{"id":43193,"date":"2021-08-18T12:03:18","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T10:03:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/faqs\/electronic-signature-in-guatemala\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T11:04:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T10:04:08","slug":"electronic-signature-in-guatemala","status":"publish","type":"faq","link":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/faqs\/electronic-signature-in-guatemala\/","title":{"rendered":"Electronic signature in Guatemala"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p><strong>Updated October 2023<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The electronic signature must guarantee the authenticity, confidentiality and integrity of the signed message or document. For this purpose, different authentication methods or factors or identity data are used. The main types are:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Digital signature: It is a numerical value that is added to a message or document and guarantees its integrity and authenticity by means of asymmetric cryptography and a digital certificate.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Electronic signature: Any method that makes it possible to identify a person in relation to a message or document.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Certified electronic signature: Any method of electronic signature made with identity factors or data, which includes a digital certificate to guarantee its security and integrity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Legal validity of electronic signatures in Guatemala<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>The law that regulates<strong> electronic signatures in Guatemala<\/strong> is the<strong> Law for the Recognition of Electronic Communications and Signatures<\/strong>, Decree 47-2008 of the Congress, and its subsequent amendments (the &#8220;Law for the Recognition of Electronic Signatures&#8221;):<\/p>\r\n<p>Governmental Agreement No. 385-2008<span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;\">, Creating the Registry of Certification Service Providers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>Governmental Agreement 135-2009<span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;\">, Regulation of the Law for the Recognition of Electronic Communications and Signatures.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>Governmental Agreement 262-2009<span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;\">, Amendments to the Regulations of the Law for the Recognition of Electronic Communications and Signatures<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>Reform Governmental Agreement No. 110-2020<span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;\">, Regulation of the Law for the Recognition of Electronic Communications and Signatures.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: #3a3a3a; font-size: 1.7em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-variant-caps: normal;\">Types of electronic signature in Guatemala<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;\">The regulations on electronic signatures in Guatemala differentiate between two types of signatures:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li><strong style=\"font-size: medium; font-style: normal;\">Simple electronic signature. <\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">The simple electronic signature associates data in electronic format with the signatory, but <\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\">there is no evidence of who the signatory actually is.<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> This type of signature is used in processes or actions where <\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\">it is not necessary to guarantee the enforceability of a document against third parties<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">; for example, to seal internal authorizations within a company, budget or expense approvals<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Advanced electronic signature. <\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">The advanced electronic signature, also called digital signature, <\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\">has the same legal validity as the handwritten one<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">. It is equal in all legal aspects to the handwritten signature; therefore, it is the most appropriate to use when signing any contract, document or transaction that requires personal and legal guarantees.<\/span>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol>\r\n\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>The Advanced Electronic Signature can be issued in two modalities: in physical token, or signature in the cloud.<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol>\r\n\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-33514\" style=\"border-radius: 16px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/firma-electronica-en-guatemala.webp\" alt=\"electronic signature in Guatemala\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/firma-electronica-en-guatemala.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/firma-electronica-en-guatemala-300x200.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol>\r\n\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of advanced electronic signature in Guatemala<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-heading\">There are several types of advanced electronic signatures in Guatemala. Depending on the project, needs, desired scope, and the signatory&#8217;s professional role and activity, one or another may be used:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol>\r\n\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol><\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong>Signature of Individual Person.<\/strong> Issued to individuals who have fully identified themselves with a personal identification document.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Signature of Public Official.<\/strong> It is issued to national or foreign individuals who have been fully identified as a public official belonging to a state entity.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Qualified Professional Signature<\/strong>. It is issued to individuals who have fully identified themselves and have obtained the corresponding Member Number for the practice of their profession.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Signature of Legal Representative<\/strong>. Identifies a legal entity of private law, the individual person acting as legal representative of the legal entity will have the quality of subscriber.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Entity Relationship Signature.<\/strong> Issued to persons who have identified themselves as members of a particular business entity or organization without having the legal representation of the same.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Signature of Legal Entity.<\/strong> It identifies a legal entity of public or private law or State entity through its legal representative, and that this legal entity may digitally sign data messages automatically or manually, binding itself legally.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>In order to use the advanced electronic signature in Guatemal<strong>a you must have a digital certificate<\/strong>, issued by a <strong>Certification Service Provider<\/strong>, accredited in the Registry of Certification Service Providers under the Ministry of Economy. You can request your Electronic Signature Certificate at the following link.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Electronic document signature solution<\/h3>\r\n<p>If you are looking for an electronic signature solution for documents in Guatemala, Viafirma has the solution that suits your needs. Contact us and we will tell you about our secure, legal, and easy-to-use electronic signature products and solutions.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><!-- \/wp:post-content -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:list-item {\"translatedWithWPMLTM\":\"1\"} --><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><!-- \/wp:list-item -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:list-item {\"translatedWithWPMLTM\":\"1\"} --><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><!-- \/wp:list-item -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:list-item {\"translatedWithWPMLTM\":\"1\"} --><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><!-- \/wp:list-item -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:list-item {\"translatedWithWPMLTM\":\"1\"} --><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><!-- \/wp:list-item -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:list-item {\"translatedWithWPMLTM\":\"1\"} --><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><!-- \/wp:list-item --><!-- \/wp:list -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:paragraph 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none;\">\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"featured_media":34327,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"plain-container","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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