Qualified timestamp in a Limited Liability Company: A simple guide to using it in practice

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Electronic communication with authorities or business partners is already a common practice for many companies today. If you operate through a limited liability company (LLC), you will likely use a qualified timestamp in your daily business activities. In this article, we explain what a qualified timestamp is and when it can be used within your company. The goal is to show how an electronic signature combined with a qualified timestamp can save both time and costs.

What is a qualified timestamp?

A qualified timestamp is used to verify the exact time of a document electronically. In other words, when you add a qualified timestamp to your qualified electronic signature (QES), it confirms that the document existed in that exact form at the moment the timestamp was applied.

Did you know?…

…A qualified electronic signature combined with a qualified timestamp can fully replace a notarized signature issued by a notary or municipal office.

You can also read our article on how to create an electronic signature, where you will find a detailed step-by-step guide on how to do it quickly and easily in just a few clicks.

Practical use of a qualified timestamp in an LLC

Below are the key benefits of using a qualified timestamp when added to an electronic signature:

• Trustworthiness and non-repudiation of time-stamped documents
• Fast signing process, requiring only a few clicks and one additional button
• The ability to avoid personal visits to a notary or municipal office, including related verification fees
• Highest level of legal certainty, comparable to notarized signatures
• International validity across EU member states
• Cost savings

In practice, a qualified timestamp can be used anywhere you would normally need a notarized signature on a document. In such cases, however, you must also have a qualified electronic signature.

For entrepreneurs, electronic communication with government institutions is already mandatory in several areas:

• communication with the tax office
• communication with the Social Insurance Agency
• communication with health insurance companies

Whenever a document submitted to these institutions requires an officially verified signature, you can use a qualified electronic signature together with a qualified timestamp instead. With just a few clicks, the document can be signed and sent, saving significant time and administrative costs.

In addition to communication with authorities, a qualified electronic signature and qualified timestamp allow entrepreneurs to perform various legal changes in their company online without visiting a notary or municipal office, such as:

• changing the company name or registered address
• changes in shareholders or managing directors
• granting or revoking commercial power of attorney
• changes to business activities
• updates to personal data of company representatives
• merger or liquidation of the company
• other legal actions recorded in the Commercial Register or other official registers

Qualified timestamp from the NFQES digital platform

You can easily, quickly, and conveniently obtain a qualified timestamp through the NFQES digital platform. Its practical use is not limited only to doing business through a limited liability company, but it can also be useful in various personal financial transactions, legal disputes, contracts, and other legal acts. If you are interested in obtaining a qualified timestamp, you need to register on the platform.

As mentioned above, using a qualified timestamp is very simple and can be handled by any standard user of electronic services. The process typically includes the following steps:

1. Choose the type of electronic signature with which you want to use the qualified timestamp.
2. Upload your document in .pdf or .doc format.
3. Add the qualified timestamp with one click.
4. Sign the document with another click.
5. Download and store the completed document.

Final Tip

All signed documents are securely stored on our online platform, where you can access them anytime. The clear document organization allows you to quickly find the file you need. You can also sign documents in bulk, which helps save even more time.