eIDAS
eIDAS is the European Union's regulation on electronic identification and trust services, Regulation (EU) No 910/2014. It sets the legal effect of an electronic signature in every EU member state.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 1 min read
Three levels of signature
- Simple electronic signature: any data a person uses to sign, such as a typed name, a drawn signature or a click.
- Advanced electronic signature: uniquely linked to the signer, under their sole control, and built so any later change to the document can be detected.
- Qualified electronic signature: an advanced signature made with a qualified device and a qualified certificate. Only this level has the legal effect of a handwritten signature in every member state.
Why it matters
Article 25 says no electronic signature can be refused as evidence just because it's electronic or isn't qualified. A simple signature counts, but a court weighs the evidence behind it, and where a member state's law requires a handwritten signature, only a qualified one is treated as equal. eIDAS has applied since July 1, 2016. Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 updated it and added the European Digital Identity Wallet.
eIDAS and SignMaster
In eIDAS terms, a SignMaster signature is a simple electronic signature, backed by an audit trail and a SHA-256 fingerprint of each file. That suits most everyday business contracts. SignMaster doesn't issue qualified certificates or create qualified signatures, so use a qualified trust service provider for a document that legally needs one.
Questions? Answers.
Does eIDAS still apply in the UK?
Not directly since Brexit. The UK kept its own version, usually called UK eIDAS, with the same three levels of electronic signature.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS), Articles 3, 25 and 26 (EUR-Lex) · eur-lex.europa.eu