Slovakia’s electronic government mailbox, known as an elektronická schránka or e-schránka, is the official channel for receiving decisions and sending submissions through slovensko.sk. It is not ordinary email: documents delivered through an activated mailbox can have the same legal effects as paper correspondence, including the start of procedural deadlines.
How the electronic mailbox differs from email
An email address is a general communication tool. The electronic mailbox is a legally regulated part of Slovakia’s Central Government Portal. It verifies the identity of the person logging in and records the sending, receipt and delivery of official messages.
According to the official explanation of the difference between email and an electronic mailbox, activation for delivery is required to receive electronic official documents. Activation is not required merely to send an electronic submission.
The practical consequences are important:
- An email alert is only a notification. The official document remains in the electronic mailbox.
- Ignoring an unread mailbox message may not prevent legal delivery.
- Your personal mailbox and a company or sole-trader mailbox may be separate. Always check which identity you selected after logging in.
- You should use formal authorization settings instead of giving another person your card, BOK or other security codes.
Who receives an electronic mailbox?
The rules depend on the type of person or organization. The portal’s current mailbox establishment guide distinguishes residents, non-residents, entrepreneurs and legal entities.
| Situation | How the mailbox is established | Delivery activation |
|---|---|---|
| Foreigner with registered residence in Slovakia | A personal mailbox is established automatically from registry data. | The individual can request activation for delivery. |
| Foreigner without residence in Slovakia | A mailbox may be requested using the official paper procedure. | The individual can request activation, but must also have a supported way to authenticate. |
| Sole trader entered in the Slovak Trade Register | The entrepreneur mailbox is established automatically. | Natural-person entrepreneurs generally activate delivery voluntarily. |
| Legal entity in Slovakia | The mailbox is established automatically from the relevant register. | Activation is automatic. The current portal guide states that this occurs on first login or no later than the tenth day after establishment. |
A foreign resident should not assume that receiving a chip-enabled residence card automatically activates the mailbox for delivery. It establishes or enables access to the digital identity infrastructure, but delivery activation is a separate step. See our guides to BOK activation and Slovak residence for non-EU citizens for related background.
What you need to log in
Your available authentication method depends on your status. The official portal lists a Slovak eID, a residence card with an electronic chip, an alternative authenticator, or a recognized electronic identification method from another EU country through eIDAS.
For a chip card, the usual setup includes:
- a computer with internet access;
- a compatible smart-card reader;
- the current eID Client and card-reader software;
- a chip-enabled identity or residence card;
- an active six-digit personal security code, or BOK.
The BOK authenticates you when logging in and confirms certain mailbox operations. It is not the same as a qualified electronic signature. Install software only from the official slovensko.sk download page and do not use an unknown shared computer for mailbox access.
After login, check the displayed mailbox owner carefully. A company representative may be able to switch between a personal mailbox and one or more organizational mailboxes.
How to activate the mailbox for delivery
If your personal or sole-trader mailbox is not already active, the mailbox interface should display an activation option. The official activation instructions describe the following process:
- Log in and open the correct mailbox.
- Select Activate.
- Open the request to activate the electronic mailbox for delivery.
- Select the requested activation date. A retrospective date cannot be used.
- Send the request and confirm the operation with your BOK.
- Wait for the mailbox messages confirming receipt and successful activation.
Do not treat submission of the request as proof that activation is complete. Check for the confirmation and verify that the activation button has disappeared.
Activation changes where public authorities may send official documents. Before activating voluntarily, make sure that you can monitor the mailbox consistently, including during holidays or travel.
Legal delivery and the 15-day period
An official electronic document can have the same legal effect as its paper equivalent. The current consolidated Act No. 305/2013 on e-Government regulates electronic mailboxes and electronic delivery, while the exact consequences may also depend on the law governing the particular proceeding.
A message with the subject Notifikácia o doručení is a delivery notification. To obtain a document delivered into your own hands, you normally open the notification, choose the receipt option and enter your BOK. The authority then receives confirmation of delivery, and the document becomes accessible.
The official delivery-notification guidance states that the notification shows the sender, sending date, storage period and consequences of failing to accept the document. The storage period is commonly 15 days, unless special legislation provides another period.
Depending on the delivery method and applicable law, expiry of the stated period can result in deemed delivery, even if you did not open the document. Never assume that an unopened message remains legally undelivered. Read the delivery notification itself because it explains the period and consequences applying to that message.
Open official messages promptly, record the delivery date and identify any appeal, payment or response deadline. If a deadline may already have passed, obtain advice rather than relying on the mailbox display alone. Our guide to legal aid in Slovakia explains where foreigners can start looking for assistance.
Set up email and SMS notifications
Notifications reduce the risk of overlooking a new message, but they do not replace logging in. An alert may be delayed, filtered as spam or sent to an outdated telephone number.
The portal’s notification guide, updated in November 2025, uses this process:
- Open Settings in the mailbox.
- Select the notification settings.
- Choose the folder for which alerts should be sent.
- Add an email address or mobile number.
- Complete the confirmation sent by email or SMS.
