Preservation certificate
Evidence that a digital document has remained intact since a specific date.
A document issued by a certification service provider accredited by Mexico’s Ministry of Economy under NOM-151, linking a document’s content to a specific moment. It is evidence that the content existed in that form at that time.
Why the issuer matters
The certificate’s value comes from the third party signing it. A stamp applied by the same party holding the document is not a NOM-151 certificate. The evidentiary value of a data message depends on the reliability of its preservation method; the party storing it is also in a position to change it.
What it does not replace
It does not replace a signature. A signature identifies consent and, if advanced, makes later changes detectable. A preservation certificate provides an accredited third party’s evidence that the content existed in that form on a date. A complete record may need both; they serve different purposes often confused in technology purchasing.
Read alongside
Preservation and evidence
NOM 151
The Mexican standard governing digital document preservation so that its content remains demonstrable over time.
ReadPreservation and evidence
Chain of custody
The continuous record of responsibility for a file, from its origin through its use, with no gaps in ownership.
ReadDocument practice
Document traceability
An automatically generated record of who changed a document, what changed and when, including the previous and new values.
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Reactive compliance served its time.
Today’s environment rewards control.
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