EIDAS Qualified Electronic Signature for SignNow
Award-winning eSignature solution
What eIDAS qualified signatures mean
An eIDAS regulation qualified electronic signature is the highest-assurance electronic signature under EU law. It is created with a qualified signature creation device and a qualified certificate from a qualified trust service provider. For a U.S. audience, the key point is that it is designed to prove signer identity, preserve document integrity, and create strong evidence of intent. The signer authenticates, signs, and the system records a tamper-evident audit trail that supports later verification.
Why qualified signatures matter
It matters because it gives cross-border transactions stronger evidentiary weight and reduces signing friction for regulated workflows. Under ESIGN and UETA, the record can still be enforceable in the U.S. when consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.
Implementation pain points
Verifying whether a transaction needs SES, AES, or QES can slow rollout across legal and operations teams. Qualified certificates and identity checks add setup steps that many U.S.-based workflows do not use every day. Cross-border records can fail review if the audit trail does not clearly show signer identity and intent. Retention, access control, and certificate status checks can become inconsistent when teams use separate systems.
Who uses qualified signatures
Real estate
Real estate teams use qualified signatures for lease packages, closing documents, and identity-sensitive approvals.
Regulated operations
Healthcare and finance teams use them for consent forms, account approvals, and regulated recordkeeping.
Best ROI. Our customers achieve an average 7x ROI within the first six months.
Scales with your use cases. From SMBs to mid-market, airSlate SignNow delivers results for businesses of all sizes.
Intuitive UI and API. Sign and send documents from your apps in minutes.
People who rely on them
A NetSuite operations director at Xerox can route high-value approvals through controlled signing steps, then keep the resulting record aligned with internal workflow rules and integration-based document handling. A founder at Martin Properties can execute lease and property documents online while keeping identity checks, audit history, and mobile signing available for distributed teams and clients.
Core features and benefits
Qualified signatures add identity assurance, document integrity, and evidence quality to regulated signing workflows without changing the basic signing experience.
Identity proof
Creates a stronger identity record by linking the signer to the document through controlled authentication and certificate-backed signing.
Tamper evidence
Preserves document integrity with tamper-evident sealing, so later changes are easier to detect and challenge.
Audit trail
Captures a defensible audit trail with timestamps, signer actions, and document history for review.
Regulated use
Supports regulated workflows that need higher assurance for cross-border or sensitive agreements.
Flexible access
Works with mobile and desktop signing flows, which helps distributed teams complete documents without paper handling.
U.S. enforceability
Fits U.S. enforceability needs when ESIGN and UETA conditions for consent and attribution are met.
How the signing flow works
The process follows a controlled sequence from identity verification to sealed record creation, with each step captured for later review.
Verify identity: The signer receives a document and completes identity verification. Sign document: The signer applies the qualified signature with controlled credentials. Log events: The platform records timestamps, actions, and document state. Seal record: The signed file is sealed for later validation.
Quick setup steps
Use a short setup sequence to prepare the document, define verification, and store the completed record.
Prepare file:
Choose the document and required signer order. Configure verification:
Set the identity check required for signing. Send document:
Send the request and monitor completion status. Archive record:
Download the signed record and store it securely.
Recommended workflow settings
Use a high-assurance setup for identity, record integrity, and retention when the document needs stronger evidentiary support.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication method | ID verification with biometric check |
| Signature type | QES |
| Audit trail | UTC timestamps and event log |
| Document retention | 6 years for HIPAA records |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256 |
Browser and device support
Qualified-signature workflows run in modern browsers and mobile environments that support secure connections, identity checks, and document review.
Desktop browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge Operating systems Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android Connection security TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3 required
For enterprise deployment, managed devices, SSO, and controlled user provisioning help keep access aligned with internal policy. Teams should also confirm browser updates, mobile app access, and any certificate or validation requirements before rolling out regulated signing.
Security and compliance controls
Transport security:
Storage encryption:
Control assurance:
Security management:
Privacy controls:
Healthcare compliance:
Real-world use cases
These examples show how regulated teams use signNow to manage identity, routing, and recordkeeping in practical workflows.
Enterprise operations
A NetSuite operations leader needed controlled routing for signed records across departments.
- Xerox used signNow with NetSuite integration.
- Right documents reached the right approvers.
The workflow reduced manual handoffs and kept document routing aligned with system-based controls, which helped the team manage approvals with clearer traceability and less version confusion.
Real estate
A property team needed online execution for lease documents and mobile access for distributed signers.
- Martin Properties processed documents online.
- Mobile signing supported remote execution.
The team completed property paperwork without paper delays while keeping compliance, security, and signing history visible in one record, which fit a distributed real estate workflow.
Best practices for rollout
A careful rollout keeps identity, retention, and access controls aligned with the document type and the legal framework that applies.
Match verification to risk
Preserve the full record
Define retention early
Control user access
Risks of improper use
Weak evidence
Missing audit trail
No BAA
Lost records
What the audit trail records
The audit trail captures the technical evidence behind the signature, from identity checks through exportable record history.
Signer authentication:
Timestamp capture:
Document hashing:
Tamper-evident seal:
Chain of custody:
Audit export:
Vendor comparison snapshot
This table compares core compliance and workflow capabilities across leading eSignature vendors for regulated signing use cases.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESIGN and UETA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| QES support | QES on Site License | QES available | EU advanced options |
| Envelope cap | Unlimited | 100/year | Not verified |
| Audit trail | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA support | BAA available | BAA available | Not verified |
Pricing and plan comparison
Pricing reflects verified annual-billing entry tiers and published plan details available in the current product data.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Bulk send | Business Premium | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Audit trail | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Envelope cap | No cap | 100/user/year | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
FAQ and troubleshooting
These answers focus on plan limits, compliance requirements, and the recordkeeping details that matter in regulated signing workflows.
signNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, mobile apps, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR support. For QES-level workflows, the Site License adds SSO, full API access, phone support, and HIPAA or 21 CFR Part 11 add-ons.
Yes. signNow supports ESIGN and UETA compliance for U.S. transactions, and the platform also lists eIDAS support. For healthcare records, HIPAA compliance requires a BAA, and signed records should follow the 6-year retention rule in 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2).
Use the Business Premium or Enterprise plan if you need bulk send. Business Premium includes bulk send, while Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication and other controls that help with larger regulated workflows.
signNow records timestamps, signer actions, and document history in the audit trail. That evidence supports authentication under FRE Rule 901 and helps with self-authentication arguments under Rule 902 when the record is challenged.
For HIPAA workflows, signNow supports compliance with a BAA. The platform’s encryption, access controls, and audit trail help protect PHI, but the covered entity still needs internal policies for retention and access review.
The Site License is the plan that adds SSO, full API access, and support for higher-assurance add-ons. If your workflow needs QES or Part 11 controls, confirm the add-on scope before rollout.
Key performance indicators that demonstrate SignNow's proven track record.