Are electronic signatures legal? Yes — here's how they work.

Are electronic signatures legal?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally recognized in most countries, including the EU, US, UK, Canada, and Australia, under laws such as eIDAS (EU) and ESIGN/UETA (US).

What makes an e-signature valid

• Clear intent to sign
• A secure record of the signature
• An audit trail
• Document integrity

Where Docracy.io fits in

Docracy records a full audit trail — who signed, when, and from where — and keeps the signed document's integrity intact. By default it doesn't verify signer identity: anyone with the link can sign as the name on it. Paid and Enterprise accounts can add a stronger, WhatsApp-verified signature track designed to meet the EU eIDAS Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) bar. Either way, it's not a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) — for contracts that legally require one, use a qualified, compliance-grade e-signature provider instead.