- What do I need to sign electronic forms?
- What is a Digital ID?
A Digital ID is a set of special electronic codes that are issued to an individual and registered in a centralized directory available on the internet. This digital ID, also known as a digital certificate, will enable a person to identify or authenticate themself to receive personalized electronic services, to digitally sign forms to be submitted, and to send or receive sensitive information in an encrypted form to protect privacy.
A Digital ID is composed of a public and private key pair. These keys are associated with the certificate owner as well as the authority that issued the keys. The public key is shared with others on the network, while the private key is kept private by the certificate owner. These keys work with each other to encrypt and sign files and documents.
- How Do I Get a Digital ID?
Digital ID’s are issued by the State of Illinois. Navigate to the
Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology website and select “Get a Digital ID” from the section links on the right hand side of the page. Follow the on screen instructions for creating a Digital ID. In order to complete the automated ID creation process you must possess an Illinois Drivers License. Non-Illinois residents must complete a form and mail to the State of Illinois CMS department. You can find this form at the web site listed above.
- What do I use my digital ID for?
Your Digital ID will enable you to digitally sign forms to be submitted for approvals, and send or receive sensitive information in an encrypted form to protect your privacy as well as the information being sent.
- Where is my digital ID?
Your Digital ID is created and stored on a secure server managed by the State of Illinois.
- Can I get a copy of my digital ID?
For security reasons, we do not recommend downloading a local copy of your digital ID. Your Digital ID is as important as your Social Security number. If your Digital ID is compromised, someone else could legally sign documents with your digital signature. Downloading and storing your digital ID on your PC is strongly discouraged.
- What is a roaming user?
A roaming user means that your Digital ID is stored on a secure server and is not stored locally on your desktop computer. This is the preferred method. It allows you to reference and use your Digital ID on any computer that has the Entrust Entelligence Security Provider (EESP) software installed.
- What if my Digital ID is stolen?
If your Digital ID is stolen or compromised, the State of Illinois can revoke your Digital ID and issue you a new one. However, this is a complicated process, which is why we recommend that you keep your Digital ID on secure servers provided by the State
- I forgot my Digital ID password, and/or my Digital ID is locked out. What do I do?
If you forget your Digital ID password, you must initiate the Digital ID recovery process. You have two options:
- You may visit the State of Illinois Digital Signature website at https://illinois.gov/pki/ and click the "forgot password" link on the right hand side of the page. Follow the on-screen prompts to reset your forgotten or locked password.
PLEASE NOTE - only Internet Explorer is supported. Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and other browsers will not work correctly.
- You may also reset your password by calling the State of Illinois Customer Service Center at 217-524-3648 . Select option #1 (IT) and then option #12 (HFS and Digital Certificate Support).
You get 5 attempts at entering the correct password before being locked out. The Digital ID lock out will automatically be lifted after 6 hours. If you do not wish to wait 6 hours, or if you cannot remember your password, you must start the Digital ID recovery process.
- Can I use my digital ID on more than one computer?
Yes, but the
Entrust Entelligence Security Provider desktop software must be installed on each computer you intend to use. If you intend to digitally sign an Adobe form, then
Adobe Acrobat Reader will also need to be configured to recognize a Digital ID. And if you use the Roaming capability as recommended, you won't need to worry about your Digital ID information being stored on each of the devices you are using.
- What are the system requirements to run EESP?
A Microsoft Windows operating system, Vista or later, is required to use the features of Security Provider.
The Security Provider software is not currently available for any other operating system (including Macintosh OSX and Linux).
- What is public key infrastructure?
Public-key infrastructure is comprised of several components and services that function to manage digital keys and certificates. These keys and certificates are used by a variety of network and computer based applications for identification, entitlements, verification, and privacy (encryption), allowing information to be protected as it passes across a public network. Public-key technology has become a preferred standard for providing stronger levels of identification, privacy, verification and security management capabilities. A Public-key technology enables the use of encryption and digital signature services across a wide variety of applications. More information about Digital Signatures issued by the State of Illinois is available at the
State of Illinois PKI Frequently Asked Questions.