Provided is a method for the validation of a digital certificate by a validation apparatus that checks the certificate of a communication partner on behalf of a first device, including the method steps of: the first device (requesting validation of the certificate of the communication partner at a first validation apparatus, the first validation apparatus querying validation information at a status collection apparatus, checking, in the first validation apparatus, whether validation information has been received from the status collection apparatus, and transmitting the validation information from the first validation apparatus to the first device, wherein, only in the event of a negative inspection result, the validation information of the certificate is determined in the first validation apparatus.