Electronic signature, electronic seal, software cash register key: what to choose for your store?

With the digitalization of business, electronic signatures and seals are increasingly being used. According to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, as of the beginning of 2025, more than 25,600,000 electronic signature certificates and more than 580,000 electronic seals were in effect in Ukraine.

They are used, among other things, in retail. We will discuss in this article whether a signature or a seal is the best solution for stores.

Types of electronic signatures for business in Ukraine

The Law of Ukraine «On Electronic Identification and Electronic Trust Services» (hereinafter referred to as Law No. 2155-VIII) allows the use of both electronic signatures and electronic seals to certify digital documents. Let’s take a closer look at the features of each of them.

Electronic signatures

Electronic signatures are divided into qualified (QES) and advanced (AES). Qualified electronic signatures have the highest degree of protection and are based on a qualified public key certificate. Law No. 2155-VIII equates it to a handwritten signature.

An advanced electronic signature is a file recorded on an electronic medium. It has a lower level of protection than a QES.

The principles of using an AES and a QES are identical. But since the QES has a higher level of protection, the scope of its application in business is much wider. In trade, QES is used for:

• submitting tax reports;
• signing electronic documents with counterparties;
• settlements using banking;
• access to public services;
• work in cash registers.

Electronic seals

An electronic seal is electronic data attached to other electronic data and used for:

• ensuring the authenticity of the origin of the associated electronic data;
• certification of electronic signatures on electronic documents;
• certification of compliance of copies of documents with the originals;
• detection of integrity violations.

Similar to electronic signatures, electronic seals are divided into qualified and advanced seals according to the level of protection. In electronic document management, they are used in the same cases as regular seals on paper documents.

You can get a QES or an electronic seal from any qualified electronic trust service provider that is on the trust list of the Central Certifying Authority.

The application for obtaining a QES contains a section on the formation of an electronic seal for a software cash register. Therefore, an entrepreneur can choose whether to use a QES or an electronic seal in the work with the cash register.

What to choose for a store?

When choosing between a cash register and an electronic seal to work with a cash register, an entrepreneur must take into account the specifics of the trade, in particular, the number of software cash registers and employees who work with them.

Online stores

A sole proprietor who opens an online store usually receives one PPO and works with it independently. For this purpose, he or she can use his or her private individual entrepreneur’s QES.

If a sole proprietor hires a cashier to work in an online store, he or she cannot transfer his or her QES to him or her. Otherwise, the electronic signature will be considered compromised (Article 34 of Law No. 2155-VIII), and therefore the tax service may cancel the registration of the PTR (Clause 2, section 3 of the Procedure for Registration, Keeping the Register and Use of Software Registrars of Payment Transactions, hereinafter — Procedure No. 317).

The same requirement applies if the entrepreneur uses an electronic seal:

The use of a qualified or advanced electronic seal in a software PTR is possible provided that only the creator (or an authorized representative of the creator) of the electronic seal has access to the personal seal key and the key is protected from unauthorized access by other persons.

Cl. 2, Section 4 of Procedure No. 317

In other words, if another person works with the cash register, you need to register a separate QES in their name. A hired cashier uses his or her own QES when working with the software cash register and does not pass it on to colleagues after the end of the shift.

Kiosks and small shops

For small shops with one or two salespeople, a QES is the best solution. If the cash register is operated by the store owner, he or she can use his individual entrepreneur’s QES.

In addition to working with the software cash register, the sole proprietor uses the electronic key of the QES to interact with the tax service or to exchange electronic documents with suppliers. An electronic seal cannot be used for this purpose.

You can work with one QES certificate at the same time only on one PRRO. If the store uses two or more software cash registers, you need to register the appropriate number of cashiers and issue an electronic signature to each of them.

When registering a new cash register for an employee, the entrepreneur indicates his or her data in the notification in the form J/F1391104 in the taxpayer’s electronic office. Only a cashier registered in this way can work with the PTR. If the employee resigns, the entrepreneur also submits a notification in the form J/F1391104 marked «termination of work».

Chain stores

For a chain of stores that uses several software cash registers, one can choose either a QES or an electronic seal. The choice depends on the number of cashiers and the level of sales automation.

QES is suitable for stores that have responsible employees (managers or senior cashiers). Electronic signatures from many providers (e.g., Vchasno.KEP) have the ability to administer QES keys. The manager manages access rights to electronic signatures — creates applications for QES for new cashiers and blocks the signatures of dismissed employees. This is especially convenient for stores with high staff turnover.

Electronic seals are suitable for stores with self-service cash registers. In this regard, the State Tax Inspectorate notes that a business entity has the right to use one seal on all cash registers registered for each separate business unit, if such cash registers do not require the use of cashiers. That is:

• at self-service cash registers;
• if there is only one cash register in the store and it is serviced by the entrepreneur who has received an electronic seal for the software cash register.

If cashiers are involved at the cash registers, a separate seal or a QES must be registered for each such.

How to get a Vchasno.QES electronic signature

Providers offer qualified electronic signatures for various business needs. In particular, Vchasno.QES electronic signatures are the most convenient for working with cash registers. To obtain a QES, individual entrepreneurs need to:

1. Register in the Vchasno service by following the link.
2. Click «Get QES» in your personal account.
3. Scan the QR code with the Diia app or sign it with any other QES (e.g., the signature of Privatbank).
4. Confirm your phone number.
5. Come up with a PIN code for your Vchasno.QES.

To obtain a QES, legal entities need to:

1. Register in the Vchasno service.
2. Click «Get QES» in your personal account.
3. Fill out the application.
4. Collect the necessary documents.
5. Pass identification at the customer service point.

Vchasno ecosystem of services for trade

Individual entrepreneurs can get Vchasno.QES for free. It is convenient to use it together with other services of the Vchasno ecosystem for various retail needs. In particular:

• certify electronic receipts in Vchasno.Kasa;
• sign electronic documents in the Vchasno.ODE service;
• work with suppliers of goods in the Vchasno.EDI service;
• sign electronic consignment notes in Vchasno.CMR;
• register store employees in the Vchasno.Kadry service;
• generate tax reports in the Vchasno.Zvit service, etc.

Vchasno.QES integrates with accounting systems for various business sectors via API. This allows sole proprietors to sign electronic documents in a user-friendly interface.