ESIGN Act

The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) is the federal law, passed in 2000, that gives electronic signatures and records the same legal standing as paper ones across the United States. In short: a contract cannot be denied legal effect just because it was signed electronically.

ESIGN works alongside UETA, the state-level counterpart most states have adopted. Together they cover almost all commercial agreements. A few document types are carved out (wills, certain family-law matters, some court documents), but NDAs, MSAs, order forms, and the everyday contracts a business signs are firmly covered. Popform keeps a plain-English UETA and ESIGN compliance explainer.