Certificate Information Entities (ECI) Accredited by ARCOTEL — Ecuador 2026
Updated list of all Certificate Information Entities (ECI) accredited by ARCOTEL in Ecuador. Comparison of certificate types, validity, support, reference pricing and official links. Updated 2026.
By IDK Manager Team ·
Executive summary. In Ecuador, a legally binding electronic signature must be issued with a certificate from a Certificate Information Entity (ECI) accredited by ARCOTEL (the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency). As of 2026, there are 17+ accredited ECIs, both public and private. This page lists each one with the certificate format offered (
.p12, USB token, HSM, cloud certificate), typical validity (1-2 years), reference price, and the official link to start the process. Data is sourced from ARCOTEL’s public registry and each ECI’s official site.
What is an ECI and why does it matter?
A Certificate Information Entity (ECI) is the legal entity authorized to issue digital certificates with legal backing in Ecuador. Accreditation is granted by ARCOTEL under the Electronic Commerce, Signatures and Data Messages Act (Law 2002-67). Without a certificate from an accredited ECI, an electronic signature does not have the same legal validity as a handwritten signature (Art. 14 LCE).
This matters when signing:
- Electronic invoices for the SRI (Ecuador’s tax authority).
- ECUAPASS / SENAE customs declarations.
- Documents in Quipux (government).
- Private contracts that must be admissible in court.
- Filings at the Civil Registry, electronic notaries, and the Judiciary.
Comparison Table — ECIs Accredited by ARCOTEL (2026)
| ECI | Type | Available formats | Typical validity | Reference price (natural person) | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banco Central del Ecuador (BCE) | Public | .p12 file, USB token | 2 years | ~USD 28 + VAT | eci.bce.ec |
| Consejo de la Judicatura — ICERT-EC | Public | .p12 file, USB token | 2 years | ~USD 19.80 + VAT (official rate) | icert.fje.gob.ec |
| Registro Civil ECI | Public | .p12, token, mobile | 2 years | ~USD 30 + VAT | registrocivil.gob.ec |
| Security Data S.A. | Private | .p12, token, cloud, HSM | 1-3 years | ~USD 28–60 + VAT | securitydata.net.ec |
| UANATACA Ecuador | Private | .p12, cloud, eIDAS | 1-3 years | ~USD 20–50 + VAT | uanataca.com |
| ANF AC Ecuador | Private | .p12, cloud, eIDAS | 1-2 years | ~USD 20–45 + VAT | anf.es |
| Eclipsoft S.A. | Private | .p12, token, mobile | 1-2 years | ~USD 18–40 + VAT | firmadigital.eclipsoft.com |
| ArgosData (Signare) | Private | .p12, remote video ID | 1-2 years | ~USD 16–40 + VAT | argosdata.com.ec |
| Datil | Private | .p12, video ID | 1-2 years | Inquire | datil.co |
| APPFIRMAS S.A. | Private | .p12, token | 1-2 years | Inquire | appfirmas.com.ec |
| FIRMASEGURA S.A.S. | Private | .p12, token | 1-2 years | Inquire | firmasegura.ec |
| Lazzate | Private | .p12, cloud | 1-2 years | Inquire | lazzate.com |
| LETMI / CORPNEWBEST / Alpha Technologies / DARKCAM / Prime Core / WE-GO | Private | .p12 | 1-2 years | Inquire | ARCOTEL registry |
Reference prices, not quotes. Each ECI publishes its tariffs on its site. ICERT-EC publishes an official rate; the rest vary by plan and validity. Always check with the ECI before paying.
How to choose your ECI
- SRI invoices: any ECI that issues
.p12. Most popular among Ecuadorian accountants: Security Data, UANATACA, Eclipsoft, BCE. - Quipux (public sector): USB token usually required. Best fit: public ECIs (BCE, Civil Registry, ICERT-EC).
- Sign from mobile / web: any ECI that issues
.p12directly (Security Data, UANATACA, ANF AC, ArgosData, Eclipsoft, Datil). - Cloud signature (no
.p12file to manage): UANATACA, ANF AC, Lazzate. - Get it fastest: ECIs with remote video identification (ArgosData, UANATACA, Datil, ANF AC) — issuance in 24–72 business hours.
- Lowest verifiable price: ICERT-EC (USD 19.80 + VAT, official rate).
Compatibility with firmar.ec
firmar.ec verifies signatures and signs PDFs with any .p12 certificate issued by any of the 17+ accredited ECIs listed above. Our Trust Service List (TSL) is updated periodically with root and intermediate certificates from all current ECIs, fetched from official repositories and verified with SHA-256.
If your ECI issues the certificate in .p12 (PKCS#12) format, just:
- Open app.firmar.ec.
- Load your PDF.
- Load your
.p12and type the password. - Sign and download.
Your private key never leaves the browser. Output is PAdES B-T / B-LT / B-LTA (ETSI EN 319 142) compliant.
Sources
- ARCOTEL — public registry of accredited ECIs: arcotel.gob.ec.
- Law 2002-67 — Ecuador’s Electronic Commerce, Signatures and Data Messages Act, Art. 14.
- ICERT-EC official rate — Judiciary Council, icert.fje.gob.ec/tarifas-certificados.
- Official websites of each ECI listed above.
Maintained as a community reference. Spot an outdated entry? Open an issue on GitHub firma-ec or contact us.