Digital official signature: security with one click

The following scenario: An important letter from the municipality arrives - for example, a parking permit or confirmation of residence. When leafing through the document, the person concerned is surprised to discover that both the signature and stamp are missing. Uncertainty spreads. Is the document even valid? The short answer is yes.

This scenario will soon become reality in Liechtenstein. By January 1, 2026 at the latest, all eleven municipalities will have introduced the electronic official signature - similar to the national administration, which has been using it for some time. This is a digital stamp that every municipality can use to prove its identity: "This document is genuine and really comes from us." To the eye of the beholder, this may seem strange at first - because the electronic official signature is not recognizable like a signature on paper. There is an indication on the document that it is officially signed. However, the information itself is embedded invisibly in the document.

How security is guaranteed

Anyone who wants to use the electronic official signature needs special technical means to do so. Put simply, each municipality has an official certificate - comparable to a digital ID card. Only those in possession of this ID are authorized to create signatures. The recipient can be sure of this: If a document bears this signature, it originates from the relevant municipality and is unaltered. The document has been checked, authenticated and is legally binding. Forgeries are impossible, as the signature does not allow any changes to the document. This makes the digital version even more secure than the previous handwritten signature.

Legal requirements and citizen-oriented administration

Digitization is progressing steadily and is not stopping at municipalities. There is now a comprehensive legal basis that obliges authorities to record their official documents electronically and, depending on the content, to sign them accordingly. The E-Government Act deserves particular mention. In addition, more and more people want to deal with public authorities from the comfort of their own home - without waiting times and without paperwork. For this to work, modern and secure solutions are needed. The electronic official signature is one of them. It protects data and saves time - for residents as well as for the administration.

By investing in digital solutions, Liechtenstein's municipalities are not only implementing the legal requirements, but are also moving towards a modern, citizen-oriented administration. Although the new way of signing is only a small step on the way to a digital future, it is an important step with a major impact.

Little will change for residents. Except that everything will be a little simpler and more efficient in future - but just as official and binding, whether on paper, as a PDF or in another digital format.