validation methods for Docusign ADVANCED Electronic Signature

Question

Good morningAfter I have signed a pdf document with Docusign ADVANCED Electronic Signature,I would like to inspect the details of the electronic signature that was applied.Since we operate in the European Union, I headed to the documentation provided by the European Commission.On the page https://ec.europa.eu/digital-building-blocks/sites/spaces/DIGITAL/pages/880312429/eSignature+FAQ the topic "How do I validate an electronic signature/seal as qualified?" lists 3 methods of validation, but only for Qualified signatures.Still, I tried each of them.1) the DSS Validator, available at https://ec.europa.eu/digital-building-blocks/DSS/webapp-demo/validation does not work well with Advanced Electronic Signatures. When uploading a pdf signed with an advanced signature, I receive multiple errors such as "Unable to build a certificate chain up to a trusted list!", "The certificate chain for signature is not trusted, it does not contain a trust anchor."It is true that I use a demo 1-month-trial account, but I've been told that even official Advanced signatures face the same problem. 2) The Signatures tab in Adobe Reader provides very little information. It does not even mention whether the signature type is advanced or qualified.3) Does Docusign provide its own online validator ? If it does, please post a link. However, this page suggests the opposite: https://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?language=en_US&langSet=1&bundleId=xcm1643837555908&topicId=lzc1652878457364.html&_LANG=enusIf you know about any other validation methods, please feel free to enumerate them, I would be happy to hear about alternatives.Right now, it seems to me that, although I purchased an Advanced Electronic Signature, and applied it to a PDF document, I cannot really prove the validity of the signature. If our documents will ever be part of a legal dispute, the inability to proove the validity of the signature may also result in the document (contract) itself being declared void.  Thanks in advance for your support.

Ma.Cubio · Accepted Answer

Hello ​@LPTRThank you for reaching out, and welcome to the Docusign Community! To clarify, DocuSign is listed on the EU eIDAS Trusted List as DocuSign France, and its trust services are recognized across EU member states.The DSS Validator may display certificate chain or trust anchor errors for some Advanced Electronic Signatures, particularly in trial environments, as it may not be able to build a complete trust chain. This does not automatically indicate that the signature is invalid.Adobe Reader can verify the signature and certificate details, but it does not explicitly identify whether a signature is Advanced (AES) or Qualified (QES). The distinction is based on the level of identity verification associated with the signing process.DocuSign does not currently provide a standalone online signature validator. Validation is typically performed using third-party tools such as Adobe Reader, the EU DSS Validator, and by reviewing the DocuSign Certificate of Completion and audit trail.We hope this helps clarify the available validation methods and their limitations.List of Signature Validators for Digitally Signed DocumentsDSS Demonstration WebAppeIDAS DashboardIf you found the response to be a useful solution to your question, please “like” and mark it as the best answer by clicking “Select as Best” to make it easier for other users to find. Thank you!Sincerely,Ma. Cassandra | Docusign Community ModeratorIf this helped, feel free to Like👍and click "Best Answer"

LPTR · Answer

Indeed, the Certificate of Completion that is generated upon signing, seems to be the only way to prove the validity of the Advanced signature.

Also, thanks for highlighting the fact that Docusign is registered in France and belongs the eIDAS Trusted List.

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