Electronic signature for companies and SAS in Ecuador
Legal-representative and company-member certificates: what they are for, RUC requirements and how to sign PDF contracts for free. 2026 guide.
By IDK Manager Team ·
Does your company need an electronic signature? Almost certainly: contracts, public-procurement bids (SERCOP), SRI paperwork, foreign trade (ECUAPASS) and e-invoicing all require digital certificates in Ecuador. A company can obtain two kinds of certificate: the legal representative one (signs on behalf of the company) and the company member one (signs as an authorised employee). With either, you can sign PDFs for free on firmar.ec.
The two company certificates
| Certificate | Who uses it | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| Legal representative (legal entity) | The registered general manager / legal representative | That the signature binds the company: the certificate links the person to the RUC and the current appointment. |
| Company member | Authorised employees | That the person signs in their role inside the organisation (e.g. HR lead, accountant), without legally representing it. |
A natural person with a RUC (professional, freelancer) usually needs neither — the natural person certificate is enough.
What companies use it for
- Contracts and minutes: commercial and employment contracts, NDAs, addendums, board minutes — as PDFs with a PAdES signature, valid under Ecuador’s LCE 2002-67.
- SRI: e-invoicing signs the XML receipts with the same certificate (details here); administrative PDFs are signed too.
- Public procurement (SERCOP) and foreign trade (ECUAPASS/SENAE) require digital certificates.
- HR: onboarding and contracts signed without printing, with free verification for the employee.
Typical requirements
They vary by ECI (ARCOTEL-accredited certification entity), but in general:
- Legal representative: company RUC, current appointment registered in the Mercantile Registry, deed of incorporation, representative’s ID.
- Company member: the above plus an authorisation signed by the legal representative and the employee’s ID.
- SAS: same as any company — a Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada has a RUC and a legal representative from incorporation, so it can obtain both certificates from day one.
Compare issuers and prices in the ECI comparison and the pricing table. For the fast path, tienda.firmar.ec issues legal-representative and company-member certificates online, in minutes, uploading the RUC and the appointment as PDFs.
Signing the documents: free, nothing to install
With the company’s .p12 loaded in firmar.ec, the representative signs contracts from any browser — mobile included — without Java or desktop software. Counterparties verify the signature for free at verify-pdf-signature, including the role and company stated in the certificate.
FAQ
Can the manager sign with a personal certificate? They can, but the signature binds them as an individual. For the document to formally commit the company and its RUC, use the legal representative certificate.
How many certificates does a company need? At least one (legal representative). If more people sign operational documents often (HR, accounting, purchasing), one company member certificate each avoids bottlenecks.
Does one certificate work for SERCOP, SRI and contracts? Yes. The certificate is one; what changes is the signature format per procedure (XAdES for SRI receipts, PAdES for PDFs).
What if the legal representative changes? That certificate becomes invalid in practice (the appointment is no longer current) and must be revoked and re-issued for the new representative.