Digital & Electronic Signatures Legality

As more of the work we do moves online and businesses large and small embrace digital transformation, PDFs and digital documents have become central to the way work and business are done. As much as documentation becomes increasingly digital, so are legal contracts, and electronic and digital signatures and signing.

But What Is an Electronic Signature?

This is a reproduction of a signature in the form of an image that is placed on a digital document or PDF. This can come in the form of a scan of your traditional (ink) signature placed on a document. It could also be a signature you create freehand with a stylus on a digital device.

Ever signed on a mobile device to accept a delivery? Well, that’s an e-signature!

And a Digital Signature?

When we talk about a digital signature, we’re talking about an advanced electronic signature with additional features for enhanced security. Digital signatures employ a special cryptographic method to create a digital fingerprint that’s unique for every signee. This digital fingerprint is used to authenticate the signee and is issued by an official authority for certification.

Digital signatures also come with Long Term Validation (or LTV) timestamping. The LTV notes the exact date and time a document was signed and becomes invalidated if a document has been altered or tampered with.

What About the Legality of PDFs & E-Signatures?

Technically, digital and electronic signatures are legally binding, but laws can and do vary from country to country. In the USA, they can even vary from state to state. This makes it important to check in with local laws and requirements on e-signature or digital signature legality when working with important documents and contracts.

We’ve gathered insights from around the world to share some of the most important legal aspects regarding digital and electronic signing based on certain countries and localities, and we hope you find this helpful. That said, please keep in mind that these pages are intended to share general information and do not constitute legal advice.

We’ve made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information and that it’s as up-to-date as possible, but as quickly as things change, we cannot guarantee that it represents the most recent version of the topics in question. No action should be taken based on this information. Smallpdf and its employees disclaim any liability relating to actions that are or are not taken in reliance upon this information to the fullest extent permitted by law.

If you have any questions or uncertainty around the legality of electronic and/or digital signatures in your area, state, or country, please consult your local laws and/or a legal professional for advice.