Electronic seal: authenticate the origin of your issued documents
Defined by the European eIDAS regulation (articles 35 to 40), the electronic seal is the equivalent of the traditional company stamp for digital documents. Unlike the electronic signature which identifies a natural person, the seal identifies the issuing organization and guarantees document integrity. Three levels (Simple, Advanced, Qualified) cover all B2B and administrative uses.
Electronic seal vs electronic signature
The two tools meet distinct needs. The eIDAS regulation defines them in parallel: the signature commits a natural person with a specific name, the seal commits the issuing legal entity. Technically, both rely on asymmetric cryptography and guarantee document integrity, but the nature of the legal commitment differs.
Electronic seal (eIDAS art. 35)
Issued by a legal entity (company, administration, association). Identifies the organization, guarantees the origin of the document and its integrity. Typical cases: mass electronic invoices, official letters, documents automatically generated by an information system.
Electronic signature (eIDAS art. 25)
Issued by a natural person. Identifies the signatory and materializes their consent. Typical cases: employment contract, customer quote, NDA, representation mandate. Legally commits the person, not just the organization.
The three levels of electronic seal
Like the signature, the electronic seal comes in three eIDAS guarantee levels. The right level depends on the nature of the document and the evidentiary value sought.
Simple seal (SES)
Basic level: identifies the issuing organization and guarantees document integrity. Sufficient for internal documents, common B2B communications and order confirmations. Fast implementation, no strong identity requirements.
Suited for common B2B
Advanced seal (AES)
Intermediate level: relies on a certificate issued after verification of the organization''s identity (KBIS, legal representative). Provides strong presumption of origin and integrity, enforceable against third parties. Standard for B2B electronic invoices and business contractual documents.
Recommended for invoices
Qualified seal (QES)
Highest level: qualified certificate issued by a qualified trust service provider (QTSP) listed on the European Trust List (EU Trusted List). Benefits from a presumption of origin and integrity recognized as of right in all Member States. Required for certain administrative documents and public sector invoicing.
Maximum legal value
Use cases for electronic seal
The seal is particularly suited to documents issued in bulk by an information system, without human intervention on each document.
Electronic invoices
From September 2026 (French reform), inter-business electronic invoicing becomes mandatory. The advanced or qualified electronic seal guarantees the origin and integrity of invoices automatically issued by your accounting system. PEPPOL, Factur-X and CTC compliance.
Official letters and documents
Documents issued by an administration, association or large company: certificates, notices, summons, payslips, membership contracts. The seal replaces the physical stamp and provides strong digital enforceability.
Automated B2B workflows
Documents generated in flow by your ERP, CRM or business platform: purchase orders, acknowledgments of receipt, certificates of conformity, tax certificates. The seal applies without human intervention, integrating into the API.
Payroll & HR documents
Monthly payslips, salary certificates, employment certificates, mutual-insurance enrollment contracts: the electronic seal authenticates each HR document issued automatically by your HRIS (Sage, Cegid, Lucca, PayFit) without human intervention, with strong legal weight for URSSAF and DREETS audits.
Banking & financial documents
Account statements, transaction notices, tax certificates, updated terms and conditions: banks, insurers and fintechs seal in bulk the documents issued to their customers. Compliant with ACPR and PSD2 requirements on issuer authenticity.
Healthcare & laboratories
Medical reports, dematerialized prescriptions, lab results, CPAM certificates, hospital prescriptions: the electronic seal authenticates the issuing institution (HDS-hosted in France) and guarantees the integrity of the document — required by the HDS framework and the Ségur du numérique en santé technical doctrine.
