Mandatory electronic signature in appraisal reports as of August 12: what the new regulations require and how to comply with them easily

Last June 12, Order ECM/599/2025 was published in the BOE, a key regulation for the real estate and financial sector that introduces a relevant change: the electronic signature becomes mandatory in all appraisal reports for financial purposes. This new requirement, which comes into force on August 12, 2025, reinforces the integrity, traceability and legal reliability of valuation documents.

Order ECM/599/2025 amends the already known Order ECO/805/2003, establishing valuation rules for real estate and certain real rights. These reports are essential when used as:

• Mortgage guarantee on credits and loans.
• Basis for determining the fair value of insurance and reinsurance assets.
• Reference for calculating the net worth of pension funds or collective real estate investments.
• With this amendment, appraisal reports will have to incorporate a clearer structure, elements of sustainability and, above all, guarantee the mandatory electronic signature of all professionals involved in their preparation.

The standard requires all professionals and entities involved in the preparation, review and validation of the appraisal report to sign it by means of a qualified or advanced electronic signature. This affects both:

• Individuals: individual appraisers, technical architects, quantity surveyors, etc.
• Legal entities: appraisal companies, collaborating entities and financial entities with appraisal capacity.

The process of preparing a real estate appraisal report is rigorous and structured. This document is the basis for many financial decisions, so its development involves different professional profiles, all of them now obliged to sign electronically.

Usual flow in the preparation of the appraisal report:

1. Request for appraisal
   A client (financial institution, insurance company, developer, individual…) requests an appraisal from an approved appraisal company.
2. Assignment of the appraiser
   The company appoints a competent professional (architect, technical architect, engineer, etc.) to visit and appraise the property.
3. Technical inspection and data collection
   The technician makes a physical visit to the property, takes measurements, reviews the registry and cadastral documentation, and analyzes the environment.
4. Comparative analysis and valuation
   Recognized valuation methods are applied (comparative, cost, rental updating, residual…), according to the type of property and purpose.
5. Drafting of the report
   The appraiser drafts the report in accordance with the technical and legal criteria established in Order ECO/805/2003, including annexes and plans.
6. Technical review
   A second professional from the appraisal company (usually a reviewer or supervisor) verifies that the report complies with the regulations.
7. Final validation
   A third person, often a responsible technician appointed by the appraisal company, gives the final approval to the document.

With the entry into force of Order ECM/599/2025, all professionals substantively involved in the document must sign it electronically. These are usually:

• The appraiser drafting the report.
• The technical reviewer.
• The appraiser or final technical manager of the appraisal company.

In many cases, the final report may take up to three electronic signatures, implying the need for a clear, agile and legally robust signature flow.

The regulations require documents to be electronically signed in a manner that ensures:

• Authenticity: it is possible to verify who has signed.
• Integrity: the content cannot be modified after signing.
• Traceability: there is a certified digital record of the process.

In addition, appraisal companies are required to implement technical procedures to ensure that documents are not altered once signed and that they can be retained with legal guarantees. This raises the technical requirements and makes electronic signatures with certified custody an indispensable solution.

We are qualified providers of trust services qualified in certified electronic delivery, which allows us to offer you solutions that not only comply with the law, but also make its implementation as easy as possible. Our multichannel electronic signature platform allows:

✅ Sign appraisal reports from any device, without software installation.

✅ Send signature requests through multiple channels: Email, SMS, WhatsApp, RCS (Rich Communication Services).

✅ Certified custody of the signed document, guaranteeing that the content has not been modified, even years after its issuance.

✅ Easy integration with the internal flows of appraisal companies and financial institutions.

✅ Full compliance with the eIDAS Regulation and the technical and legal requirements of Order ECM/599/2025.

The entry into force of this regulation marks a milestone in the digitization of the real estate valuation industry. Although it implies new obligations, it also represents a great opportunity to optimize processes, improve customer experience and ensure regulatory compliance.

If you are an appraisal company, industry professional or financial institution, having an agile, legally robust and multichannel electronic signature solution is the easiest way to comply with this new regulation without friction.