Are you tired of chasing down signatures and dealing with endless paperwork? Electronic signatures simplify the process, helping businesses save time and reduce costs.

In fact, eSignatures can save businesses an average of $28 per agreement signed.

But not all eSignatures offer the same level of protection. For sensitive, high-value contracts or when navigating strict international regulations, qualified electronic signatures (QES) provide the highest level of security and legal assurance.

Knowing when to use QES, how it works, and which platforms support it ensures your documents stay compliant and secure.

What is a qualified electronic signature?

A qualified electronic signature is the strongest type of electronic signature under Europe’s eIDAS regulation. Essentially, in the EU, a QES is the legal equivalent to a handwritten signature.

You can’t create a QES on your own; you must use a qualified signature creation device (QSCD) and be backed by a qualified trust service provider (QTSP) to verify a signer’s identity.

A qualified eSignature is built on public key infrastructure (PKI), which uses a pair of cryptographic keys to secure and verify the signature.

• One key is private and is stored securely in a QSCD
• The other key is public and helps to verify that the signature is authentic and hasn’t been tampered with
• Public verification keys also ensure signature authenticity and prevent tampering

We’ll explore both of these requirements in more detail below.

What are the legal requirements for a qualified electronic signature?

Unlike other types of electronic signatures, a QES has additional security and verification features, including a qualified digital certificate and a qualified trust service provider, and is created using a qualified signature creation device.

Qualified digital certificate

This certificate verifies a signer’s identity and must be issued by a qualified trust service provider (QTSP).

Qualified trust service provider

A QTSP is a third party that verifies the signer’s identity and issues the qualified digital certificate.

PandaDoc partners with third-party QTSPs to deliver qualified electronic signatures that meet EU eIDAS requirements.

Qualified signature creation device

A qualified signature creation device (QSCD) is a certified and secure cryptographic hardware or software system used to create a QES.

It ensures the integrity and confidentiality of the signature creation data, such as the private signing key, by preventing unauthorized access or manipulation.

PandaDoc handles the complexity of QES for you by integrating with trusted QTSPs and secure signature infrastructure. It delivers a QES experience that’s user-friendly and legally compliant without manual setup or special hardware.

When should you use a QES?

You should use a qualified electronic signature for high-risk or legally sensitive documents, where you need to verify the document’s authenticity and the signer’s identity.

Use a QES in situations that require the highest level of trust and legal assurance, including:

• Signing high-risk or legally binding documents
• Verifying the authenticity and integrity of a document
• Confirming the signer’s identity beyond doubt
• Complying with legal requirements in the EU, especially for employment contracts, government forms, and financial services documents

Example: In Germany, certain employment-related agreements, such as termination notices or fixed-term contracts, require a QES to be legally valid under national labor laws.

How do I get a qualified electronic signature?

To get a qualified electronic signature for legal documents or contracts, you must find an authorized QTSP to issue a qualified certificate.

Here’s a high-level overview of the process to get a qualified electronic signature:

• Find a qualified trust provider (QTSP) to verify your identity. Similar to how a notary would do this.
• Complete identity verification to ensure the certificate is tied to you. This includes a formal identity check. You can complete this process online via video call or by submitting the required documents.
• Receive a qualified certificate. Once verified, the QTSP gives you a certificate that enables you to create a QES. This certificate is usually stored on a secure device or a secure, cloud-based platform.

You can go through this process on your own, but the easiest way is to use an eSignature platform that integrates QES capabilities.

PandaDoc supports qualified electronic signatures by partnering with trusted QTSPs and offering remote signature tools that meet eIDAS requirements. This means you can issue and sign QES-compliant documents directly within the platform, without handling certificates or devices yourself.

Different types of digital signatures

Qualified electronic signatures provide enhanced protection compared to other types of eSignatures.

Here’s a breakdown of different eSignature options.

Digital signatures

A digital signature uses cryptographic algorithms to validate the authenticity of a digital document. When a document has a digital signature, you can trust that it hasn’t been tampered with or modified.

Common uses for digital signatures include financial transactions, as well as government and legal filings.

Electronic signatures

An electronic signature, or eSignature, confirms a person’s intent to sign a document or agree to its terms.

It’s basically an online version of a person’s handwritten signature, but it can take on many forms, including:

• Typing your name in a blank or a box
• Checking a box
• Clicking a button to say “I agree”
• Entering a code
• Signing with your finger or a stylus

Use an electronic signature for NDAs, contracts, customer agreements, or consent forms.

Advanced electronic signature (AES)

An advanced electronic signature (AES) includes additional steps to authenticate a person’s identity. To get an AES, a person may need to provide a government-issued ID, or use a unique access code.

According to eIDAS regulations, an AES must:

• Be uniquely linked to the signer
• Be capable of identifying the signer
• Be created using data that the signer can control
• Detect any changes made to the signed data

Like a QES, advanced electronic signatures typically use a digital certificate to help authenticate the signer and ensure the integrity of the signed document.

Both advanced and qualified electronic signatures use cryptographic methods and are more secure than basic electronic signatures.

However, a QES includes an additional layer of legal and technical assurance:

• An AES can be used when there’s a need for strong authenticity and integrity, but not necessarily full legal equivalence to a handwritten signature.
• In the EU, a QES is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature. A QES must be backed by a qualified certificate issued by a QTSP and created using a QSCD.

QES vs other electronic signatures

In short, if you’re working with high-value contracts, legal documents, or any documents that must adhere to EU standards, you will need a qualified electronic signature.

Using qualified electronic signatures in PandaDoc

Understanding when and how to use the different types of electronic signatures can be confusing. Luckily, PandaDoc makes it easy and takes the guesswork out for you.

When you use PandaDoc to request a QES:

• PandaDoc partners with Qualified Trust Service Providers (QTSPs) and uses remote-certified signature creation tools that meet eIDAS standards. That means signers go through the necessary identity verification steps, and their signature is generated using a secure, compliant system.
• No special hardware or software needed. Unlike traditional QES workflows that require smart cards or USB tokens, PandaDoc handles everything in the cloud. The signer simply completes identity verification (such as a video ID check), and the system automatically applies the QES.
• One platform for everything. You can draft contracts, proposals, or legal documents in PandaDoc’s drag-and-drop document editor, send them out for QES, and track the signing process—all in one place.
• Peace of mind with compliance. You don’t need to be a legal expert to use a QES in PandaDoc. The platform handles the technical and legal complexity behind the scenes, so your document meets strict EU standards for authenticity, identity, and legal enforceability.

PandaDoc has enhanced its QES solution, empowering organizations to achieve complete legal compliance and streamline critical workflows with multi-signer and seamless Identity Provider (IdP) support + integration.

What this means for you:

• You can now legally sign documents with the highest level of digital security—accepted across the EU and other strict jurisdictions.
• Our QES solution supports multiple signers, even when each person needs to verify their identity separately.
• It works smoothly with your company’s existing Identity Provider (IdP)—like Okta or Azure AD—to confirm who’s signing.

Simplify the document creation and signing process with PandaDoc and ensure your documents meet EU regulations. Get started today, sign up for a 14-day trial. 

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