The digital transformation of postal services and the spread of online tools have also revolutionized the legal sector, making it easier to send judicial documents through telematic channels and automate delivery using tools like APIs.

However, this shift raises questions about the legal validity of electronically processed documents, even though the final delivery still happens via traditional physical mail, just like any judicial registered letter sent through a post office.

How does the notification process for judicial documents work?

When a judicial document is sent via portals or APIs, the standard process includes:

• Acceptance of the shipment by Poste Italiane

• Formal validation of the content, ensuring it meets required specifications (e.g., file format like PDF, presence of sender and recipient fields, etc.)

• Generation of a single file combining all attachments

• Digital signature and timestamping by an authorized operator

• Insertion of a shipment tracking code on each page of the document

This process holds full legal value and is considered equivalent to the in-person procedure at a post office counter, where the certified digital tools are replaced by the traditional “Guller” postmark with tracking code.

Is sending judicial documents online legally valid?

Current regulations allow judicial documents to be sent through online channels, provided two essential conditions are met:

• A tracking code (issued by Poste Italiane) must appear on every page of the document

• The shipment must be certified with a digital signature and timestamp, equivalent to the physical postmark

These elements are sufficient to ensure legal compliance and enforceability in case of disputes.

It's important to note that only authorized parties can send judicial documents. For example, lawyers must be pre-authorized by their Bar Association and must maintain a register of all notifications made (Law No. 53/1994). Additionally, the sender must always be the authorized lawyer, even when acting on behalf of others.

Is it necessary to keep the original document?

As mentioned above, the online process is fully equivalent to the in-person procedure, with the added advantage of being able to store a digital copy of the sent document. However, to ensure long-term legal validity, it’s crucial to preserve the original digitally signed files used for the shipment.

Why use Openapi's APIs to send judicial notifications?

The process of sending judicial documents through Openapi's APIs is fully compliant with current legislation and equivalent to physical submission at a post office, with the added benefit of digitally storing a certified copy of the sent documents.

With Openapi’s APIs, judicial registered letters can be sent 24/7 in full legal compliance — no lines, no manual paperwork. The entire process can be automated: our APIs are reliable, easy to integrate, and allow you to connect judicial notification services (as well as all postal services) directly to your platform or management software in just a few minutes.