US · contractsSources checked
Is an electronic signature legally binding on a US contract?
Under the federal ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. 7001(a), a signature, contract or other record relating to a transaction in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce may not be denied legal effect, validity or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form. The same rule covers a contract formed using an electronic signature.
Sources
- Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. 7001(a) (General rule of validity)govinfo.gov (U.S. Government Publishing Office) · checked 17 August 2026 · United States Code, 2023 edition, as published by GPO.
Related questions
- Does this make every electronic contract enforceable?
- No. Section 7001(a) prevents a record being rejected solely because it is electronic. Everything else the law requires of a contract still has to be satisfied.
- Does it cover the signature or the whole contract?
- Both. Section 7001(a) addresses a signature, contract or other record in electronic form, and separately a contract formed using an electronic signature or electronic record.
What this answer does not cover
- This page covers the general rule in section 7001(a) only. Other parts of ESIGN, including its exclusions, are outside its scope.
- States have their own electronic signature statutes, which this page does not address.
