# What is an ASiC-E file? A plain-language explanation

> What is an ASiC-E file? Think of a sealed envelope. Inside are the papers; on the seal are the signatures. Break the seal, or swap a page, and everyone can tell.

Source: https://asiceviewer.com/en/blog/what-is-an-asice-file/
Published: 2026-11-10 · Digixy

## In short

- An ASiC-E file bundles documents with the electronic signatures made on them.
- It is the usual result of signing with an Estonian ID-card, Mobile-ID or Smart-ID.
- You read it with a viewer; the envelope itself stays sealed.

## The envelope idea

When you sign a paper contract, the signature is on the paper. A digital file has no margin to sign in, so the signature has to be stored next to the document and tied to it mathematically. An ASiC-E file is the package that keeps the two together: the documents and, beside them, a signature for each person who signed.

The name is an abbreviation of Associated Signature Container Extended. "Extended" means it can hold many documents and many signatures. The file extension is `.asice`, sometimes `.sce`.

## Who creates them

- People in Estonia signing contracts, applications and decisions with DigiDoc4.
- Banks, insurers and landlords sending agreements for signature.
- Public authorities issuing decisions.
- Companies in Latvia and Lithuania, whose national formats follow the same standard.

## Why it matters legally

Under the EU's eIDAS regulation, a qualified electronic signature has the legal effect of a handwritten signature in every member state. An ASiC-E container signed with an Estonian ID-card is such a signature. That is why the file, not a printout, is the original.

## What is inside

| Part | In envelope terms |
| The documents | The papers |
| The signatures | The signatures on the seal |
| A fingerprint of each document | The proof that no page was swapped |
| A time stamp | The postmark |

## What you can do with one

- **Read it** in a viewer such as [ASiCE Viewer](https://asiceviewer.com/en/#tool).
- **Check it**: see who signed and whether the documents are unchanged.
- **Keep it** as your signed original.
- **Sign it too**, if you are a party, using signing software.

## What you should not do

Do not edit the documents inside and do not re-save the container with a ZIP program: both break the seal. And do not confuse it with a `.cdoc` file, which is an encrypted envelope only the recipient can open.

On a phone, the [ASiC-E Viewer app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.digixy.asiceviewer&hl=en&referrer=utm_source%3Dasiceviewer.com%26utm_medium%3Dblog-md) reads the same files. For the technical view, continue with [ASiC-E file format](https://asiceviewer.com/en/blog/asice-file-format/).

## Frequently asked questions

**Is an ASiC-E file a PDF?**

No. It is a container that often has a PDF inside. Open the container to reach the PDF.

**Can anyone read an ASiC-E file?**

Yes. It is signed, not encrypted. Anyone with the file can read the documents and see who signed.

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Open your .asice file now: https://asiceviewer.com/en/
ASiC-E Viewer on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.digixy.asiceviewer