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.

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.

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))