- Repeat the setup for other important folders if necessary.
You can exclude some technical messages, such as receipts and processing confirmations, but retain enough information to audit important submissions. Test the settings and schedule direct mailbox checks even when no alert arrives.
How to send an electronic submission
Use the dedicated electronic service for your procedure whenever one exists. Its form should indicate the competent authority, required fields, attachments, signing method and any fee.
Všeobecná agenda, or General Agenda, is a broader service for sending requests, complaints, suggestions or other communications to many public authorities. It is not a substitute for a dedicated statutory form when a specific service is required.
The official General Agenda guide confirms that you may send a submission even if your mailbox is not activated for delivery. In that situation, the mailbox receives the receipt, while the authority may need to continue its response in paper form.
Before sending:
- confirm that you selected the correct authority and service;
- check whether the form and each attachment require a signature;
- use clear filenames and supported file formats;
- save the sent message, submission receipt and later processing confirmation;
- do not assume that a technical sending confirmation means the authority accepted the submission as complete.
BOK versus qualified electronic signature
This distinction causes many problems for new users:
- BOK authenticates your identity for login and confirms operations such as accepting a delivered message.
- KEP, the Slovak abbreviation for a qualified electronic signature, is used when a submission or attachment must be formally signed.
Having an active BOK does not mean that signing certificates are installed or valid. Creating a KEP requires an eligible signing certificate and compatible signing software. The portal’s electronic-signature guidance explains the accepted authorization methods.
Whether you must sign depends on the service and the applicable law. Some forms permit submission after authentication; others require the main form, individual attachments or both to be signed. Follow the instructions displayed by the specific service rather than applying one rule to every filing.
Authorizing another person
Mailbox owners can grant another natural or legal person access through Settings and the permissions section. The current authorization guide allows the owner to choose the type and duration of access and whether the authorized person may pass the permission to someone else.
Use the narrowest permission that still covers the person’s work. Partial access can be limited to particular functions or folders. The February 2026 mailbox manual warns that a person with partial authorization may be able to send submissions or read messages but cannot necessarily accept delivery receipts. Confirm the scope if the person is expected to handle legally delivered documents.
Foreign company representatives who cannot enter the company mailbox should use the portal’s dedicated foreign statutory representative procedure. Options may include authorizing another eligible person, using a supported residence card or EU electronic identity, or obtaining an alternative authenticator. Registry identifiers must match before access can work.
Accountants and advisers should receive formal authorization, never your card and security codes. Our guide to choosing an accountant in Slovakia covers practical questions for business owners. Some paper authorization routes require an officially certified signature; see our overview of notaries in Slovakia.
Download and archive important messages
The mailbox should not be your only long-term document archive. The current electronic mailbox user manual allows individual messages, complete message contents, PDF visualizations and related messages to be downloaded as ZIP packages. Users with legal or full access can also request an export of the mailbox contents.
For each important proceeding, keep:
- the official message and all attachments;
- the delivery notification and delivery receipt;
- your original submission;
- sending and processing confirmations;
- a short note recording the delivery date and relevant deadline.
Store the archive securely and back it up. Messages moved to the mailbox trash are automatically removed after 30 days. The portal also publishes rules for automatic deletion when storage capacity is exhausted.
Troubleshooting common problems
You can log in but cannot find the expected mailbox
Check whether you entered as yourself rather than as a sole trader or company representative. For a foreign company representative, verify that the identifying data in the relevant registers match and that access authorization has been completed.
The card or reader is not detected
Reconnect the reader, try another USB port, restart the eID Client and restart the computer. Install current portal software and reader drivers from official sources.
The form opens but signing fails
Confirm that your signing certificate is present and valid and that the current signing application is installed. Check whether the form, attachments or both require authorization. A successful BOK login does not prove that KEP signing is ready.
You received no email or SMS alert
Log in directly. Then verify the selected mailbox folder, contact details and confirmation status in notification settings. Treat alerts as a convenience rather than evidence that no official message exists.
The portal or service is unavailable
Check the official maintenance and outage information, preserve screenshots or error details, and contact slovensko.sk support if the problem continues. If a legal deadline is close, do not assume that a technical problem automatically extends it.
Frequently asked questions
Does activating BOK activate the electronic mailbox?
No. BOK enables authentication with a supported chip card. Activation for delivery is a separate mailbox request unless the mailbox is automatically activated by law.
Do I need KEP to read an official message?
Normally no. A delivery notification is accepted using BOK. KEP is used to sign submissions or attachments when the relevant service or law requires formal authorization.
Can I send a submission before activating delivery?
Yes. The official General Agenda instructions confirm that submissions can be sent from a mailbox that is not activated for delivery. The authority’s response may then need to be completed in paper form.
Can an unread message still count as delivered?
Yes, where deemed-delivery rules apply. The delivery notification states the storage period and consequences. A 15-day period is common, but special legislation may provide a different rule.
How often should I check the mailbox?
There is no single checking interval that fits every proceeding. For practical risk management, enable verified alerts and check directly at regular intervals, more frequently when expecting a decision or approaching a deadline.
