ACCV vs FNMT: Which Digital Certificate Should You Choose?
If you’re planning to obtain a Spanish Digital Certificate, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is which certificate authority to use. The two most common options for individuals are the ACCV (Autoritat de Certificació de la Comunitat Valenciana) and the FNMT (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre).
Both certificates allow you to securely identify yourself online, digitally sign documents and access hundreds of Spanish public administration services. For many everyday tasks, they work in exactly the same way, which can make choosing between them confusing.
However, there are some important differences. The FNMT certificate is issued by Spain’s national certificate authority and is used throughout the country, while the ACCV certificate is issued by the Valencian Community and is particularly well integrated with regional and local government services.
The good news is that both are officially recognised electronic certificates and are accepted by the vast majority of Spanish public administrations. In many situations, either certificate will allow you to complete exactly the same online procedures.
In this guide, we’ll compare ACCV and FNMT, explain their similarities and differences, and help you decide which certificate is likely to be the best choice for your needs.
- What Are ACCV and FNMT?
- What Both Certificates Can Do
- The Main Differences
- Applying for Each Certificate
- Renewing Your Certificate
- Website Compatibility
- Security and Trust
- Using Multiple Devices
- Side-by-Side Comparison
- Which Should You Choose?
- Final Thoughts
What Are ACCV and FNMT?
Before comparing the two certificates, it’s worth understanding who issues them.
ACCV
The Autoritat de Certificació de la Comunitat Valenciana (ACCV) is the official certification authority for the Valencian Community.
It issues digital certificates to:
Residents
Self-employed workers (Autónomos)
Businesses
Public employees
Public administrations
For most people living in the provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellón, an ACCV certificate is one of the easiest certificates to obtain. Applications can often be completed either online using video identification or by visiting an authorised Registration Point (PRU), many of which are located in local Ayuntamientos.
FNMT
The Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (FNMT) is Spain’s National Mint and one of the country’s oldest and most recognised certificate authorities.
Its Digital Certificate is available to anyone throughout Spain and has been the standard certificate used by individuals for many years.
Because it operates nationally, you’ll often see FNMT mentioned in official government guides and on websites explaining how to access Spanish online services.
Although issued by different organisations, both certificates perform almost exactly the same job.
What Both Certificates Can Do
Whether you choose ACCV or FNMT, you’ll be able to securely identify yourself when accessing a wide range of Spanish government services.
Both certificates allow you to:
Access the Agencia Tributaria (Spanish Tax Agency).
Use Social Security online services.
Access many DGT services.
View official records.
Download certificates.
Register official documents electronically.
Sign PDF documents digitally.
Submit online applications.
Receive official electronic notifications.
Access many Ayuntamiento online services.
For everyday use, most people won’t notice any difference between the two certificates once they’re installed on their computer or mobile device.
The Main Differences
Although their everyday use is very similar, there are a few important differences.
Regional vs National
The biggest difference is who issues the certificate.
The ACCV is a regional authority serving the Valencian Community, while the FNMT is Spain’s national certificate authority.
This doesn’t normally affect where you can use the certificate, but it can influence how easy it is to apply, renew and obtain support.
Registration Network
If you live on the Costa Blanca or elsewhere in the Valencian Community, you may find it easier to obtain an ACCV certificate because many local Ayuntamientos act as authorised Registration Points.
Outside the Valencian Community, the FNMT may be the more convenient option because its registration network is available throughout Spain.
Integration with Valencian Services
If you regularly use services provided by the Generalitat Valenciana, an ACCV certificate feels like the natural choice.
Although an FNMT certificate will normally work as well, the ACCV certificate is designed specifically for the Valencian administration and is closely integrated with its digital identity services.
Applying for Each Certificate
Both certificate authorities now provide more than one way to obtain a certificate.
ACCV
Depending on your circumstances, you can:
Apply online using video identification.
Visit an authorised Registration Point (PRU).
Complete identity verification at participating Ayuntamientos.
After verification, you’ll receive instructions for generating and downloading your certificate.
FNMT
The FNMT application process also begins online.
Applicants submit their details, receive an application code and then complete identity verification, either at an authorised office or, in some cases, using an approved online identification method.
Once verified, the certificate can be downloaded to your computer.
Although the steps are slightly different, both processes are straightforward and usually take only a short time to complete.
Renewing Your Certificate
Both ACCV and FNMT certificates have an expiry date and must be renewed or replaced to continue using online public services.
However, the renewal procedures are not identical.
For ACCV certificates, some renewals can be completed online through the Personal Certification Services Area (APSC), while others require you to visit an authorised Registration Point to verify your identity again.
FNMT certificates also have their own renewal rules and deadlines, which depend on the type and status of your certificate.
For either certificate, it’s always advisable to renew before the expiry date rather than waiting until it has expired.
Website Compatibility
One of the biggest questions people ask is whether an ACCV certificate works everywhere that an FNMT certificate does.
For the vast majority of users, the answer is yes.
Both ACCV and FNMT certificates are recognised electronic certificates and are accepted by most Spanish public administrations. Whether you’re logging in to the Spanish Tax Agency, checking your Social Security records or accessing many local government services, either certificate will normally allow you to identify yourself securely.
