Sign an accountant's certificate online
Certificate issued by an accountant registered with the Professional Body, intended for banks, social organisations, landlords or authorities. Compliant with article L823-12-1 of the Commercial Code, advanced signature recommended with public verification URL — the authenticity of the certificate can be verified online by any recipient.
- Legal framework
- Art. L823-12-1 C. com.
- Signature level
- AES eIDAS recommended
- Legal archiving
- 10 years included
What is an accountant's certificate?
An accountant's certificate is a document signed by a professional registered with the Professional Body, certifying a specific fact: a company's turnover, a manager's debt capacity, an independent worker's income, accounting compliance, etc. Issued on the client's request, it is addressed to a third party (bank, URSSAF, landlord, administrative authority) who needs verified information. Article L823-12-1 of the Commercial Code governs certificates issued by statutory auditors; the professional standards of the OEC govern those issued by accountants.
Why sign the certificate electronically?
Public verification URL
Each Certyneo certificate comes with a public verification URL printed on the PDF. The bank or recipient organisation scans the QR code and accesses proof of authenticity: identity of the signatory, date, document hash. No more fraud possible on scanned-modified certificates.
Remote signature — within 5 minutes
The client requests their certificate by email, the accountant drafts it, signs it electronically and sends it to the recipient — all in less than 5 minutes. No need to travel to the office, no more postal reminders for banking emergencies.
10-year archiving included
Article L123-22 of the Commercial Code requires accounting documents to be kept for 10 years. Certyneo automatically archives the signed certificate + its eIDAS audit trail for this entire duration, accessible with one click in case of audit or dispute.
Enforceable audit trail
Each certificate comes with a proof PDF: identity of the signatory (OTP verification), qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, IP. Enforceable before the Professional Board, before a judge in case of litigation, and before the recipient authority in case of doubt.
Issue a certificate in 4 steps
From drafting the certificate to transmission to the recipient, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Draft the certificate
Upload your existing PDF or use a certificate template (turnover, debt capacity, landlord certificate). Include mandatory information: firm identity, Professional Body registration number, specific purpose of the certificate, recipient.
2. Add your signature
As an accountant, you are the sole signatory of your certificate. Reinforced OTP SMS + email authentication guarantees that it is indeed you signing.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended: identity verification, unique certificate, qualified timestamp. Compliant with article 26 of the eIDAS regulation and article L823-12-1 of the Commercial Code.
4. Transmit to the recipient
Download the signed PDF with integrated verification URL, or send it directly from Certyneo. The bank or organisation can verify authenticity by scanning the QR code.
Frequently asked questions
- Is an electronically signed accountant's certificate accepted by banks?
- Yes, without reservation. Major French banks accept electronically signed certificates with advanced signature (AES) compliant with eIDAS — it has even become the standard for business credit applications since 2024. The verification URL printed on the PDF allows the account manager to verify authenticity with one click, which accelerates processing.
- What is the purpose of the verification URL on the certificate?
- The public verification URL (printed and encoded as a QR code) allows any recipient of the certificate to verify online: (1) the identity of the accountant signatory, (2) the exact date and time of signature, (3) the absence of alteration to the PDF since signature. It is the digital equivalent of a wet stamp + telephone verification.
- What types of certificates can be electronically signed?
- All certificates issued by an accountant: turnover, debt capacity, independent worker income, accounting compliance, landlord certificate, URSSAF certificate, security deposit, VAT compliance, transfer commitment, certificate of manager presence. No legal restriction requires handwritten signature for these documents.
- Which signature level should I choose?
- Advanced signature (AES) recommended. It provides a presumption of reliability (article 1367 Civil Code) and meets the evidentiary requirements of banks and recipient organisations. QES is not required for standard certificates.
- How long must a certificate be kept?
- Minimum 10 years, in alignment with article L123-22 of the Commercial Code. Certyneo automatically archives the signed certificate + its audit trail for this duration.
- What should I do if the recipient contests the attestation?
- The Certyneo audit trail makes it possible to prove the authenticity of the attestation: signer identity verified by SMS OTP, qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash of the document, IP address. In case of dispute, the accountant produces the proof PDF which establishes that the attestation was issued on such a date by such a person, without any possibility of alteration.
- Can the attestation be signed by multiple parties?
- For attestations issued in co-signature (two accountants from the same firm, or accountant + statutory auditor), Certyneo natively handles sequential or parallel signature, with consolidated audit trail.
- Is the electronically signed attestation enforceable?
- Yes — French case law recognizes electronic signature compliant with eIDAS. The presumption of reliability under article 1367 of the Civil Code makes advanced signature (AES) enforceable without further demonstration, provided the audit trail is produced (automatically delivered by Certyneo).
Also read
Issue your first online attestation
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes/month), no credit card required. Compliant with Commercial Code and eIDAS. Public verification URL included.