QES Signatures: How Does the Yearly Volume Work?

Why this matters

Imagine having a stack of contracts to sign in January, but your monthly quota is already used up — frustrating. That problem is now a thing of the past.

With the yearly volume for QES signatures (Qualified Electronic Signature), your entire signature quota is available for the full year from day one. You can spread your QES signatures flexibly across 12 months — whether you're dealing with quarter-end rushes, seasonal contract peaks, or a quieter summer. You decide when to use your signatures.

How it works

Your quota covers 12 months. If you've booked 120 QES signatures per year, all 120 are available from the first day of your billing period.
Use them as needed. There's no monthly cap. You can use 30 signatures one month and just 5 the next — whatever your business requires.
Track usage in your workspace. You can check your current consumption and remaining quota under Settings → Organisation → Organisation Details → Organisation Limits. In the "Signatur-Guthaben" (Signature Credits) section, you'll see your QES usage (e.g. "0 of 20") and the date your credits renew.
Automatic renewal. On your annual renewal date, your quota resets to the booked volume and the counter starts fresh.

What changed during the switch?

When we transitioned from monthly to yearly credits, we multiplied your previous monthly quota by 12 and credited you the full yearly amount — regardless of when your next contract renewal date falls. This ensures that you didn't lose a single signature during the transition.

From your next renewal date onward, the regular yearly volume as per your booked plan applies.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I use up my yearly volume before the 12 months are over?
Contact our Customer Success team. We can provision additional signatures for the remaining period so you can keep working without interruption.

Where can I see how many QES signatures I have left?
Go to Settings → Organisation → Organisation Details → Organisation Limits. In the "Signatur-Guthaben" (Signature Credits) section, you'll see your QES usage (e.g. "0 of 20") and the renewal date.

When exactly does my quota renew?
On your contract renewal date — the same date your annual billing takes place. From that day, your full booked volume is available again.

I previously had a monthly quota. Did I lose any signatures during the switch?
No. During the transition, your previous monthly quota was multiplied by 12 and fully credited. At your next renewal date, your regular yearly volume kicks in.

Can I increase my QES quota mid-year?
Yes — talk to your Customer Success Manager. Adjustments are possible at any time.

Good to know

The QES signing process is fully handled by ContractHero. For the required identity verification, we work with eideasy, who provide access to Qualified Trust Service Providers (QTSPs) such as D-Trust, A-Trust, Swisscom, or Adacom. QES signatures are legally equivalent to a handwritten signature under the eIDAS regulation.
The yearly volume for QES is separate from your FES quota (Advanced Electronic Signature). Each signature type has its own yearly volume.

Updated on: 04/10/2026

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