The digital signature functions only within the established period. The validity period may vary depending on the system for which it is intended. The average period that you can use an electronic signature is 1 year from the date of issue. This is based on security reasons, since the digital signature contains confidential information. In addition, the service life is also related to the duration of operation of the software. At the moment when the validity period expires, digital signature users are wondering about renewing the digital signature certificate. The owner of the digital signature will again have to go through the procedure of obtaining a signature from the beginning. In other words, you will again need to go through stages such as submitting an application and receiving a certificate. In this article we will look at the order in which the digital signature is renewed and how to do it yourself, without contacting a certification center.
Validity period of the digital signature
Unlike a regular signature, an electronic signature has a validity period, after which it is simply impossible to use the digital signature. This is due to the following restrictions:
- The software does not allow you to create a signature on a document;
- If the signature can be placed, then the delay in the digital signature will be detected by the recipients. At the same time, he recognizes the electronic signature as invalid and the document as counterfeit.
The period during which the electronic signature is valid is one calendar year. After this, you need to reissue the digital signature certificate. This rule is established by each certification center; it corresponds to international practice. This is necessary for the safety of the signatory himself, as well as other participants in the document flow. In addition, a limited period allows you to make sure that the owner has not lost the certificate and is in his possession (
CA will become smaller
Amendments to 63-FZ established higher requirements for the accreditation of certification centers, so in the next two years the number of accredited CAs will decrease. Now there are almost 500 such CAs, but, according to experts, no more than 20 of them will be able to meet the new requirements.
If the CA does not receive accreditation under the new requirements, then it will be able to issue signatures only until July 1, 2021. Until this moment, all accredited CAs continue to operate - new signatures can still be obtained from them.
Receive an electronic signature at an accredited CA Kontur
What needs to be done before renewing the digital signature
It is worth preparing for the procedure for renewing your digital signature in advance; you need to think about it at least a month before the expiration date of the certificate. This is important if reporting via communication channels is required. The system usually warns that a signature renewal is required. A message from the center usually arrives a month before the expiration of the digital signature.
Before proceeding to renew the signature yourself, the owner needs to check the following:
- Whether the EDS keys have expired, whether the key itself has been lost or damaged;
- Do you have a valid license for the program?
- Have the parameters that the digital signature contains changed, for example, the owner’s full name, company name, address, and other information.
Important! If at least one of the specified conditions is not met, independent renewal of the digital signature is impossible. In this case, you will need to contact a certification center, which will advise you on what documents you will need to provide to renew your signature.
Free electronic signature
Expert opinion
Alexandra Stepanova
Digital signature selection consultant
You can get an electronic signature for an individual entrepreneur for free, but we are talking only about a simple signature, with which you can only certify the authorship of the electronic document and the absence of amendments in it. To create such an electronic signature, you will need the CryptoARM program; it is fully compatible with Microsoft Office.
Obtaining such a signature for an electronic digital signature will only allow you to certify electronic documents used within the company. It is not suitable for their subsequent sending, for example, to the fiscal authorities. This electronic key has no legal force and is not recognized by government agencies, but it fully ensures the authorship and protection of the created document from editing (if you try to change the content, the signature is deleted). It is also suitable for document flow with individual entrepreneurs’ partners (by prior agreement, since a signed document can only be opened if you have a public access key).
Extension of digital signature
Extension of the digital signature is made until the end of the validity period of the current electronic signature. The procedure by which the digital signature is reissued is established by law only in general terms. As a rule, the certification center establishes the procedure and norms independently. These rules are also established regarding the deadline for filing an application.
Certification centers oblige clients to apply for an extension of the validity period of their digital signature no later than 20 days before the expiration date. Typically, centers offer several ways to resolve the issue of extending an electronic digital signature. One of them is a personal visit to the center. It is also possible to renew the electronic signature online. The owner of the certificate will need to choose only the method that is more convenient for him (Read also the article ⇒ How to obtain an electronic signature (EDS)?).
Verification (confirmation of authenticity) of digital signature
The signature can be on the document or separately. Several methods will help you verify its authenticity:
- Public Services Portal - you will need the old version of this site. When checking the certificate, the citizen will see the owner’s details and the authority that issued the electronic signature. Also expiration dates. You need to download the certificate, correctly enter the code visible in the picture and click “Check”. If the signature is detached, then verification is possible if the user has documents without it. You need to upload both files to the site, enter the code and start studying.
- Unified electronic signature portal - having opened the website, find the item on the left in the Menu: “Electronic signature” / “Check electronic signature certificate”. Below on the screen there will be a button: “Select”. By clicking it, from the window that opens, find the file with the signature. Download it and click on “Verify certificate”, checking the box next to: “I am not a robot.”
- Special programs (like “Crypto Workstation”) - they are useful to everyone who regularly works with electronic documentation. You can download Crypto Workstation from the developer. After installation, launch the program and select there: “File” / “Verify signature”.
- Through MS Office Word - certain skills are required.
- Using unofficial resources.
These methods only work with official electronic signatures issued by centers.
Online digital signature renewal
In order to independently renew an electronic signature certificate without a personal visit to the center, the owner of the digital signature needs to go to the website of the certification center. After this, you need to enter your “Personal Account”, for which you will need to log in using the method offered on the site. To do this, you will need to enter a login, which may be the name of the institution, the number of the agreement with the center, tax code or other data that will be requested on the site.
After this, the authentication key is entered. To do this, click the “Storage Location” button and use the “Browse” function to find and open it.
