Certified translations' digital signature in Spain becomes a reality in March 2025. With the new AUC/213/2025 regulation, certified translators in Spain can legally sign translations online using a qualified electronic certificate. This new framework allows certified translations with a digital signature in Spain to fully replace the traditional stamped version

In this article, we break down the key points of the new regulation and explain how Lleida.net can support you in adopting it efficiently and securely.

Certified translations electronic signature Spain: What’s new in AUC/213/2025

In line with the ongoing development of digital public services in Spain, Order AUC/213/2025 formalises the use of electronic signatures for the issuance and delivery of certified translations and interpretation work. From now on, the entire process—from signing and submission to certification and archiving—can be completed entirely online.

The key changes include:

Certified translators and interpreters can now sign their translations using a qualified digital certificate issued to a natural person. This qualified electronic signature replaces the traditional handwritten signature and includes a unique digital seal showing the signer’s full name and personal ID number, as issued by the trusted certification service provider.

Optionally, the signature may also include a visual stamp generated by the signing platform, which displays the signer’s identity details clearly on the document.

The electronic signature must apply to the entire file, covering both the original source text and the translation.

The traditional physical stamp is replaced by a digital signature block, which includes the translator’s full name, official registration number, and authorised language combination. This must follow the format set out in Annexes I, II, and III of Spain’s Official State Gazette and be signed along with the rest of the document.

The standard certification clause attesting to the accuracy and completeness of the translation remains mandatory.

How Lleida.net helps with certified translations and electronic signatures in Spain

Lleida.net is a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) under the European eIDAS Regulation, and is also recognised by international authorities such as ONAC (Colombia), INDECOPI (Peru), and INDOTEL (Dominican Republic).

Thanks to this global accreditation, we can issue legally valid qualified certificates across both Europe and Latin America.

One of our main advantages is the ability to obtain a digital certificate fully online, without the need for in-person identity verification. With a 100% remote and secure process, any certified professional can request and activate their certificate directly through our website. For a practical walkthrough, check our step-by-step guide on how to sign a document digitally.

Your certificate is stored in the cloud—never locally on your device—offering added protection against data loss or unauthorised access. Our platform ensures your electronic signatures meet all legal requirements under eIDAS, with maximum security and reliability.

Apply for your centralised digital certificate here.

Certified, secure document delivery

In addition to electronic signature services, Lleida.net offers powerful certified delivery tools, including Registered Email, Registered SMS, and even Registered WhatsApp—enabled through our Openum platform.

These services ensure secure delivery of certified documents, offer optional access protection for recipients, and provide full traceability of the entire communication.

Not only do these tools confirm delivery, they also generate legal proof of when a message was received and opened. That makes them legally equivalent to a registered letter or postal burofax.

How can I check the authenticity of a digitally signed certified translation?

To verify whether a digitally signed certified translation is authentic and legally valid, you can use the Universal Signed Docs Verifier. This tool automatically and thoroughly validates electronic signatures applied to any type of file (XAdES, CAdES, PAdES, Facturae, UBL…). It analyzes all technical and legal aspects of the signature and generates a comprehensive validation report with legal value, which can be used as evidence before third parties.

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Are traditional certified translations still valid in Spain?

Yes. Under the current regulations, certified translations can still be signed either with a qualified digital certificate or with a handwritten signature and physical stamp. Both formats are legally valid.

Advantages of switching to digital signatures

Faster turnaround, without relying on postal services.

Advantages of switching to digital signatures

Instant delivery to clients.

Stronger legal safeguards through verified authenticity and document integrity.

Moving to a digital model not only boosts efficiency, but it also aligns your work with today’s e-government standards.

If you’d like help transitioning to digital signing and certified delivery, don’t hesitate to contact us.

We’re here to guide you through every step of your digital transformation.

We launched our electronic signature solution more than ten years ago. Since then, thousands of clients have transitioned from handwritten signatures to our digital alternative, which strengthens the security of their processes and improves their conversion rates: 78% of signatories access the signing page in under an hour. The use of WhatsApp electronic signatures is expanding rapidly across regulated industries within the European Union. However, their legal validity is not automatic — it depends on the method of implementation and whether a qualified trust service provider is involved in the process.

