The FTS posted a publication on its website on 31 December 2020 that from 1 January 2022 it will issue qualified electronic signatures to legal entities, individual entrepreneurs and notaries free of charge in accordance with the legislation on electronic signature.
However, as early as 1 July 2021, the Federal Tax Service of Russia plans to start providing this service. Qualified electronic signature certificates issued by commercial ATCs expire on 1 January 2022.
Who can get a qualified electronic signature:
- a person acting without a power of attorney on behalf of the organization;
- SP;
- a notary.
These persons can receive signatures in person at an accredited certification center of the Federal Tax Service of Russia.
As for other entities, they can obtain qualified electronic signatures at the following centers:
1. Credit institutions, operators of payment systems, non-credit financial institutions and individual entrepreneurs can obtain a signature at the Certification Center of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation;
2. Officials of state bodies, local self-government bodies or organizations subordinate to a state body or local self-government body - in the Certification Center of the Federal Treasury;
3. Individuals, incl. individuals acting on behalf of a legal entity by proxy - in commercial ATCs after their accreditation in accordance with the new requirements of the legislation on electronic signature.
Source: Publication on the FTS website