A Qualified Electronic Seal (eSeal) is issued to an organisation. It can be used to confirm that a document originates from that organisation and that its contents have not been changed.
Before an eSeal can be issued, we may need confirmation that you are authorised to request it on behalf of the organisation.
When is an authorisation required?
You will usually need an authorisation if you are not listed in the relevant Trade Register as an independently authorised representative of the organisation.
This authorisation is granted by a letter that must be signed by the legally authorised representative or representatives identified in the Trade Register.
Why is a Letter of Authorisation required?
If you are not registered as an independently authorised representative, the organisation’s legal representative must confirm that you are permitted to request a Qualified Electronic Seal on its behalf.
The Letter of Authorisation confirms that:
- The organisation is aware of the eSeal application.
- The organisation’s legally authorised representative approves the application.
- You have permission to request and manage the eSeal on behalf of the organisation.
How do we determine who must sign?
During the application, we check the organisation’s official Trade Register information. For Dutch organisations, this is the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK). For international organisations, we consult the relevant national Trade Register in the country where the organisation is registered.
We use this information to determine who is legally authorised to represent the organisation and who must sign the Letter(s) of Authorisation.
We must follow the information recorded in the Trade Register and cannot change it.
If the registered representatives or their signing authority are incorrect, the organisation must first update its details with the relevant Trade Register before the application can continue.
Why did I receive multiple Letters of Authorisation?
Some organisations are registered with joint representation. This means that multiple authorised representatives must approve certain actions together.
If joint representation applies to your organisation, each required representative will receive a separate Letter of Authorisation.
This is not an error. It reflects the organisation’s official registration in the Trade Register.
For more information, see: Why have I received multiple letters?
How does the authorisation process work?
- We determine which authorised representative or representatives must approve the application using the organisation’s Trade Register information.
- We generate the required Letter or Letters of Authorisation.
- The authorised representative or representatives review and sign their letter.
- You submit the signed document through your eSeal registration using the Digidentity Wallet app.
- We review the submitted document.
- After approval, your eSeal application continues to the next step.
Is a Letter of Authorisation always required?
No. A Letter of Authorisation is generally required when:
- You are not registered as an independently authorised representative in the relevant Trade Register.
- The organisation is represented jointly by multiple authorised representatives.
- Additional confirmation of your authority is required.
If you are registered as an independently authorised representative, a Letter of Authorisation is usually not required.
Why is this required if Digidentity has already verified me?
Personal identity verification and organisational authorisation are separate checks.
Even if Digidentity has already verified your identity or you already use another Digidentity product, we may still need confirmation that you are authorised to request an eSeal on behalf of the organisation.
Please note: A Letter of Authorisation expires after 14 days.
If the letter expires, you can request a new one through your ongoing eSeal registration.
Has your Letter of Authorisation expired?
You can request a new Letter of Authorisation through your eSeal registration:
- Return to your ongoing eSeal (international) registration.
- Select here under “Need more time to sign the letter?”
- Download the new Letter of Authorisation.
- Ask the required representative or representatives to sign it.
- Submit the signed document again using the QR code shown during your registration.
You can request a replacement letter starting five days before the current letter expires.