Traditionally, documents have been delivered for signature via email or SMS. However, in an increasingly immediate environment, accessibility has become just as crucial as security. Reflecting this, we have taken a significant step forward: the integration of WhatsApp as a new delivery channel.

This is not a hypothetical development — it is already operational. Organisations across multiple sectors — including finance, real estate, logistics, insurance and agri-food — have adopted this functionality as part of their workflow, embracing the convenience of immediate, mobile-first signing.

Key benefits of WhatsApp electronic signatures for secure document workflow

• Customised and Meta-verified sender identity, which enhances trust and communication credibility (including identity verification badge).
• End-to-end process personalisation: the sender name and signature page can be customised to include corporate branding and logos.
• Guaranteed international coverage, enabling secure transmission to foreign mobile numbers.
• Mobile-optimised experience, with no app installation required. Signatures are carried out directly through WhatsApp, with an average response time of under 15 minutes.
• Legal validity ensured by Lleida.net as a Qualified Trust Service Provider.
• End-to-end encrypted document handling, ensuring maximum security and preventing manipulation.
• Centralised and traceable management via back office.
• Automatic notification and reminder configuration to increase responsiveness and expedite signature cycles.

The legal evidential value of WhatsApp messages in Spain

Pursuant to Article 324 of the Spanish Civil Procedure Act (Ley de Enjuiciamiento Civil – LEC), a WhatsApp message may qualify as private documentary evidence. However, its acceptance in judicial proceedings is conditional on the fulfilment of specific legal requirements:

• Authenticity: it must be demonstrated that the message has not been manipulated or altered.
• Identification of the parties: the identities of the sender and recipient must be reliably established.
• Integrity of the content: the message must be presented in its entirety, without omissions or modifications.

Accordingly, although a WhatsApp message may be admitted as private documentary evidence, its probative strength is limited, given that:

• It may be contested on grounds of potential alteration.
• It frequently requires supplementary evidence, such as expert reports, notarial instruments or witness testimony.
• It does not benefit from any presumption of authenticity or content integrity.

The Spanish Supreme Court, among others, has established clear precedents in this regard. In particular, Judgment STS 300/2015 affirms that, in cases where the evidence is challenged, the burden of proof lies with the party presenting the message, who must substantiate its authenticity and integrity through supporting documentation.

The role of a Qualified Trust Service Provider in evidentiary assurance

Involving a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), such as Lleida.net, adds a significant layer of legal reliability to the process of gathering and preserving digital evidence.

Lleida.net certifies:

• The integrity of the message content
• The identity of the sender and recipient
• The exact date and time of transmission and access

In addition, Lleida.net can securely store the message and associated metadata in accordance with legal retention obligations.

As a QTSP under Regulation (EU) No. 910/2014 (eIDAS), Lleida.net issues evidence certificates that enjoy legal presumption of validity and full legal effectiveness across the European Union. This is due to compliance with the stringent technical and legal requirements established under the Regulation.

Mitigating the risk of rejection or invalidation of evidence

One of the major benefits of working with a qualified provider is the substantial reduction in the risk of your digital evidence being declared inadmissible or void — a common occurrence when digital messages lacking certification (e.g. screenshots) are presented in court.

By involving a QTSP, the legal and technical robustness of the evidence is significantly enhanced, making it far more difficult for opposing parties to discredit it.

The evidential value of electronic signatures executed via WhatsApp

The probative strength of a WhatsApp electronic signature depends on how it is executed and the legal framework in which it is presented.

Generally, it would fall under the category of a simple electronic signature, as defined in Regulation (EU) No. 910/2014 (eIDAS). This would include scenarios such as:

• Sending an image of a handwritten signature
• Expressing consent via text, such as “I accept”
• Drawing a signature with a finger on a touchscreen

In such cases, the evidentiary value is modest. While such forms may carry some legal weight, they do not benefit from presumptions of authenticity or authorship and typically require supporting material such as expert testimony or a notarial act.

Conversely, when the signature is carried out through a qualified provider — such as Lleida.net via Click & Sign — the resulting signature is fully legally valid. In cases where a qualified electronic signature is applied, its legal status is equivalent to that of a handwritten signature, pursuant to Article 25 of the eIDAS Regulation.

