eIDAS · QTSP · RFC 3161 · EU Trusted List
eIDAS Qualified Timestamps
Legally recognised in every EU Member State. A trusted timestamping service with a standard eIDAS RFC 3161 endpoint, for software that signs, seals and archives at scale.
Qualified electronic time stamps issued by AlfaTrust Certification S.A., a QTSP (Qualified Trust Service Provider) on the EU Trusted Lists. Every token carries the legal presumption of eIDAS Article 41(2) and is validated automatically by Adobe Acrobat and Reader, with nothing to install on the reader's side.
What makes qualified electronic timestamps different
RFC 3161 defines how a timestamp is requested and issued. When it is issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider under Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS), it becomes a qualified electronic timestamp: it enjoys the legal presumption of the accuracy of the date and time and of the integrity of the data it covers (Article 41(2)), and is recognised as qualified in every EU Member State (Article 41(3)).
That is what your customers need when evidence must be accepted by third parties, in audits, disputes and tax inspections, without having to explain how your own systems work.
Valid in Adobe, out of the box
The issuer is on the EU Trusted Lists, so Adobe Acrobat and Reader show signed PDFs as valid, with a trusted timestamp. No certificates to install.
An eIDAS TSA built for signing platforms and high-volume pipelines
eIDAS timestamps for e-signature, e-invoicing, archiving and logging software that runs around the clock, on behalf of many customers.
Standards
Standard RFC 3161 endpoint
An HTTP POST with a timestamp query, a signed token back. eIDAS compliant timestamps for OpenSSL, .NET, Java (BouncyCastle), Python, PHP, PowerShell and any PAdES, CAdES, XAdES or ASiC library.
No limits
No quotas, no throttling
No daily or monthly limits and no rate caps, so one tenant's bulk job never blocks the others, even at month-end and year-end peaks.
Availability
Uptime above 99.9%
A highly available service for signing paths that cannot wait.
Integrate in three steps
The same flow in every programming language and signing library.
Step 1
Hash
Compute the hash of the document, invoice, signature or log segment.
Step 2
Request
POST an RFC 3161 query to the endpoint. The qualified TSA returns a token that binds the digest to a certified date and time.
Step 3
Embed or store
Embed the token in a PAdES, CAdES, XAdES or ASiC signature, or keep the .tsr file next to your data.
Integration guides for PHP, OpenSSL, C#, Java, Python, PowerShell and Adobe →
Prepaid volume, priced for platforms
Buy once, use over 24 months. The larger the package, the lower the cost per timestamp, down to 0.0142 EUR.
Starter
6.000 timestamps
0.0417 EUR per timestamp, without VAT
Best deal
12.000 timestamps
0.0375 EUR per timestamp, without VAT
High volume
1.200.000 timestamps
0.0142 EUR per timestamp, without VAT
- 24 months to use every package
- No subscription, no hidden fees, no per-day or per-month limits
- Unused timestamps carried over when you renew before expiry
- Tailored offers above 1.200.000 timestamps and for multi-year commitments
- Payment by card, PayPal or bank transfer
What software vendors build with it
Connecting a platform to a timestamping authority? Start with our technical checklist for software vendors.
E-signature platforms
Signatures that stay valid for years
Keep PAdES, CAdES and XAdES signatures valid long after the signing certificates expire.
E-invoicing and ERP
Invoice integrity for the whole storage period
Prove that issued and received invoices have not changed for the whole legal storage period.
Archiving and DMS
Evidence that outlives the archive
Renew evidence over decades with archive timestamps (ERS, PAdES B-LTA).
Security and SIEM tooling
Tamper-evident logs for NIS2 and DORA
Turn logs into tamper-evident, independently dated evidence for NIS2 and DORA.
Qualified status
Issued by a QTSP on the EU Trusted Lists
AlfaTrust Certification S.A. is a Qualified Trust Service Provider under eIDAS, listed in the EU Trusted Lists for the “Qualified time stamp” service.
Frequently asked questions
What is an eIDAS qualified timestamp (qualified electronic time stamp)?
A qualified electronic timestamp is issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider under Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS). It binds the hash of your data to a date and time certified by an independent authority, and enjoys the legal presumption of the accuracy of the date and time and of the integrity of the data.
Which clients and libraries are supported?
Any RFC 3161 client. Our integration guides cover PHP, OpenSSL, C# .NET, Java, Python, PowerShell and Adobe Acrobat.
Do you receive our documents?
No. Only a cryptographic hash of the document is sent to our timestamping service. The content of your documents stays in your systems.
How many timestamps does one signed document use?
One for a PAdES B-T signature, and typically two for PAdES B-LTA, which is the recommended level for long-term archiving.
Can we test before buying?
Yes. Request 50 free qualified timestamps and test the service with Adobe Acrobat, OpenSSL or your own signing software.
Test it on your own platform
Get 50 free qualified timestamps, connect your signing software or platform to our RFC 3161 endpoint and validate the result in Adobe Acrobat.