[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"advice-en-e-podpis-elektroniczny":3},{"slug":4,"title":5,"excerpt":6,"body":7,"datePublished":8,"dateModified":8},"e-podpis-elektroniczny","E-signature in Poland — types, legal effect and how to obtain it","Electronic signature in 2026: trusted profile, qualified signature, e-ID personal signature and advanced signature. When to use which and how to obtain.","\u003Cp>Several types of electronic signature are in use in Polish legal practice: the trusted profile, the qualified signature, the personal signature in the e-ID (e-dowód) and the so-called advanced signature. Each has a different scope of application and different technical requirements. An entrepreneur running a business in Poland — especially remotely — uses them for almost every official act: from CEIDG, through B2B contracts, to KSeF and KRS. Below we describe which signature is needed for what, how to obtain it, and what the differences in legal effect are — state of the law as of 2026.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Legal basis: eIDAS and the Trust Services Act\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>The foundation is the eIDAS Regulation (EU 910\u002F2014) and the Polish Act of 5 September 2016 on trust services and electronic identification. eIDAS distinguishes three levels of signature:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>simple electronic signature\u003C\u002Fstrong> — any means of logically associating data with a person (e.g. a scanned signature, clicking \"I accept\");\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>advanced electronic signature\u003C\u002Fstrong> — uniquely attributed to the signatory, giving them sole control over the signature and detecting any subsequent change in content;\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>qualified electronic signature (QES)\u003C\u002Fstrong> — an advanced signature based on a qualified certificate, equivalent to a handwritten signature.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp>In addition, Polish law provides for the trusted signature (an e-administration tool) and the personal signature in the e-ID — both equated, within the scope defined by the Act, with the qualified signature in contact with public authorities.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Trusted profile — a free signature for e-administration\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>The trusted profile (ePUAP) is a means of identification issued by the Ministry of Digital Affairs. It allows signing applications to state and local government offices (CEIDG, PUE ZUS, e-Urząd Skarbowy, GEOPORTAL, mObywatel), but does not fully replace the qualified signature in private-law dealings. Some civil-law contracts require the written form on pain of nullity — this form can only be replaced by the qualified signature, not by the trusted profile.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>How to obtain a trusted profile:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Col>\u003Cli>through the electronic banking of a bank from the list (PKO BP, mBank, ING, Santander, Pekao and others) — the process is online, without leaving home, in a few minutes;\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>through a confirmation point (tax office, ZUS, Polish consulate, branches of some banks) — after setting up the profile online you need to appear and confirm your identity within 14 days;\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>through the e-ID with a reader or the mObywatel app.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Fol>\u003Cp>The profile is valid for 3 years and can be renewed without another visit. It is free of charge.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Trusted signature — how to sign a PDF with a trusted profile\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>PDF documents are signed through the gov.pl service (the \"Sign a document electronically using the trusted signature\" section). The procedure:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Col>\u003Cli>go to the \"Sign a document electronically – use the trusted signature\" service on gov.pl and choose signing with the trusted profile;\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>upload the PDF file (up to the size limit stated in the service);\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>log in to your trusted profile (banking or login\u002Fpassword + SMS);\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>confirm signing and download the .pdf or .xml file with the embedded signature.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Fol>\u003Cp>Such a signature is effective in contact with the administration; in business-to-business dealings the parties can agree to use it, but its force is weaker than that of the qualified signature and depends on the other party's consent.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Qualified electronic signature — equivalent to a handwritten one\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>A qualified signature is created using a certificate issued by a qualified trust service provider. Several commercial providers operate in Poland (among others KIR with the Szafir service, Asseco Certum, EuroCert, CenCert, PWPW). The certificate is issued after identity verification — in person at a notary, at the provider's point of service or remotely by video verification and the e-ID.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The set includes:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>a qualified certificate usually valid for 1, 2 or 3 years;\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>a cryptographic card or a cloud module (mobile signature);\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>a card reader and signing software (e.g. Szafir, SimplySign).\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp>The price of an annual set is usually PLN 200–450 net, depending on the provider, format and length of validity. Renewal is quicker and cheaper than the first card issued — provided the data has not changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>A qualified signature has the effect of a handwritten signature (Article 78¹ of the Civil Code). Can it be used to sign a sale-of-real-estate contract? No — that requires the form of a notarial deed, which no electronic signature can replace. But most commercial and employment contracts, financial statements, tax returns and KRS applications can be signed in this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Personal signature in the e-ID\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>The identity card (dowód osobisty) issued since 2019 contains an electronic layer. In it, you can activate the personal signature — a free, state-issued advanced electronic signature based on a certificate in the card. In contact with the administration it has the effects of a qualified signature. In private-law dealings — only when the parties have so agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>To use it, you need:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>a contact card reader (an NFC-equipped smartphone is enough for the mObywatel app);\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>software available free of charge on e-dowod.gov.pl;\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>a PIN2 (6-digit, set at the office when collecting the ID card).\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Ch2>Which signature for what — a decision table\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Ctable>\u003Cthead>\u003Ctr>\u003Cth>Act\u003C\u002Fth>\u003Cth>Minimum signature\u003C\u002Fth>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Fthead>\u003Ctbody>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>CEIDG-1 application\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Trusted profile, e-ID or qualified\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Company registration in S24 or PRS\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Trusted profile, e-ID or qualified\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Invoice in KSeF\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Trusted profile, qualified signature, token or electronic seal\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Company financial statements to KRS\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Qualified signature, trusted profile or personal signature — signed by all management board members\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>JPK, CIT, PIT returns\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Authorising data or a qualified signature (for UPL-1 proxies)\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>B2B contract between companies\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Qualified signature (to secure the written form) or a simple agreement of the parties on a lower standard\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Employment contract\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Written form — qualified or handwritten signature\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Sale-of-real-estate contract\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Notarial deed only — an electronic signature is not enough\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\u003Ch2>Electronic seal and mobile signature\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>A company as a legal person can use an electronic seal — the equivalent of a qualified signature for an entity, not a natural person. The seal is used, for example, to issue invoices automatically in KSeF or to sign bulk documents. For individuals the mobile signature with a smartphone app (SimplySign, mSzafir) is increasingly popular — the private key is held in the provider's cloud, authorisation is by PIN and push, without a physical card or reader.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>The most common problems\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>Certificate invalid at the moment of signing — the signature loses its effect. Expiry dates have to be watched.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>No timestamp — once the certificate expires it is no longer possible to verify whether the signature was valid at the moment of signing. A time stamp solves this problem.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>File format — some offices require XAdES or PAdES instead of CAdES; it is worth checking the recipient's requirements before sending.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Confusing the trusted profile with the qualified signature — the profile only works vis-à-vis the administration; for a private counterparty it is not enough if the contract requires the written form.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Sharing the cryptographic card with another person — this formally invalidates the signature's legal effect and may be grounds for the provider to invalidate the certificate.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Ch2>How Good Balance helps\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>As part of a \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fen\u002Fservices\u002Flegal\u002Fconsultation\">legal consultation\u003C\u002Fa>, the Good Balance team matches the right type of signature to the specific act and industry of the client, prepares powers of attorney (including UPL-1 for e-Urząd Skarbowy) and helps with remote identity verification at qualified providers. For foreigners running companies in Poland we explain how to obtain a trusted profile without a Polish bank account and how to buy a qualified signature without visiting the country. We also help roll out an electronic seal in the company and the signing of invoices in KSeF.\u003C\u002Fp>","2026-10-09"]