Lleida.net incorporates a full range of safeguards — encrypted channels, one-time passcodes (OTP), traceability, and access controls — thereby greatly enhancing the legal standing of the signed document and reducing the scope for dispute.

One provider, one compliant onboarding framework

Thanks to the technological integration Lleida.net offers, it is possible to configure a comprehensive and unified user journey, bringing together all services into a single legal and operational process. This reduces the risk of operational error and ensures compliance with applicable legal standards, all under the control of a single provider.

From video identification, digital certificate issuance, and biometric facial recognition, to two-factor authentication via SMS, email or WhatsApp, and legally binding electronic signatures — each phase of the onboarding journey can be fully customised and integrated into your existing systems.

At every step, Lleida.net ensures the generation of legally valid digital evidence.

Would you like to explore how to implement WhatsApp-based signatures in your organisation?

To learn how WhatsApp electronic signatures can be implemented securely and in full compliance with EU law, contact our team for personalised guidance.

Starting August 12, 2025, Spain will require an electronic signature on valuation reports under Order ECM/599/2025. If your organization operates in real estate, finance, or legal advisory in Spain, now is the time to prepare. This new rule replaces the older Order ECO/805/2003 and aligns with both Spain’s digital strategy and the EU’s eIDAS regulation.

It’s not just a digital upgrade — it’s a legal shift towards traceability, integrity, and fraud prevention in real estate processes.

Who must use electronic signature on valuation reports?

The regulation applies to all professionals involved in the creation and review of property appraisals:

• Appraisers
• Technical engineers
• Reviewers or supervisors

Order ECM/599/2025 explicitly states:

“The obligation to electronically sign the valuation report is extended to all individuals who sign the appraisal, to ensure that everyone endorses its content.”

Only advanced or qualified electronic signatures are accepted — ensuring:

• Verifiable signer identity
• Protection against tampering
• Full legal audit trail

Paper-based reports and handwritten signatures will no longer be valid in the Spanish Land Registry.

Why electronic signature on valuation reports is now mandatory

Spain’s goal is to eliminate document manipulation and increase legal transparency in real estate operations. With these changes:

• You gain legal certainty
• You reduce administrative errors
• You speed up transactions
• You comply with both national and European digital trust laws

Practical example: A German bank financing a property in Málaga

Imagine a German bank financing a home in Málaga, Spain:

• The valuation report must be signed by a certified Spanish appraiser.
• The reviewing engineer and any other technical experts must also sign.
• All signatures must be advanced or qualified, compliant with eIDAS.
• The digital process must ensure traceability, integrity, and legal validity.

Without this, the report could be rejected, delaying the financing process and exposing the deal to legal risk.

How to prepare for electronic signature on valuation reports by August 2025

To comply with ECM/599/2025, you’ll need to work with a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP).

At Lleida.net, we provide a ready-to-deploy digital signature ecosystem:

Documentary evidence for every signature

Every document signed using Lleida.net generates documentary evidence, including:

• Identity of the signer
• Timestamp (qualified)
• Type of signature
• Document status and version integrity

All documents are stored securely for 5 years, extendable to meet contractual or regulatory needs.

End of paper-based valuation documentation

Under the new law, paper or scanned copies will no longer be accepted for property registration. Only digitally certified, up-to-date reports are considered legally valid.

This ensures:

• Fraud prevention
• Regulatory compliance

Registered notifications for supporting documents

Using Lleida.net, you can send related files — like licenses, planning certificates, legal notices — through:

• Registered email
• Registered SMS

Each message includes full proof of delivery, content, and access, equivalent to a digital burofax.

Your roadmap to compliance

To be ready by August 2025:

1. Audit your current valuation process
2. Identify everyone who signs
3. Select a certified provider
4. Automate your signature flow
5. Train your team and partners
6. Archive signed documents securely

Be the first to comply — and lead the Spanish market

This regulation isn’t just a box to tick — it’s an opportunity to streamline your operations, reduce risk, and gain legal peace of mind in every real estate transaction.

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Let’s build digital trust — together.