Digital signatures with Croatia's electronic ID
Croatia's electronic identity card, or eOI, carries more than the information printed on its surface. Its electronic functions can include an identification certificate and a separate signing certificate. The Ministry of the Interior explains that the first supports electronic identification, while the second supports a qualified electronic signature.
This distinction matters when preparing to sign a document. A card used to prove identity or access an online service is not, by that fact alone, ready for every signing transaction. The certificates issued with the card and their activation determine which electronic functions the holder can use.
Prepare the card's electronic functions
Croatia's official activation guidance describes an initial sign-in to the eOI portal, downloading the relevant software and instructions, and activating the electronic functions. The cardholder changes the initial credentials during that process and is responsible for keeping the resulting passwords and PINs private.
Check that your card has the signing certificate required for document signing, rather than only an identification certificate. Certificate availability varies with the holder's circumstances; do not assume every physical card has identical digital functions.
Approve a document in Nota Sign
Nota Sign supports the Croatian ID Card qualified-signature method. Open the signing request, read the document and complete the required fields. Continue with the Croatian ID Card method and follow the card-authorization instructions presented for that transaction. The certificate-backed approval completes within the Nota Sign document workflow.
The method represents the individual cardholder's signature, not an organisation's electronic seal. Consult the Croatian Ministry of the Interior's eOI guidance for current certificate, activation and card-management instructions before beginning a new signing setup.
