Long-Term Validation (LTV) is a security feature that ensures digitally signed documents remain verifiable and legally valid years into the future — even after the signing certificate expires.
What is LTV?
LTV embeds all verification data needed to validate a signature directly into the PDF. This means the document can be verified and remain legally binding long after signing, regardless of whether the certificate issuing authority still exists or the original certificate has expired.
What this means for you
- The green checkmark in Adobe Reader (or the Xodo Sign Signature Panel) remains green when you open the document years later.
- The signature's timestamp matches the actual completion time of the document.
- Signed documents can be archived with confidence in their long-term validity.
How to enable LTV
LTV is enabled by default on all Xodo Sign accounts — no action required. The signing process is unchanged.
Important: LTV is not applied retroactively
LTV applies only to documents signed after March 4, 2024. Documents signed before this date will not have the LTV stamp. If you open an older document in Adobe Reader and see a yellow warning, re-download the completed document from Xodo Sign to receive a renewed certificate with LTV applied.