How do you get an electronic signature certificate in Ecuador? The certificate is issued by an Information Certification Entity (ECI) accredited by ARCOTEL —not by firmar.ec, which is only the tool to sign—. You choose an ECI, present your identification (national ID or RUC), pay the issuance fee, and receive your certificate as a .p12 file or on a USB token. With that certificate you can already sign PDFs for free on firmar.ec.

1. Choose a Certification Entity (ECI)

In Ecuador, only ECIs accredited by ARCOTEL can issue legally valid certificates. Among the best known are the Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE), Security Data, Uanataca and ANF AC, among others.

Check the official, current list of accredited entities on the regulator’s site, ARCOTEL, before purchasing. It is the authoritative source; conditions and the list change over time.

2. Gather the requirements

They vary slightly by ECI, but in general you need:

Individual: national ID and, depending on the ECI, a photo/selfie or online identity validation.
Company / legal entity: RUC, legal representative’s appointment, and the company’s documentation.

3. Choose the format: `.p12` file or token

.p12 file (or .pfx): a file you store on your device. This is the format firmar.ec uses to sign PDFs in the browser.
USB cryptographic token: a physical device where the key lives. More physical control, but it requires desktop software (e.g. FirmaEC) and does not work with firmar.ec today.

4. Apply, pay and download

You complete the process on your chosen ECI’s portal, pay the issuance fee (the cost and validity vary by ECI —1, 2 or more years—; check directly with each entity) and download your certificate or receive your token.

5. Start signing

With your .p12 ready, sign any PDF for free on firmar.ec: no install, on mobile too, and with the same legal validity as a handwritten signature (LCE 2002-67).

Frequently asked questions

Does firmar.ec issue certificates? No. firmar.ec is a free, open-source tool to sign and verify PDFs with a certificate you already have. The certificate is issued by an ARCOTEL-accredited ECI.

How much does a certificate cost? It depends on the ECI and the validity period you choose; there is no single price. Compare directly on the accredited entities’ portals.

Does the BCE certificate work? Yes. The BCE is one of the recognized entities; see the guide to sign with a BCE certificate.