Use these guides when you need a plain-English starting point before choosing the city page, official portal, calculator, or Ask Guiri workflow that matches your situation.
Quick answer
A practical comparison of Cl@ve and an FNMT certificate: what each does, why services set their own accepted method, and where AutoFirma fits.
Who this is for
Digital decision guide
Documents to have ready
- A portal may accept Cl@ve, a certificate, DNIe, or a different method.
- A higher-security procedure can limit which Cl@ve method is available.
- The service’s own access instructions are the deciding source.
Where to start
Cl@ve: identity, access, and registration
Timing
Cl@ve is a shared public-administration system for identification, authentication, and some electronic-signature flows. It can make access easier without a locally installed certificate, but each service chooses which Cl@ve option and security level it accepts.
Common mistake
If a public portal names Cl@ve, certificado, firma, AutoFirma, or a security level you do not understand, save the wording and official URL. Guiri can explain the screen and help you prepare questions, but the public service remains the source of truth for accepted access and signature methods.
Check the source before you act
Use this page to prepare the file for cl@ve vs certificate, then confirm current forms, appointment categories, fees, and account instructions on the official source listed here.
- Save receipts, confirmations, registry numbers, and downloaded PDFs.
- Use Ask Guiri when the next step depends on your own document, address, status, deadline, or portal error.
Start with the procedure, not the credential
Cl@ve and an FNMT certificate are different ways to identify yourself online. Neither is universal: the public service sets the accepted method and security level. Read the exact procedure before registering for or installing anything.
- A portal may accept Cl@ve, a certificate, DNIe, or a different method.
- A higher-security procedure can limit which Cl@ve method is available.
- The service’s own access instructions are the deciding source.
What Cl@ve does
Cl@ve is a shared public-administration system for identification, authentication, and some electronic-signature flows. It can make access easier without a locally installed certificate, but each service chooses which Cl@ve option and security level it accepts.
- Registration can be completed through several official routes, including online and in-person options.
- Cl@ve Móvil and Cl@ve Permanente are not the same thing as an FNMT certificate.
- Use the service list and its access screen to confirm availability.
What an FNMT certificate does
An FNMT citizen certificate is a personal electronic certificate that can identify you and support secure online procedures. It has its own official application, identity-verification, download, renewal, and backup process. A service still decides whether it accepts that certificate for your task.
- Obtain it only through FNMT’s published route for the device and identity proof you use.
- Keep the certificate valid and back it up securely before changing device or browser.
- Do not treat a certificate as a guarantee that every procedure or signature flow will work.
Where AutoFirma fits
AutoFirma is local desktop signing software. It is not a login method and it does not choose the credential for you. Install it only if the official procedure asks for a local electronic signature; it can use a valid certificate already available in your system or a supported external device.
Use the exact screen when the wording is unclear
If a public portal names Cl@ve, certificado, firma, AutoFirma, or a security level you do not understand, save the wording and official URL. Guiri can explain the screen and help you prepare questions, but the public service remains the source of truth for accepted access and signature methods.