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Personal or professional qualified signature? Key differences and applications

One signature, two functions: personal and professional. Both have the same legal force, but differ in the scope of data and application. We explain the differences.
Personal or professional qualified signature? Key differences and applications

Differences between qualified personal and professional electronic signatures

A qualified electronic signature (QES) regardless of whether it is a personal or professional signature has the same legal force as a handwritten signature.

It can work "universally" - as a personal signature - or "corporate" - as professional/service signature assigned to a representative in an organization. It is still a signature of a specific person, but the scope of the data in the certificate and the context of use are different.

Here are the main differences between the two functions of signatures: technique, law, applications, costs and practical tips from podpisano.pl.

Technical differences: release, carriers, identification

How does one make out?
  • Personal (universal) - Verification of the identity of the person only (proof/passport).

     

  • Professional (business) - in addition to the identity of the person must be confirmed company data i empowerment (e.g., copy of KRS/CEIDG, NIP/REGON, power of attorney if applicable, function/position document).

     

What it works on
  • Both types can be spent on crypto/USB card (e.g. Certum Mini) or as cloud/mobile signature (e.g., SimplySign). The choice is a matter of convenience and organization policy - power and safety standards are the same.

     

What the certificate contains
  • Personal: Data of the person (first name, last name; sometimes PESEL/NIP of the entrepreneur).

     

  • Professional: person's data + The organization's data (name, address, TIN, REGON; often function/position). This makes it immediately apparent from the certificate, who and what entity they represent.

     

Legal differences: ownership and liability

  • Certificate is always named - assigned to a person. It is this person who makes the declaration of intent and is responsible for the use of the signature (PIN/password protection, no sharing).

  • Business signature does not become "company property." The company can finance it and manage the life cycle (procedures, cancellation), but the it is formally signed by a person.

  • Certificate with company data does not turn e-signature into an "organization signature" (that's what a qualified electronic seal). He reveals the context - I sign as representative of the subject in question.

 

Business applications: when personal, when professional?

Personal signature (universal)
  • Universal "for everything": official matters (US, Social Security, e-KRS), contracts, offers, letters.
  • Ideal for JDG - the same person is a company, no need to add the organization's data in the certificate.
  • It also works in companies - it can be used to sign company documents in accordance with the rules of representation or on the basis of power of attorney.
  • Pros: flexibility, one certificate for multiple roles/entities.
  • Minuses: the recipient does not always see right away, on whose behalf the signer is acting (need to rely on context/authorization).
Professional (business/company) signature
  • When it counts Immediate identification of the company in the certificate (contracts, tender offers, B2B/B2G correspondence, reports).
  • Often used by management/executives/lawyers And in administration (public functions).
  • Tender specifications sometimes require a certificate with company data. 
  • Pros: clear context of representation, fewer additions/attachments.
  • Limitations: we use only for the affairs of this company; when changing jobs - the certificate must be cancel and issue a new one with the new employer.

Cost: what really makes a difference?

  • Status (personal vs. business) in itself is not a price category. We pay for the same type of qualified certificate and the selected technical form.
  • The cost is mainly affected by: media (card/USB vs cloud), validity period (1/2/3 years), method of verification (stationary/remote, express mode, commute).
  • Certum packages for QES include access to the following as standard. qualified time stamp. In practice with SimplySign and Certum Mini in the models offered by podpisano.pl you have up to 5000 time stamps per month included in the price - that's the only "limit" you may be operationally interested in (and rarely a barrier).
  • Who pays. In the business model, usually Employer. In a personal one - the employer or the person himself (unless he counts as a business expense).

Why do employers prefer business QES for employees?

  1. Clear representation - The company's name and TIN in the certificate tell contractors and authorities everything without further explanation.
  2. Order and security - Holder records, training, PIN/PUK policies, loss procedures, quick cancellation Upon change of position/departure.
  3. Separation of roles - Private affairs a private QES, corporate affairs a corporate QES
  4. Formal requirements - Tenders, corporate regulations, public functions; where the "firmness" of the certificate speeds up procedures.
  5. Scalability and efficiency - Mass signatures in HR/finance, remote working, uniform set of tools (e.g. SimplySign + proCertum SmartSign/Certum Mini), simpler IT support.

A brief comparison

Feature

QES personal (universal)

QES professional (business)

Data in the certificate

Person (first name, last name; opc. PESEL/NIP)

Person + company (name, TIN/REGON, opc. function)

Context of use

Private, JDG, also in the company 

Exclusively matters of the company in question

Issue

Only verification of the person

Verification of the person i entity + empowerment

Carrier

Card/USB (e.g. Certum Mini) or cloud (SimplySign)

Idly

Legal force

Equivalent to a handwritten signature

Equivalent to a handwritten signature

Change of job

No impact

The certificate should be revoked

Cost

As for the selected form/period

Same price model

Timestamp

In practice, up to 5000/month. In packages podpisano.pl

In practice, up to 5000/month. In packages podpisano.pl

What information can be included on a professional signature?

  • Name(s)
  • Company Name,
  • TIN or KRS or Regon or all three together
  • Position
  • Academic Titles
  • Profession, e.g.: lawyer, surveyor. etc.

However, moderation should be kept in mind in all this. We can only use 64 characters (including spaces). 

The most common questions

Can I use my business signature privately?

It shouldn't. The certificate contains company data and can be misleading about representation. Use a personal QES for private matters.

What after the termination of the employment relationship if the signature was financed by the company?

At the certificate with company data - employer should cancel certificate. With a certificate personal - the decision depends on the arrangements; the company can request the return of the carrier and apply for cancellation, but the certificate itself remains valid can be used until the end of its validity period.

Is a business signature a "company signature"?

No. It is always signed by a person. If you need a purely organizational "signature" (without a person), a qualified electronic seal.

Is personal "inferior" in court/office?

No. Both are QES - they have identical legal force. The difference is legibility of representation and convenience in corporate processes.

Our recommendations

  • For boards of directors, proxies, sales/procurement departments: QES professional with company data - fewer questions on the part of contractors and faster in procedures.

     

  • For JDGs, consultants working with multiple entities, people in multiple positions or functions: QES personal (universal) - maximum flexibility.

     

  • Carrier: if mobility and remote working - SimplySign (cloud); if you prefer the equipment in your hand -. Certum Mini (card/USB).

     

  • Always add a qualified timestamp - is standard in our packages (up to 5000/month) and the basis for long-term verifiability.

     

Want to select a variant for your company's processes? Contact us, at podpisano.pl - we will select the configuration (number of licenses, roles), train users.

In conclusion ...
  • Legal force - same.
  • Differences - w certificate data i context of use.
  • Service - Clear representation of the company, control and compliance.
  • Personal - Flexibility of roles and actors.
  • Costs - determined mainly by the carrier, period and method of verification, rather than the status of the certificate.
  • Best practices - Timestamp, security policies, holder registry, quick overrides.

     

Products we recommend at podpisano.pl
  • SimplySign (QES in the cloud) - Mobility, immediate deployment, convenient field and remote validation.

     

  • Certum Mini (card/USB + proCertum SmartSign) - Control of devices on stations, offline scenarios, signature + timestamp added on the spot or after returning to the network.

     

If you need a checklist of documents for the issuance of a professional signature for the team (board of directors, attorneys, administration), let us know - we will send a ready-made template and help you go through the process "step by step".

SimplySign and Certum Mini qualified signatures

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us

+48 22 417 05 55

We will answer your questions, find a date that suits you and an advisor in Gdansk, Gdynia, Krakow, Warsaw or Wroclaw.

You can also write an email from us [email protected]. 

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