Electronic Signature for Notaries

Using a signature in a notary office brings many benefits, with the main advantage being the acceleration of document flow. Any file signed with a qualified certificate has the same legal force as paper documents. Another advantage is the environmental aspect; the electronic route does not waste paper (only necessary documents are printed on paper), does not take up space for archiving documents since they are stored on a disk, and they can be sent via email. As a result, time is saved, which would otherwise be spent waiting in queues at the post office, space that would need to be allocated for document archiving, and money on saved paper, ink, or mailing costs.

What can a notary use a qualified electronic signature for?

The use of an electronic signature in a notary's work is regulated by notary law. Notaries can sign documents such as:

• Extracts from a notarial deed related to registering a subject in the National Court Register (Art. 92a, § 2);
• Entries of a certificate of inheritance to the Inheritance Register (Art. 95h, § 1);
• Entries of a European Certificate of Succession to the Inheritance Register (Art. 95y, § 1).

Due to the performance of official duties, a notary is required to include information about their professional title in their certificate. Since notaries do not have their own individual numbers like sworn translators, their additional data is limited to entering their position as "Notary" in the "title" field.
A qualified signature for a legal adviser can be issued in two variants:

• Qualified Certificate (Personal) - This certificate will be issued based on the applicant's personal data as an individual. The certificate will contain information such as the person's first name, last name, and personal identification number (PESEL). The recipient of a document with such a signature will not be able to immediately associate the sender with their workplace (e.g., a law office). This is a signature that can be used for professional purposes as well as in private life.
• Qualified Certificate (with Additional Data) - In this variant, in addition to the individual's data, the certificate fields will contain information such as profession, contact email, organizational department of the company, or the name of the law firm. This requires the submission of additional documents and is dedicated exclusively to business solutions, but it demonstrates the high professionalism of its holder, which is a significant advantage in the provision of legal services.

By choosing the second option, additional data related to the represented legal profession or information related to the law firm can also be included. Such a certificate reflects the handwritten signature of a legal adviser/lawyer/notary/bailiff, etc., on digital documents.