eSignature law in United States
Electronic signatures are legally binding under the federal ESIGN Act and state UETA, with the same enforceability as handwritten signatures.
Drop your document here and sign it now. PDF, Word and Excel all work: a .docx or .xlsx is laid out in your browser exactly as it was written, so there is nothing to convert first. Add a signature, a date, a company stamp or a watermark, then download it sealed. Free to start, no account, and the file is never uploaded to open it.
Governing law: ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. § 7001) + Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) (2000)
eSignature USA: the short answer
Searched as eSignature USA, electronic signature USA, or "is an e-signature legal in USA", the answer is the same: yes, for ordinary business documents, under ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. § 7001) + Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA). What varies is which documents are carved out and which tier of signature they need, and that is the part worth reading rather than the general rule.
Electronic signatures have full legal validity in the United States under two complementary frameworks. The federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN), enacted in 2000, applies to interstate and foreign commerce. The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), adopted in 49 states plus DC, covers intrastate transactions. Together they grant electronic signatures the same legal effect as handwritten ones, with four core requirements: intent to sign, consent to electronic transactions, association of the signature with the record, and accurate record retention. Both laws exclude a narrow class of documents (wills, certain family-law and court orders, utility shutoff notices) where wet-ink is still required.
What makes an eSignature valid in United States
- Intent to sign, affirmative action like clicking a "Sign" button
- Consent to electronic transactions, disclosed and accepted
- Association of signature with record, embedded or cryptographically linked
- Accurate record retention, accessible to all parties for the agreed term
- Capacity and authority, signer is competent and authorized
Where eSignatures are not valid
- Wills, codicils, and testamentary trusts
- Certain family-law documents (divorce, adoption decrees)
- Court orders, notices, and official court documents
- Notices of cancellation of utility services
- Product recall notices affecting health or safety
- Documents required by law to be notarized (RON laws apply separately)
FAQ
Are electronic signatures legal in the United States?
Yes. Under the federal ESIGN Act and state UETA, electronic signatures carry the same legal weight as handwritten signatures for nearly all commercial contracts.
Do I need a notary for an electronic signature?
Most commercial contracts do not require notarization. When notarization is required (real-estate deeds in many states, powers of attorney), Remote Online Notarization (RON) is now legal in over 40 U.S. states.
Can I use an electronic signature on an employment contract?
Yes. Employment offer letters, NDAs, non-competes, and at-will agreements are all valid with electronic signatures under ESIGN and UETA.
Is PDF Verified ESIGN compliant?
Yes. PDF Verified captures intent (explicit Sign button), records consent acceptance, embeds signatures in the document with cryptographic linkage, and retains records with full audit trails, meeting all ESIGN/UETA requirements.
What PDF Verified is, and what it is not
Electronic signature law is settled in broad terms and specific in the details. The ESIGN Act, UETA, eIDAS and their equivalents recognise electronic signatures across more than 190 countries, and what decides a particular case is intent to sign plus evidence connecting the signature to the signer, which is what the audit certificate records. Certain document types carry their own formalities wherever you are: deeds, wills, some property instruments, and anything requiring a witness or a notary. Sign only what you are authorised to sign, since applying another person signature without their authority is forgery whatever tool is used.
PDF Verified is a tool for preparing, signing, stamping and checking documents. It is not a law firm, a compliance service or a forensic examiner, and nothing here is legal, financial or compliance advice. Requirements differ by country, by document type and by the party asking, so check what applies to your document before you rely on it, and take advice where the document matters. You are responsible for the documents you create, sign and send, and for having the authority to do so: signing or stamping in somebody else name, or as an organisation you do not represent, is forgery whatever tool is used. To the extent the law allows, we accept no liability for how a document made with this tool is used or relied on. The full position is in our terms of service.