and based on a qualified certificate for electronic signatures. It is the only type of e-signature that eIDAS says has the equivalent legal effect of a handwritten signature, and a QES issued in one member state must be recognized in all others.

Getting one involves several steps. First, the signer's identity is verified by a qualified trust service provider, either in person or through an approved remote method such as video identification or a national eID. The QTSP then issues a qualified certificate tied to that person. At signing time, the signature is created on a qualified device, which today is often a remote hardware security module operated by the provider, with the signer authorizing each signature using strong authentication.

Imagine a notary-heavy transaction in Germany, or a public tender in Italy where the procurement rules require a qualified signature. A company director signs the bid documents with a QES from an accredited provider, and the receiving authority can validate the signature against the EU trusted lists without any further paperwork.

The main misconception is that a QES is necessary for ordinary business contracts in Europe. It usually is not. National law determines which documents need handwritten-equivalent form, and for most commercial agreements a simple or advanced electronic signature is valid and admissible. Another misunderstanding is that a QES is universally recognized outside the EU. Its special status comes from eIDAS; in the US, for example, the ESIGN Act treats it like any other electronic signature.

Qualified signatures also cost more and add friction. Identity onboarding can take minutes or longer, and signers who do not already hold a qualified certificate may abandon the process. That is a real trade-off for consumer-facing documents.

Our take: QES is the right tool when a law or a counterparty explicitly demands it, and a poor default otherwise. If you are unsure, ask whether your specific document has a form requirement before paying for the strongest signature on the market.

eSignSimple does not offer qualified electronic signatures. Our product provides simple electronic signatures with an audit trail, certificate of completion and SHA-256 hash verification. If you need a QES, you will need a qualified trust service provider listed on an EU trusted list.

What is an example of qualified electronic signature?

An Italian company bidding on a public tender must sign its offer with a qualified electronic signature. The managing director uses a smart card issued by an accredited trust service provider, enters a PIN and signs the PDF; the authority's portal checks the qualified certificate against the EU trusted lists. eSignSimple cannot be used for this: we only provide simple electronic signatures.

What does signing with a QES look like for the signer?

For someone who has never had one, the first QES takes the longest. They choose a qualified provider, or are sent to one by the platform requesting the signature, and complete identity verification: a video call where they show an ID document, a login with a national eID card or app, or an in-person check. The provider then issues a qualified certificate in their name. Today this certificate is often kept on the provider's remote signing service rather than on a card in the signer's pocket.

At signing time the signer reviews the document, starts the signature and authorizes it with strong authentication, typically a PIN plus a code or approval in an app on their phone. The provider creates the signature on its qualified device and the document comes back with the signature embedded. Once someone holds a certificate, later signatures take a minute or two. Some certificates are issued for a single transaction and expire within minutes, which suits occasional signers.

Which documents typically need a QES?

The need comes from national law, not from eIDAS itself. Where a member state's law requires a written form with a handwritten signature, it often allows a QES as the electronic replacement. Germany is the usual example: its Civil Code lets the statutory written form be replaced by an electronic form with a qualified signature, while excluding some documents from electronic form altogether. Public procurement platforms in several countries also require qualified signatures on bids, and some company registers and courts accept electronic filings only with a QES.

Outside those settings, a QES is optional. Ordinary sales contracts, NDAs, service agreements and most employment paperwork have no form requirement in most member states. Because the list differs by country and changes over time, check the rule for your specific document. Our Germany and European Union legality pages give an overview.

How do you validate a QES you received?

Open the PDF in a reader that supports EU trusted lists. Many PDF readers can import the EU Trusted List so they recognize qualified certificates; once enabled, the signature panel shows the signer's name, the issuing provider and whether the certificate is qualified. Check that the signature covers the whole document, that no changes were made afterwards, and that the timestamp falls within the certificate's validity.

For a more formal check, use a validation service. The European Commission publishes open-source validation software (DSS) with an online demonstration, and qualified validation services offered by trust service providers produce a validation report you can file with the document. If the report says the signature is qualified and the provider was qualified at the time of signing, you have the strongest evidence eIDAS offers. To confirm the provider itself, see our QTSP entry.

Which terms are related?

• eIDAS: eIDAS is the EU regulation (No 910/2014) on electronic identification and trust services, including electronic signatures.
• Simple electronic signature (SES): A simple electronic signature is the basic eIDAS level: data in electronic form used by a signer to sign, such as a typed or drawn signature.
• Advanced electronic signature (AES): An advanced electronic signature is uniquely linked to and identifies the signer, is under their sole control and detects later changes to the data.
• Qualified trust service provider (QTSP): A QTSP is a provider granted qualified status by an EU supervisory body to issue qualified certificates and other qualified trust services.
• Public key infrastructure (PKI): PKI (public key infrastructure) is the system of certificate authorities, digital certificates and key pairs that binds public keys to real identities.