Some of the services commonly accessed with both certificates include:
Agencia Tributaria (Spanish Tax Agency)
Seguridad Social (Social Security)
Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT)
SEPE (Public Employment Service)
Catastro
Local Ayuntamientos
Generalitat Valenciana
SUMA (where electronic identification is supported)
Ministry of the Interior services
Numerous regional and local government portals
For most people, the certificate you use makes very little difference once it has been installed on your computer or mobile device.
Rather than choosing based on website compatibility, it’s usually more sensible to choose the certificate that’s easiest for you to obtain and renew.
Security and Trust
Both ACCV and FNMT certificates provide a high level of security.
They use public key cryptography to prove your identity electronically and allow you to digitally sign documents with legal validity under Spanish and European regulations.
When you use either certificate to log in to an official website, you’re proving your identity without needing to remember multiple usernames and passwords.
Because the certificate acts as your digital identity, you should protect it carefully.
Whichever certificate you choose, you should always:
Keep a password-protected backup.
Never share your certificate with anyone else.
Avoid installing it on public computers.
Remove expired certificates from devices you no longer use.
Keep your operating system and browser updated.
Used correctly, both ACCV and FNMT certificates provide a secure and trusted way to access online public services.
Using Multiple Devices
Another common question is whether you’re limited to using your certificate on one computer.
Fortunately, the answer is no.
Both ACCV and FNMT certificates can normally be exported as a password-protected backup file, usually with a .p12 or .pfx extension.
This allows you to install the certificate on your own personal devices, such as:
A Windows desktop PC.
A Windows laptop.
An Apple Mac.
An Android phone.
An iPhone.
An iPad.
Many people also keep an encrypted backup on a USB memory stick or secure cloud storage in case they replace a computer or phone in the future.
Remember that your certificate represents your digital identity, so only install it on devices that you own or trust.
Side-by-Side Comparison
The table below summarises the main differences and similarities between ACCV and FNMT.
| Feature | ACCV | FNMT |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate Authority | Generalitat Valenciana | National (Spain) |
| Available throughout Spain | Yes | Yes |
| Particularly suited to the Valencian Community | ⭐ Yes | Yes |
| Accepted by most public administrations | ✔ | ✔ |
| Agencia Tributaria | ✔ | ✔ |
| Social Security | ✔ | ✔ |
| DGT | ✔ | ✔ |
| Electronic document signing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Install on multiple devices | ✔ | ✔ |
| Password-protected backup | ✔ | ✔ |
| Online application options | Available | Available |
| In-person identity verification | ✔ | ✔ |
| Local Ayuntamiento registration points | Widely available in the Valencian Community | Depends on location |
As you can see, there is far more that the two certificates have in common than there are differences.
Which Should You Choose?
The best certificate for you largely depends on where you live and how you expect to use it.
Choose an ACCV Digital Certificate if:
You live in the Valencian Community.
You regularly use Generalitat Valenciana services.
Your local Ayuntamiento is an ACCV Registration Point.
You prefer dealing with a regional certificate authority.
You want a certificate that is well integrated with local government services.
Choose an FNMT Digital Certificate if:
You live outside the Valencian Community.
You move around Spain regularly.
You’re already familiar with FNMT services.
Your nearest registration office is an FNMT registration point.
You prefer to use Spain’s national certificate authority.
In reality, for most day-to-day tasks, either certificate will perform equally well.
Do You Need Both?
This is another question that often comes up.
The simple answer is usually not.
Because both certificates provide access to many of the same online public services, most people only need one Digital Certificate.
Having both isn’t normally necessary unless you have a specific reason or work with systems that recommend one certificate authority over another.
If you already have a valid FNMT certificate, there’s generally no need to replace it with an ACCV certificate simply because you’ve moved to the Valencian Community.
Likewise, if you already have an ACCV certificate that works perfectly with the online services you use, there is little advantage in obtaining an FNMT certificate as well.
Which Certificate Do We Recommend?
For readers of Discover Spain’s Costa Blanca & Valencia, our recommendation is straightforward.
If you live in Alicante, Valencia or Castellón, an ACCV Digital Certificate is an excellent choice.
It’s easy to obtain through many local Ayuntamientos or by using ACCV’s online application process, and it works with the vast majority of Spanish public administration websites.
However, if you already have an FNMT Digital Certificate, don’t feel that you need to change. It remains one of Spain’s most widely recognised Digital Certificates and continues to provide access to the same government services that most residents use every day.
The important thing isn’t which certificate you choose—it’s having a valid Digital Certificate. Once installed, it can save countless trips to government offices by allowing you to complete many official procedures online from the comfort of your home.
Final Thoughts
Both ACCV and FNMT issue trusted Digital Certificates that make life in Spain much easier. They allow you to securely identify yourself online, sign documents electronically and access hundreds of government services without needing to visit an office in person.
For residents of the Valencian Community, ACCV is often the most convenient option because of its strong local presence and straightforward application process. For everyone else, or for those who already have an FNMT certificate, the national certificate remains an equally capable choice.
Whichever you choose, obtaining a Digital Certificate is one of the best investments you can make if you live, work or own property in Spain. As more public services move online, having a secure digital identity is becoming less of a convenience and more of a necessity.