After the owner of the digital signature is on the main page of his personal account, he will need to go to the “Services” section. This section contains various possible actions with the digital signature certificate. It is possible to extend or reissue it, block it, or revoke it. In our case, the first one is suitable. After this, you need to fill out an online application and fill out all the necessary information. It must be filled out carefully, excluding possible errors or typos. You will also need to fill in all the proposed fields, otherwise the system simply will not accept the renewal application. After filling, you need to click on “Confirm”. In response, you will receive a notification that the application has been accepted. The application will be assigned a specific number. The submitted application will be considered by employees of the certification center for several days. This usually takes about two to three days. After this period, the owner of the digital signature will receive a notification of the result. The notification will be sent to the email address that the user specified during registration.
Important! The user can track the status of his application using the assigned registration number. This can be done by going to the “. Next you will have to wait a little.
If all the information is filled out correctly and the certificate renewal fee is paid, you will receive a notification about the digital signature renewal, as well as a link to install new certificates. You need to click on the “Save” button and be asked where to specify the storage folder. Next, click “Confirm”. After installation, the “Certificates installed successfully” window will open. An employee will tell you in detail how the digital signature is renewed during a personal visit to the center.
Sending documents to the Federal Tax Service using digital signature
An electronic signature for legal entities for the tax service allows you to send reports remotely without visiting the Federal Tax Service in person. The concept of the information resource “Personal Account of the Taxpayer” was approved by the Federal Law of November 4, 2014. The presence of changes in parts 1 and 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation gives legal entities the right to receive data from the Unified State Register and Unified State Register of Legal Entities, as well as manage settlements. The taxpayer can receive information about:
- Tax obligations;
- Unclear payments;
- Amounts that were debited from a bank account but credited to budget accounts;
- Debt settlement;
- Overdue tax debt;
- Measures taken to collect overdue payments.
Gaining access to the portal for submitting tax reports to the Federal Tax Service is possible only with the help of a qualified digital signature verification key. This type of certificate allows you to register remotely by signing the “Agreement on providing access to your Personal Account.”
Only the head of the enterprise or his authorized representative has the right to use the taxpayer’s office. They can provide temporary access to data to company employees who have an ES and contain the company’s INN in the ES key.
Certain technical conditions are also required for registration:
- OS Windows XP SP3 and higher;
- A browser that supports the encryption process and complies with GOST 34.10-2001;
- Crypto provider that supports encryption algorithms and complies with GOST 34.10-2001 and 28147-89;
- Crypto Pro software or its authorized equivalent;
- eToken;
- Key certificates for digital signature verification.
Registration of an account on the Federal Tax Service website
The procedure for registering an account on the tax reporting portal to the Federal Tax Service consists of several sequential steps:
- Introduction of the company's OGRN and email;
- Signing the “Agreement on opening access to the taxpayer’s personal account.”
To activate your account, a link is sent to the specified email address.
To send a report to the tax office, you need to generate an ED and sign it using a qualified digital signature for reporting. After receiving the ED, the tax authority sends 2 receipts:
- On receipt of the report;
- About the time and date of each received file.
Both receipts are certified by the Federal Tax Service electronic signature. If there is a disagreement regarding the time of sending and receiving information, contact the provider: he is obliged to provide the time for delivery and sending of the document via the Internet.
After sending the reports certified by the EPC to the tax authorities, no additional submission of originals is required.
The use of an electronic signature allows you to submit an electronic form of accounting and tax reporting to the Federal Tax Service on the website. The disadvantage of this method is the impossibility of simultaneously viewing tax and social insurance reports, since they are stored in different databases and on different websites.
Reporting software
To interact with the Federal Tax Service, you need to obtain an electronic signature key for the tax office, and also install special software on your PC.
Typically, entrepreneurs work with 1C, designed for reporting. The program is easy to use and is supplemented with a description of the sequence of actions. 1C allows you to create a document in XML format, approved for submission to the tax authorities. You can also use for reporting:
- Astral Report;
- My Business;
- Chief Accountant program;
- Bukhsoft Online.
In addition to software for sending reports, you must use providers. Only two of the largest ones operate on the Russian market:
- Taxcom was founded in 2000. It offers clients services for connecting and maintaining online cash registers, submitting reports to the Federal Tax Service, Rosstat, and the Pension Fund. Takskom is also an accredited CA;
- Tensor. It has been operating since 1996 and provides a similar range of services.
To send reports, these providers use their own software:
- Online sprinter for working in a secure online account;
- 1C-Sprinter (combined with 1C) to eliminate the need to move the ED to a separate folder.
Tensor additionally works with SbiS, which includes separate accounting blocks. They allow you to reconcile invoices from VAT returns and documents received from buyers and suppliers. All software meets security requirements and regulatory legislation of the Russian Federation.
Documents required for renewal of digital signature
In order to extend the validity period of the digital signature, you will need to submit documents to the center, the list of which varies depending on who is the owner of the certificate.
An individual will need to provide:
- passport;
- SNILS;
- TIN.
For legal entities, the list of documents is more extensive:
- statement;
- certificate of registration;
- TIN;
- passport of the owner of the digital signature;
- SNILS of the owner of the digital signature;
- extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities;
- decision on the appointment of a manager.
Individual entrepreneurs will need to prepare:
- statement;
- IP certificate;
- passport;
- SNILS;
- TIN;
- extract from the Unified State Register of Individual Entrepreneurs.
