The federal
ESIGN Act was passed in 2000, and sets the standards for
electronic signatures. The
ESIGN Act ensures that
electronic signatures are legally valid. This blog post will discuss the
ESIGN Act, its requirements, how to ensure your
eSignature meets these requirements, and how to get started with
electronic signatures.
Why are eSignature laws necessary?
The
ESIGN Act ensures that
electronic signatures are legally valid. Using a
eSignature software like
Lightico will help you be sure your eSignature is recognized as legal and binding if it meets all five requirements laid out in the
ESIGN Act.
The 5 Main Requirements of the ESIGN Act
The ESIGN act lays out five requirements for an eSignature to be considered legal:
- the signature must include some type of identifying mark, such as initials or a symbol
- the signature cannot be one continuous stroke (unless it's in handwriting)
- the signature must not be a copy of some other individual's eSignature, or you can't use it for identification purposes
- the signature should not be hidden in any way (such as by being obscured)
- if there is more than one page to an electronic document, the ESIGN Act requires that at least one esignature of the signer be on each page.
How to Get Started with Electronic Signatures
To get started, download a
esignature software that meets the
ESIGN Act's requirements. Lightico is one such program and it has free trials available for you to try so you can be sure your
electronic signatures meet all ESIGN act regulations before using them in any business transactions or legal agreements.
Statistics
- In 2020, there was an 80% error reduction when eSignatures were introduced. (lightico.com)
- Some organizations show an 85% increase in productivity eSignatures are tamper-proof and should be prioritized in your organizations to make your businesses and customers feel secure when signing documentation. (lightico.com)