Electronic seal levels and pricing compared
The level you choose depends on the nature of the document, the monthly volume and the legal weight required. Certyneo pricing is per applied seal (monthly volume), with no fixed per-issuing-user cost.
| eIDAS level | Typical use case | Legal weight | Certyneo pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple seal (SES) | Internal B2B communications, acknowledgments of receipt, non-contractual documents. | Simple presumption of origin and integrity — admissible but with free judicial appreciation. | Included in all plans, starting from the Business plan (€39/month). |
| Advanced seal (AES) | B2B electronic invoices (2026 French reform), payslips, official corporate correspondence. | Reinforced presumption of origin and integrity — strong admissibility, reversed burden of proof. | From €0.30 per applied seal (volume-tiered) + AES certificate included. |
| Qualified seal (QES) | Public-sector invoicing, administrative acts, EU-wide legally binding documents. | Recognized by law in all EU member states — equivalent to the issuing organization's stamp. | On quote (from €1.90/seal depending on volume) + QES certificate issued by a qualified QTSP. |
Pricing excl. VAT in force in 2026. Volumes > 50,000 seals/month benefit from a tiered grid on quote. AES or QES certificate issuance includes organization identity verification (registration extract + legal representative).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between electronic seal and electronic signature?
- The electronic signature commits a natural person with a specific name (the signatory) — typically a manager who signs a contract. The electronic seal commits a legal entity (the issuing organization) — typically the accounting system that issues invoices on behalf of the company. Technically, both rely on asymmetric cryptography and guarantee document integrity. Legally, the nature of the commitment differs: a signed contract commits the person, a sealed invoice commits the company.
- Does the electronic seal have legal value?
- Yes. The European eIDAS regulation (EU No. 910/2014, articles 35 to 40) recognizes three levels of seal (Simple, Advanced, Qualified) with increasing legal effects. The qualified seal benefits from a presumption of origin and integrity recognized as of right in all Member States. In France, electronic invoicing with seal is explicitly authorized by article 289 VII of the General Tax Code.
- Which seal level to choose: SES, AES or QES?
- For common B2B documents and internal communication, the simple seal (SES) is sufficient. For inter-business electronic invoicing (mandatory in 2026), the advanced seal (AES) is the recommended standard. For public sector invoicing and sensitive administrative documents, the qualified seal (QES) is required. The choice is made by balancing the level of legal guarantee against implementation cost.
- Is the electronic seal mandatory for 2026 electronic invoicing?
- The French framework (electronic invoicing reform) requires the guarantee of integrity and authenticity of the origin of each invoice, without imposing a single technical means. The advanced or qualified electronic seal is one of three mechanisms accepted by the tax administration (along with reliable audit trail and EDI). The seal is generally the simplest solution to implement for large volumes.
- How to obtain an electronic seal certificate?
- An advanced or qualified seal requires a certificate issued by a Trusted Service Provider (TSP). Issuance requires verification of the organization's identity (KBIS, mandate from legal representative, background check). Certyneo integrates this process into its business onboarding — the certificate is provisioned in a few business days for AES levels and in 2 to 3 weeks for QES levels.
- Can documents be sealed automatically via API?
- Yes, this is the most common use case. The Certyneo REST API exposes a dedicated endpoint for mass sealing: your ERP or business platform calls the API each time a document is issued (invoice, purchase order, attestation), the seal is applied in less than a second, and the sealed document is returned with its audit trail. No human intervention, no queue.
- Can I combine an electronic seal and an electronic signature on the same document?
- Yes, and it is even common. Typical case: a partnership contract is sealed by the issuing organization (proof of official origin), then electronically signed by the executives of both parties (personal commitment). The seal and the signature coexist in the final PDF, each verifiable separately. PAdES cryptographic stacks (PDF Advanced Electronic Signatures) natively support multiple seals and signatures coexisting in a single document with their respective audit trails.
- How much does an electronic seal cost?
- Three cost components to plan for. (1) The seal certificate: ~€50 excl. VAT/year for an AES certificate, ~€200 excl. VAT/year for a QES certificate issued by a qualified QTSP. (2) The per-seal unit cost: at Certyneo, starting at €0.30 per AES seal on the Business plan (tiered above 1,000 seals/month), €1.90 per QES seal on quote. (3) API or graphical interface integration: included in the Certyneo subscription, no extra cost. For comparison, an ad-hoc seal at a traditional QTSP costs €2 to €5 per unit without pooling.
To go further
Ready to deploy electronic sealing on your issued documents?
Free plan to test, REST API available from the Business plan onwards. Supported onboarding for AES and QES certificates.