Digital ID

Due to recent changes in European Union legislation, more than 9000 digital ID certificates will be revoked on December 9th 2026, after which the document can no longer be used electronically for identification in e-services or for digitally signing documents.

Why are the certificates being revoked?

The certificates of Digital ID are being revoked due to stricter certification requirements introduced by Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 (eIDAS 2.0), which entered into force following its adoption by the European Parliament and the Council. Due to these legal changes, the Estonian Police and Border Guards’ contractual partner is unable to renew the chip's certification of already issued documents which means the document can no longer be used electronically for identification in e-services or for giving a digital signature.

No security risk has been identified in the documents, and all transactions carried out with the digital ID card remain valid.

What is eIDAS 2.0?

eIDAS 2.0 (Regulation (EU) 2024/1183) is the updated European Union regulation that amends and expands the original 2014 eIDAS framework to establish a secure, cross-border digital identity and trust-services ecosystem for all EU citizens and businesses. The requirements of eIDAS 2.0 apply directly in Estonia and do not need to be implemented through national legislation.

My Digital ID was issued before eIDAS 2.0 came into force. Why does it affect certificates that have already been issued?

If the certification of the document chip expires prematurely, the certificate stored on the document that enables digital signing no longer meets the requirements for a qualified electronic signature. Consequently, the trust service provider is obliged to revoke the certificate. This obligation arises from the eIDAS Regulation.

How many document holders are affected?

Approximately 9200 Digital ID card holders and 19 500 e-residents are affected by the revocation of the certificates.

How can I check whether my document is affected?

All document holders affected by this issue received a personal notification from ... to the email address provided with their document application.

Affected digital IDs were issued between 10.12.2021-16.05.2024, with numbers NA0001224-NA004127.

What do I need to do before 9 December 2026?

Please check whether your ID card and its certificates are valid to ensure uninterrupted access to e-services and sign digitally. The easiest way to do this is through the ID software by clicking the "Check certificate status" button.

If the information systems you use support alternative authentication and signing methods, you may also consider using Mobile-ID or Smart-ID. To subscribe to Mobile-ID, please contact your mobile network operator. For additional information on creating a Smart-ID account, please visit: https://www.smart-id.com/en/.

Several documents have been encrypted using my Digital ID. Will I still be able to access them?

Documents encrypted using Digital ID can still be decrypted and accessed after the certificates have been revoked, provided that you know your PIN1 code. Please note that encryption is intended solely for the secure transmission of documents and not for their long-term storage.

Will my ID card or residence permit card also become invalid?

No, only the Digital ID and its certificates will be revoked.

How can I check after 9 December whether my Digital ID certificates have been revoked?

Document holders will receive an automatic notification to their ... email about the revocation of their certificates. In addition, the validity of the certificates can be checked in the ID software (DigiDoc4) by clicking the "Check certificate status" button.