What is a Digital Certificate?

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A Digital Certificate (DC) is a digital file which is created as an extension on your NIE, TIE or DNI in Spain. It is used to securely access and sign for documents within the Spanish government's many official sites such as The Council, Tax offices, SES Hospedajes, SEDE and others. 

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A DC is an encrypted file. This means it is secured using something that you have (the DC file itself) and something that you know (the password). In technological terms, this is referred to as Two Factor Authentication or 2FA. Having something physical and something in your head is one of the most secure ways to protect dat AND to ensure you or the person using the DC has permission to do so by the owner. You may be familiar with this concept when using your credit or debit card to withdraw money from an ATM. If you card is stolen, there's no way a thief could withdraw money from your account without the PIN even though they have your physical card.

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A DC is NOT a physical document like a PDF or something you can view and edit. It is a file normally with the extension of p12 or pfx. When you receive your digital certificate it is simply a file which you download to your computer (Windows or Mac) or mobile device (tablet or phone) and install it to access the sites mentioned above. On a Mac, you open the file and your Keychain Access application will open. It will immediately ask you for your password which would have been provided by the person who got the DC for you. Without this password, the DC is useless. 

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What do I do with my DC?

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Unless you want or need to access any of the Spanish governmental sites above, there's no real need to install your DC. the most likely use for it (other than registering your property with the SES Hospedajes) is to provide it to your accountant so they are able to post your tax returns digitally on your behalf. 

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What is Autofirma?

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Autofirma is a wrapper for your DC (a wrapper means it works with the DC for a specific purpose). Certain activities require data to be signed for (such as when adding your details in the SES Hospedajes system). Autofirma allows you to sign for data by using your DC as your confirmation. Think of it like your own signature when signing an agreement or contract. It's you digitally agreeing that the data is correct. 

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Once you have your DC, if you are going to try to add your own property to the SES, you'll also need to install Autofirma so you are able to sign for the data you enter. You can download the application here - https://autofirma.net/descargar/

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While you can log in to SES Hospedajes using just your DC, if you want to add your property you also need to sign for it so Autofirma is required and only supports Windows, Mac and Linux so you cannot sign using an iPad, iPhone or Android device.

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How can I get myself a DC?

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If you are a Spanish citizen, you can apply for it online using your DNI. If you are a resident or non-resident, you can arrange a meeting at your local Council (local to your rental property NOT your home I'm afraid...) office to prove your identity and they will issue the DC to you shortly thereafter. 

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If you are not able to visit your local Council office in person, Villa Check In can arrange for your DC to be issued remotely. Find out more here - https://www.villacheckin.com/digital-certificate

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