eSignature law
Is an electronic signature legally binding?
Yes. In the US, EU, UK and most of the world, an electronic signature is legally binding for the vast majority of everyday agreements — contracts, NDAs, leases, offer letters, invoices, consent forms. What a court looks for is simple: proof of who signed, that they intended to sign, and that the document wasn't changed afterward.
What makes an electronic signature valid
Four things turn a click into a binding signature: (1) consent — both parties agree to do business electronically; (2) intent — the signer clearly meant to sign; (3) attribution — you can tie the signature to a real person (email, IP, timestamp); and (4) integrity — the signed document can be shown to be unaltered. Capture those and your signature stands up the same as ink on paper.
The laws that back it
United States: the ESIGN Act (2000) and UETA give electronic signatures the same legal effect as handwritten ones. European Union and UK: eIDAS recognises electronic signatures, with three tiers — Simple (SES), Advanced (AES), and Qualified (QES). The UK Electronic Communications Act 2000 does the same. For ordinary commercial contracts, a well-evidenced Simple or Advanced signature is enough.
When you need more than a standard e-signature
A small set of documents still require a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) or wet ink: some real-estate deeds, certain notarial acts, specific financial or family-law documents, and a few country-specific exceptions. For everything else — freelance agreements, NDAs, rental contracts, offer letters, waivers, invoices, service agreements — a standard electronic signature with a solid audit trail is sufficient and court-admissible.
Is DocuSign legally binding? Is GetItSigned?
Yes to both. "Legally binding" isn't a feature only big-name tools have — it comes from capturing the right evidence. GetItSigned records the same evidentiary chain DocuSign does on every signed document: consent, intent, signer email, IP address, user-agent, timestamp, signing method, and SHA-256 hashes of the original and signed PDF. On paid documents it also applies a PAdES/PKCS#7 cryptographic signature (the eIDAS Advanced tier).
How GetItSigned proves it held up
Every completed document comes with a Certificate of Completion — a separate PDF listing each signer's email, IP, timestamp, and signing method, plus the document hashes. If a signature is ever challenged, that certificate plus the tamper-evident hash is the evidence a court wants to see. You don't have to assemble anything; it's generated automatically.
Common questions
- Is an electronic signature legally binding?
- Yes — for the vast majority of everyday agreements in the US (ESIGN, UETA), EU and UK (eIDAS). The key is evidence: who signed, that they intended to, and that the document wasn't altered.
- Is a typed or drawn signature valid?
- Yes. The visual form of the signature — typed, drawn with a finger, or uploaded — doesn't determine validity. The consent, intent, and audit trail behind it do.
- Is DocuSign legally binding?
- Yes. So is any tool that captures consent, intent, signer identity, timestamp, and document integrity — including GetItSigned, which records the same evidence on every document.
- When do I need a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)?
- Only for a narrow set of documents — certain real-estate deeds, notarial acts, and specific regulated documents in some EU countries. Ordinary contracts, NDAs, leases, and offers do not require QES.
- Will an electronic signature hold up in court?
- It holds up when it's backed by evidence. A signed PDF plus a Certificate of Completion showing email, IP, timestamp, method, and a tamper-evident hash is exactly what courts look for in ordinary contract disputes.
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