Activating the mobile phone signature ("Handy-Signatur")

The mobile phone signature ("Handy-Signatur") is your personal signature which you can use to identify yourself clearly on the internet. It allows you to sign documents and accounts legally. It is equivalent to a handwritten signature and is therefore your digital passport on the internet.

Apply for a mobile phone signature now – your legal electronic signature.

Advice

You can activate the mobile signature conveniently from home via FinanzOnline:

  • Log in with your FinanzOnline access data
  • Select the menu item "Bürgerkarte/Handy-Signatur aktivieren"
  • Duration: You will receive a confirmation letter within a few days.

Requirement:

FinanzOnline (→ BMF)German text (The best way to do this is to read our  PDF instructions (PDF, 591 KB))

A summary of the benefits

  • Your digital passport on the internet;
  • A convenient legal signature for electronic documents;
  • Complete formalities online and use commercial electronic services;
  • Extremely secure and free to use.

Requirements

  • A mobile phone that must be able to receive SMS messages (it does not have to be a smartphone);
  • which has usually an Austrian or German SIM card (exceptions are possible if necessary);
  • which can be a pay-as-you-go phone.

Advice

The prerequisite for activating the mobile phone signature is to have an entry in the central civil register [Zentrales Melderegister] or an entry in the supplementary register for natural personsGerman text.

How to obtain your mobile phone signature

Registration authority

You can activate it in person at a registration authority or tax office anywhere in Austria.

Requirements:

  • an official photo ID card;
  • Time needed: a few minutes, although you must book an appointment

There is a list of registration authorities (→ A-Trust)German text.

FinanzOnline

Apply to activate the mobile phone signature on FinanzOnline. Log in with your FinanzOnline login details and select "Bürgerkarte/Handy-Signatur aktivieren" [activate citizen's card/mobile phone signature] from the menu.

Requirements:

  • FinanzOnline login details
  • Time needed: You will receive a letter of confirmation within a few days.

FinanzOnline (→ BMF)German text (The best way to do this is to read our  PDF instructions (PDF, 591 KB))

Translated by the European Commission
Last update: 17 April 2023

Responsible for the content: Federal Ministry of Finance