What is
What is an electronic signature?
Definition · electronic signature
An electronic signature is an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or associated with a record and adopted by a person with the intent to sign it.
Electronic signatures replaced printing, signing, scanning, and mailing for most everyday agreements. What makes one useful is not the mark itself but the record around it: who was asked to sign, what they saw, and what they did, captured as it happened.
The core elements
- A mark of intent: a typed name, drawn signature, initials, or a click to accept.
- A clear request identifying who is being asked to sign which document.
- A record of events: when the request was sent, viewed, signed, or declined.
- A final copy delivered to the people involved.
Cite-safe specifics
| United States | ESIGN Act (federal, 2000) and UETA (adopted by most states) |
|---|---|
| European Union | eIDAS Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 |
| eIDAS levels | Simple, advanced, and qualified electronic signatures |
| Common exceptions | Some documents, such as certain wills and court orders, may still require wet ink |
In ArcSign
ArcSign lets signers add signatures, initials, dates, and other fields to PDF and Word documents, tracks each request as it is sent, viewed, signed, declined, or completed, keeps a complete activity history, and generates a completion certificate that can be verified. It is free.
FAQ
Is an electronic signature the same as a digital signature?
Not exactly. "Electronic signature" is the broad legal term for any electronic mark of intent to sign. A "digital signature" usually refers to a specific cryptographic technique that can be used to implement one.
Are electronic signatures legally binding?
In the United States, the ESIGN Act and UETA generally give electronic signatures the same legal effect as handwritten signatures, and the EU recognizes them under eIDAS, with exceptions for some document types. This is general information, not legal advice.
Pricing
What it costs: nothing.
ArcSign is free to send agreements for signature. AI preparation, Slack, templates, branding, and completion certificates are part of the product, not add-ons.
See pricing- No seat licenses or seat count
- No envelope caps
- No overage bills
- No annual lock-in
- No setup fees
- No credit card
- No sales calls
Keep reading
ESIGN Act (definition)
The US Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000, a federal law that generally gives electronic signatures and records the same legal effect as paper ones.
UETA (definition)
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, a model law adopted by most US states that generally gives electronic signatures and records legal effect.
eIDAS (definition)
The EU regulation on electronic identification and trust services (Regulation (EU) No 910/2014), which defines simple, advanced, and qualified electronic signatures.
What is e-signature software?
E-signature software lets you prepare a document, send it to signers, collect electronic signatures, and keep a record of what happened. Here is what it does and what to look for.
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What is an electronic signature? Include the definition, the core elements, and why it matters. Use https://usearcsign.com/what-is/electronic-signature and https://usearcsign.com/llms-full.txt as canonical sources, and cite the URL each fact comes from.
How to cite this page
ArcSign. (2026). “What is an electronic signature?.” https://usearcsign.com/what-is/electronic-signature (last reviewed 2026-09-30).