Due to Covid, lockdown and consequent smart working, we are witnessing an exponential growth of eIDAS Qualified Trust Services and more and more success is enjoying the Online Digital Signature and in particular a new type of Qualified Electronic Signature that can be obtained free of charge with the innovative Pay per Sign formula.
But what is the Digital Signature
How it works
And how to get it for free
We will explain it in this article. Digital signature: legal validity and use
The digital signature is the computer equivalent of the handwritten signature, it is strictly personal and when it is used to digitally sign an electronic document, it is given full legal validitypursuant to art. 2702 of the Civil Code and pursuant to art. 20 of the Digital Administration Code.
The digital signature can be used to sign any electronic document, such as:
- Participation in calls for tenders and public competitions
- SPID activation contract (the Public Digital Identity Service)
- Registration with MEPA (ex-Consip)
- Documents to be sent to the Public Administration
- Publication of the acts on the Praetorian Register
- Registrations to the MISE
- Modification or sale of company shares
The digital signature is issued in Italy exclusively by Qualified Trust Service Providers authorized by the Agency for Digital Italy (AgID) only upon certain identification of the owner, which can take place in one of the following ways:
- by going in person to one of the authorized offices
- through online video recognition with an RAO Operator
- via CIE, health card or CNS (using the appropriate smartcard readers)
- via Login with SPID credentials
Digital signature and remote digital signature: what changes
It is important to clarify that the digital signature and the remote digital signature both allow you to digitally sign with the same legal value: the only difference between these two types of digital signature, and only the device you uses .
In fact, the remote digital signature does not require any USB key, otp token or smartcard reader and a PC to connect these devices: you can sign in total mobility, without having to install dedicated hardware, thanks to a smartphone connected to the internet.
Normally, an OTP (one time password) code is received via text message or push notification, which must be entered in the software or application provided, to validate the digital signature to be affixed to the electronic document. Free digital signature: how to get it
As already mentioned, you can buy the digital signature by contacting only a company certified by AgID or authorized resellers.
If you decide to activate it directly online, you usually have to stipulate a three-year subscription contract with an advance payment ranging from 50 to 70 euros, to which you must add the cost for online recognition with RAO operator or via SPID. which varies from 20 to 30 euros,
Without forgetting the fact that before the contract expires, the digital signature must be renewed at a cost ranging from 15 to 25 euros, otherwise a new contract must be signed and the initial costs paid.
And if a person has to use it only a couple of times, he must necessarily take out a three-year subscription
From January 2021, for private citizens and for those who think of using it little and making few signatures a year, there is the possibility of activate a Remote Digital Signature with Pay per Sign rate for free, without having to pay anything in advance and without having to stipulate a three-year subscription contract.
This is the Digital Signature that Signs!, issued by Intesi Group Spa, one of the qualified service providers authorized by AgID and which can be activated online from the portal www.LetteraSenzaBusta.com, with the following characteristics and differences compared to other digital signatures on the market:
- it is activated for free in 5 minutes and online video recognition is also free
- no subscription contract must be signed
- it is renewed at no cost with a simple click
- you pay only when you use it, that is, only when you sign
- it can be used to get SPID
The cost required for affixing each signature is € 5.99 including VAT and you can also decide whether to affix a Qualified Time Stamp to the digitally signed file to extend the validity of the signature for 20 years and an Electronic Mark to keep it unchanged. the legal value of the signature, if a signed PDF with PAdES signature is to be printed on paper.
