What is the difference between digital timestamps and NOM-151 data message conservation certificates?

In the universe of digital signatures and document certification, it is common to come across terms such as "digital timestamps" and "conservation certificates." Both are fundamental for the validity and security of your electronic documents, as they serve different but complementary functions.

At Cincel, both elements work together to ensure that your digital documents comply with the highest legal and technological standards in Mexico. Below, we break down each concept and explain its role.

What is a Digital Timestamp?

A Digital Timestamp is a technological mechanism that allows proving that a series of data (a document, an image, etc.) has existed and has not been altered at a specific point in time. It is like a digital notary that attests to the exact date and time of a digital event.

Purpose: To confirm the existence and integrity of content at an exact date and time.
Validity: Digital timestamps do not expire. Once issued, they prove existence at that moment forever.
Issuance: They can only be issued by a Certification Services Provider (PSC) accredited by the Ministry of Economy of Mexico.
Applicability: It can be applied to almost any type of digital file (documents, images, videos, etc.) to establish its temporal existence.

What is a NOM-151 Data Message Conservation Certificate?

The Data Message Conservation Certificate is an electronic document issued by a Prestador de Servicios de Certificación (PSC) in accordance with the Mexican Official Standard NOM-151-SCFI-2016. This standard establishes the requirements that must be observed for the conservation of data messages and the digitization of documents in commercial acts in Mexico.

Purpose: To grant legal validity to your digital document before Mexican authorities and allow it to be used as an evidentiary document. It confers "presumption of integrity" and "certain date," key elements for its evidentiary value.

Legal Basis: Regulatory Appendix A of NOM-151. Without this certificate, digital documents cannot be considered valid under Mexican law in certain contexts (according to NOM-151).
Composition: It is formed following the ASN.1 format of RFC 3161 and consists of one or more digital timestamps. That is, it includes timestamps as part of its structure.
Validity: It allows the integrity of documents to be preserved for a minimum period of 10 years, as prescribed by Mexican regulation.
Issuance: Exclusively by Certification Services Provider (PSC) accredited by the Ministry of Economy.

Cincel and its integration for legal certainty

At Cincel, the combination of these technologies is key to offering you maximum security and legal validity. Our Smart Certificates integrate:

NOM-151 Conservation Certificate: Issued by an authorized PSC, ensuring the "Certain Date" and the presumption of integrity under Mexican law.

Notarization with Blockchain: Additional timestamps registered on public blockchains, providing unalterable proof of existence on a global level.

Audit Trail: A detailed digital certificate that records all actions and events of the signing process, acting as an irrefutable witness.

Essential Differences: Timestamp vs. NOM-151 Certificate

Feature	Digital Timestamp	NOM-151 Conservation Certificate
Main Function	To prove the existence and non-alteration of a document at a precise moment (date and time).	To grant legal validity and presumption of integrity to a data message under Mexican law.
Scope	It is a technological mechanism	It is a legally recognized document that contains timestamps.
Regulatory Framework	Based on technological standards to set a moment.	Based on the Mexican Official Standard NOM-151-SCFI-2016, of mandatory compliance for merchants.
Legal Effect	Proves the certain date of a file. It is a technical evidentiary element.	Grants presumption of integrity and validity before Mexican authorities. Fundamental for evidentiary value in court.
Composition	A timestamp on a data hash.	Contains one or more timestamps and other data that comply with NOM-151.
Issuer\|	Prestador de Servicios de Certificación (PSC) or Time Stamping Authority.	Prestador de Servicios de Certificación (PSC) accredited by the Ministry of Economy.

A Digital Timestamp is the technical proof of the date and time, while the NOM-151 Conservation Certificate is the legal instrument that, using timestamps, validates the integrity and existence of a digital document over time in accordance with Mexican regulations.

Both are essential for the legal strength of your digital operations, and at Cincel we take care of integrating them to offer you maximum confidence and compliance.