Definition
ESIGN Act
The US federal law that made electronic signatures legally valid nationwide.
In Depth
Signed in 2000, the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act settled the question of whether online signatures count. Its core promise is straightforward: a contract or record cannot be tossed out simply because it is electronic rather than on paper. It applies to transactions in interstate and foreign commerce and works alongside the state-level UETA.
US only. This is a United States federal statute with no application in the UK or EU. The rough equivalents are the Electronic Communications Act 2000 and UK eIDAS in the UK, and eIDAS in the EU.
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 7001, ESIGN Act (Cornell Law LII) - a signature, contract, or other record relating to such transaction may not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form.