# What is a qualified electronic signature?

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There are three kinds of electronic signature. Only the qualified one has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature everywhere in the EU.

Updated 8 November 2026

## Three kinds of e-signature

A simple signature is anything that shows intent, such as a typed name or a ticked box. An advanced signature is tied to the signer and can show whether the document changed afterwards. A qualified signature is an advanced one made with a qualified certificate on a qualified device.

## Why qualified matters

A qualified electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature in every EU member state. The other two kinds can still count, but the person who relies on them may have to prove more.

## Ways to make one in the Baltics

Smart-ID, Mobile-ID, ID cards and eParaksts all make qualified signatures. Most people use the one already on their phone or in their wallet.

## What OkoSign accepts

Only qualified signatures of people, never a company seal. You can make one with Smart-ID on OkoSign, or sign in your own software and upload the signed file (for a package, .edoc/.asice; a PDF on its own is signed with Smart-ID for now).

## Sign one now

[Sign a document free](https://app.okosign.com/sign-in)

## More guides

- [How to open an .edoc file](https://okosign.com/en/guides/open-edoc-file)
- [How to open an .asice file](https://okosign.com/en/guides/open-asice-file)
- [How to open an .adoc file](https://okosign.com/en/guides/open-adoc-file)
- [How to sign a document with Smart-ID](https://okosign.com/en/guides/sign-with-smart-id)
- [Is a Smart-ID signature legally valid?](https://okosign.com/en/guides/is-smart-id-signature-valid)
- [How to check a signed file](https://okosign.com/en/guides/check-signed-file)
- [How to send a document for signing](https://okosign.com/en/guides/send-document-for-signing)
- [How to sign with an ID card](https://okosign.com/en/guides/sign-with-id-card)
- [Smart-ID or eParaksts: which to use](https://okosign.com/en/compare/smart-id-or-eparaksts)

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The page for people: https://okosign.com/en/guides/qualified-electronic-signature