The following page contains information about our electronic signature service 'eSGN'. For help signing up for GOV.UK Verify, please see: How do I sign up for GOV.UK Verify with Digidentity?
eSGN is a way to securely sign documents electronically instead of by hand. Each electronic signature created via eSGN is linked to cryptographic data which proves that the document was signed by you and not someone else in your place.
Documents signed using eSGN provide legal certainty to the recipient that the identity of the signatory has been established by a certified Trust Service Provider. When signing a PDF document using eSGN, a certificate is embedded in the document that the recipient can use to verify that the document was signed by you.
eSGN Advanced vs Qualified
It is possible to register for two different types of eSGN account with Digidentity: eSGN Advanced, and eSGN Qualified. Both types of eSGN account will give you the ability to place certified electronic signatures on documents, however eSGN Qualified contains a number of extra checks which affect how the signature is treated in the case of a legal dispute.
Should the validity of a signature be disputed for any reason, using eSGN Qualified, the party who lodges the dispute will have burden of proof to show that the signature is not valid. Using eSGN Advanced, the burden of proof lies instead with you as the signatory.
eSGN vs eSGN+
As well as the two types of eSGN account listed above, it's also possible to register for two different subscription levels: eSGN and eSGN+.
- eSGN: Limit of 5 electronic signatures
- eSGN+: Unlimited signatures, plus access to the Self Service Portal (SSP) where company admins can manage access for employees
Registering for eSGN
To get started, please see: How do I sign up for eSGN with Digidentity?