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Home // Posts // SES, AES and QES Explained
There are three types of electronic signature: Simple (SES), Advanced (AES) and Qualified (QES). Each one offers a higher level of identity assurance and legal weight than the last. Choosing the right one comes down to the value, risk and regulation attached to the document you’re signing.
Secured Signing supports all three, so you can match the signature to the transaction without switching platforms.
An electronic signature is a broad category. It covers any electronic method of signing a document, from typing your name to ticking a box to drawing a signature on a screen. E-signatures are quick to set up and easy for signers to use, which is why they’re found in everything from business contracts and employment offers to invoices and purchase orders.
A digital signature is a specific type of electronic signature built for situations that demand more security. It uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to securely link the signer to the document and to record the transaction. This gives the highest level of assurance that the signer is who they say they are, and that the document hasn’t been changed since it was signed.
Digital signatures are governed by law, including the European eIDAS Regulation (2014) and the UK’s Electronic Identification and Trust Services for Electronic Transactions Regulations 2016. These rules define three levels of signature.
A Simple Electronic Signature is the most basic form of e-signature. It doesn’t require strong authentication or formal identity verification. Usually it’s enough to confirm the signer’s email address, or that they received a unique access code before signing.
Best for: day-to-day sales and procurement agreements, internal approvals, and simple forms that need a signature.
Why use it: it’s fast, frictionless and cost-effective when the risk is low.
An Advanced Electronic Signature adds extra layers of authentication. A signer may be asked to provide a valid government-issued ID, pass biometric checks, or enter a unique code during signing. A digital certificate is also generated and attached to the signed document.
Because of these extra steps, an AES does two important things:
Best for: high-value transactions such as employment offer letters, where a new hire might receive a PIN by text and then photograph their driving licence to confirm who they are before signing.
A Qualified Electronic Signature offers the highest level of trust. The signer’s identity is verified face-to-face, or by an equivalent method, by a Qualified Trust Service Provider (from either the UK or EU). The signature is then created with a qualified electronic signature device and backed by a digital certificate.
A QES is considered the legal equivalent of a handwritten (wet) signature under UK law. In its 2022 interim report on electronic execution of documents, the Industry Working Group for England and Wales found that QESs can serve the same purposes as physical witnessing and attestation. The complete audit trail they produce can also make them more reliable than a signature witnessed in an unsupervised setting.
Best for: highly regulated transactions and documents that need the strongest possible proof of identity and intent.
Ask yourself three questions:
If you’re unsure, go one level higher. Stronger identity assurance costs little compared with the cost of a disputed signature.
Many businesses end up juggling different tools for different signature needs. Secured Signing offers all three signature types in one place: Simple, Advanced and Qualified. That means you can send an everyday agreement, a high-value contract and a highly regulated document through the same secure platform, with the right level of identity assurance each time.
A digital signature is a type of electronic signature that uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to securely link a signer to a document and give the highest level of assurance of the signer’s identity.
Simple Electronic Signature (SES), Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) and Qualified Electronic Signature (QES).
Yes. In the UK, electronic signatures are legally admissible, and the level you need depends on the document and any regulation that applies to it.
Under UK law, a QES is considered the legal equivalent of a handwritten signature.
A QES is the most secure. It requires identity verification by a Qualified Trust Service Provider and a certificate created with a qualified signature device.
Yes. Secured Signing offers all three, so you can choose the right level of security for every transaction.