Note: eLegalization is a specific Czech legal institute introduced under Czech law. While it serves a function similar to notarized signature verification, it should not be confused with notarial certification or apostille procedures.
How the Czech Republic Is Bringing Signature Verification into the Digital Age
Buying a share in a company, granting a power of attorney, filing documents with the Commercial Register, or submitting paperwork to the Land Registry. In all of these situations, individuals are often required to provide an officially verified signature.
Until recently, that usually meant printing a document, signing it by hand, and visiting a Czech POINT office, a notary, or an attorney to have the signature verified. Even if the document itself had been created electronically, the final step still had to take place on paper.
This changed with the introduction of eLegalization (eLegalizace). Since 2024, Czech law has allowed electronic signatures on electronic documents to be officially verified under certain conditions. The Czech legal system has therefore taken another step towards fully digital legal services.
However, this does not mean that every electronic signature automatically becomes an officially verified signature. In practice, this is where most misunderstandings arise.
An Electronic Signature Is Not the Same as an Officially Verified Signature
Many people assume that signing a document electronically automatically satisfies all legal requirements. In reality, an electronic signature and an officially verified signature serve different purposes.
An electronic signature merely confirms that a person signed a document electronically. This may include a scanned signature inserted into a PDF, a signature created through a signing platform such as Adobe Sign, or a qualified electronic signature based on a digital certificate.
Where the law or a contractual agreement requires an officially verified signature, simply signing electronically is often not enough. Additional assurance is needed that the signature genuinely belongs to the person who signed the document.
This is precisely the purpose of eLegalization.
Why Was eLegalization Introduced?
Over the past decade, legal services have become increasingly digital. Documents are routinely signed electronically, communication with public authorities is often carried out through data mailboxes, and many administrative procedures can now be completed online.
Yet one significant obstacle remained.
Whenever legislation required an officially verified signature, parties frequently had to return to paper. An electronically created document would be printed, signed by hand, verified in person, and then converted back into electronic form.
The entire process was time-consuming, inefficient, and largely defeated the purpose of digital communication.
To address this issue, the Czech legislature adopted Act No. 12/2020 Coll., on the Right to Digital Services (CZ). Section 6 of the Act introduced the possibility of replacing an officially verified signature with a digital alternative, creating a legal mechanism capable of producing the same legal effect in a fully electronic environment.
When Might You Need eLegalization?
Although eLegalization is still a relatively new service, there are many situations in which it can significantly simplify legal and business processes.
Typically, it will be relevant whenever the law or another party requires an officially verified signature. Examples include:
- powers of attorney for certain legal acts,
- documents submitted to the Czech Land Registry,
- corporate documentation of companies,
- applications for entry into public registers,
- contracts where the parties have agreed on a requirement for signature verification,
- declarations or consents required under specific legislation.
Consider, for example, a shareholder of a Czech limited liability company who lives abroad. The shareholder needs to sign a document requiring an officially verified signature. Until recently, this often involved dealing with paper documents, international courier services, or visiting a Czech embassy or consulate.
Today, the entire process can remain electronic, with eLegalization providing a practical way to satisfy the signature verification requirement in a digital environment.
How Does eLegalization Work in Practice?
Although eLegalization is designed to support digital transactions, the current legal framework still requires in-person identification of the applicant.
The process consists of two steps.
Step 1: Uploading the Document to the Czech POINT Repository
First, the electronic document must be uploaded to the Czech POINT electronic repository.
The document must be in PDF/A format and comply with the technical requirements of the system. The maximum file size is 50 MB. If the document already contains an advanced or qualified electronic signature, its integrity must not be compromised.
Once uploaded, the system generates a confirmation of submission, which will later be required during the verification process.
Step 2: Visiting an Authorized Czech POINT Office
The applicant must then visit a Czech POINT office authorized to perform eLegalization.
The officer verifies the applicant’s identity in a manner similar to traditional signature verification on paper documents. The applicant confirms that the electronic signature appearing on the document is their own. Once this has been completed, an electronic verification certificate is issued.
Importantly, the process does not involve signing the document again. Instead, it creates a legally reliable link between the document, the signature, and the identity of the person who acknowledged the signature as their own.
What Is the Result of eLegalization?
This is one of the aspects that often surprises users.
The outcome is not a new PDF document containing an electronic stamp or certification mark.
Instead, the process produces two separate electronic documents:
- the original electronic document, and
- an electronic verification certificate.
These two files are technologically linked and together form the verified document package.
Whenever proof of signature verification is required, both files should be submitted together. The concept is comparable to a traditional paper document accompanied by a signature verification clause. Just as the clause alone would be meaningless without the underlying document, the electronic verification certificate must remain connected to the original electronic file.
Which Types of Electronic Signatures Can Be Verified?
One of the most significant advantages of eLegalization is its technological neutrality.
Many people assume that they need a qualified electronic signature or a specialized digital certificate in order to use the service. In reality, Czech law allows a much broader range of signatures to be verified.
Examples include:
- a signature inserted into a PDF document,
- a scanned handwritten signature,
- a signature created using a signing platform,
- an advanced electronic signature,
- a qualified electronic signature.
According to both the explanatory memorandum to the legislation and legal scholarship, virtually any type of electronic signature may be subject to eLegalization.
The reason is straightforward: the legal certainty does not stem from the signature itself but from the subsequent verification process. This is precisely what distinguishes eLegalization from ordinary electronic signing.
Is eLegalization the Same as a Qualified Electronic Signature?
No. This is one of the most common misconceptions. A qualified electronic signature is a technical tool governed primarily by the EU eIDAS Regulation. Under European law, a qualified electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature.
However, this does not automatically mean that it replaces an officially verified signature. Official signature verification is concerned not only with the act of signing itself but also with confirmation of the signatory’s identity by an authorized third party. For this reason, Czech law has traditionally distinguished between a qualified electronic signature and an officially verified signature, even though both provide a high level of reliability.
eLegalization bridges this gap by adding an additional layer of trust in the form of an official verification certificate issued by an authorized authority.
eLegalistion also doesnt verify the content of the Document. Just like traditional signature verification, eLegalization does not examine the content of the document itself. The verifying authority does not assess:
- whether the agreement is valid,
- whether the information provided is accurate,
- whether the document complies with applicable laws,
- whether the legal transaction is beneficial or disadvantageous.
The only fact being confirmed is that a specific person acknowledged the electronic signature on the document as their own. For example, if a purchase agreement contains errors, eLegalization will not remedy them. It verifies the signature, not the content of the document.
This is one of the reasons why, particularly in more significant transactions, it is often advisable to combine signature verification with a legal review of the documentation by an attorney.
A Future Without Paper?
eLegalization represents another step towards fully digital legal services. Although the current process still requires an in-person visit to an authorized verification office, it has removed one of the major obstacles to electronic legal transactions: the need to convert documents between electronic and paper form solely for the purpose of signature verification.
For businesses, companies and private individuals alike, this means faster document circulation, reduced administrative burden and greater flexibility when concluding legal transactions remotely.As electronic identification methods, BankID and other digital government services continue to develop, the importance of tools such as eLegalization is likely to increase. What only a few years ago required printing documents, visiting an office and subsequently scanning paperwork can now be completed far more efficiently – and perhaps one day entirely without paper.