What Is An E Signature? SignNow Guide To Legality

Award-winning eSignature solution

What an electronic signature is

An electronic signature, or eSignature, is a digital way to show intent to sign a record or agreement. In the U.S., it can be a typed name, a drawn signature, a clicked consent box, or another electronic symbol tied to a document. The signer reviews the file, confirms identity as needed, and applies the signature. signNow records the signing event, captures timestamps and audit details, and helps preserve the signed document for later verification and sharing.

Why electronic signatures matter

Electronic signatures reduce paper handling, speed approvals, and support remote transactions. Under ESIGN and UETA, they can be legally enforceable when intent, consent, and attribution are properly captured, which makes them useful for routine business records and regulated workflows alike.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Frequent eSignature pain points

Signer consent can be missed when the workflow does not clearly disclose electronic delivery and signing terms.
Weak identity checks can make it harder to attribute the signature to the right person later.
Incomplete audit logs can leave gaps in timestamps, access history, and signing sequence evidence.
Improper record storage can create retention problems when documents must be retrieved for review or dispute resolution.

Business workflows

Teams use eSignatures for contracts, approvals, disclosures, and consent forms across remote and in-office workflows.

Regulated records

They also support healthcare, real estate, finance, legal, education, insurance, and government document handling.

People who benefit from eSignatures

Real estate operations teams use signNow to send lease agreements, rental applications, and closing documents from the office or the field. Martin Properties cited online execution, mobile access, and built-in security for faster turnaround on property paperwork without relying on in-person signatures.
NetSuite operations leaders use signNow to route the right documents to the right approvers in the right format. Xerox described the value of integration with NetSuite for controlled signature workflows, which helps keep approvals aligned with internal systems and document rules.

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Audit trail

signNow records who signed, when they signed, and what was signed, which helps support internal review and later verification.

Templates

Templates reduce repetitive setup for recurring forms, approvals, and agreements, while keeping document structure consistent across teams.

Mobile access

Mobile signing lets people review and sign documents on phones or tablets without waiting for desktop access.

Routing

Role-based routing sends documents in the correct order, which is useful for approvals that depend on sequence.

Fillable forms

Reusable fields help teams collect names, dates, initials, and other data without rebuilding forms each time.

Status tracking

Document tracking shows delivery, viewing, and signing status so teams can follow progress without manual check-ins.

Connected workflows and integrations

Connected systems move documents, contacts, and approvals into signing workflows, reducing duplicate entry and keeping records aligned across business tools.

How the signing process works

An eSignature workflow follows a simple sequence from document delivery to signed record storage and verification.

Open document: The signer opens the document and reviews the request.
Verify identity: Identity checks confirm the signer before completion.
Sign electronically: The signer applies an electronic signature to the record.
Save record: signNow stores the signed file and audit details.

Quick setup steps

Use a short setup flow to prepare, send, and store an electronic signature request.

Upload file:
Upload the document you want signed.
Add signers:
Add recipients and assign signing order.
Prepare fields:
Place signature and form fields where needed.
Send request:
Send the document for electronic signing.
Save copy:
Download or store the completed record.

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	SMS OTP for routine signers
Signature type	SES for general business use
Audit trail	Enable full event logging
Document retention	6 years for HIPAA records
Encryption	TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Browser and device requirements

signNow works across major browsers and mobile devices, with secure transport and app support for signing on the go.

Desktop browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
Operating systems Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
Mobile access signNow mobile apps on iOS and Android

For regulated use, managed devices, current browser versions, and controlled access policies help preserve identity checks, audit evidence, and document integrity. Organizations that use SSO, API access, or certificate-based signing should also confirm internal security settings, retention rules, and mobile device management before rollout.

Security and compliance snapshot

Transport security:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data encryption:

AES-256 at rest

Independent controls:

SOC 2 Type II available

Security management:

ISO 27001 certified

Healthcare compliance:

HIPAA support with BAA

Privacy and trust:

GDPR and eIDAS support

Real estate team

A property management team needed faster lease execution across mobile and office workflows.

Martin Properties used online signing for property documents.

The team could process and execute documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security, including mobile and offline use.

ERP operations

An operations leader needed tighter ERP-connected routing for the right documents and formats.

Xerox linked signNow with NetSuite for controlled routing.

The integration helped route signatures correctly and kept document handling aligned with internal systems and approval rules.

Best practices for eSignatures

Good eSignature practice starts with consent, identity assurance, and recordkeeping that can stand up to review.

Capture clear consent

Use a clear consent notice before the signer starts. Make the electronic nature of the transaction obvious, and keep the disclosure with the record so you can show consent later if the document is reviewed or challenged.

Use risk-based authentication

Match identity checks to document risk. Use SMS OTP for lower-risk approvals, and stronger verification for sensitive records, such as ID checks or multi-step authentication when the transaction needs stronger attribution evidence.

Preserve signing evidence

Keep the audit trail complete and readable. Preserve timestamps, signer identity, delivery events, and document history so the final record can support internal review, legal discovery, or compliance review without reconstruction.

Define retention rules

Set retention rules before rollout. Align storage, export, and deletion with HIPAA, FERPA, or internal policy so signed records remain available for the required period and are not removed too early.

FAQ and troubleshooting

These answers cover plan features, compliance needs, and recordkeeping questions that arise during eSignature use.

signNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, and mobile apps. If you need HIPAA support, confirm a BAA is in place before sending PHI. The platform also supports ESIGN and UETA compliance for U.S. transactions.

signNow supports HIPAA workflows when a BAA is required and the account is configured for PHI handling. Keep access controls, audit logs, and encryption enabled, and avoid storing PHI outside approved retention and sharing rules.

If a signer says the document was altered, use the audit trail and signed file history to verify timestamps and document integrity. signNow records signing events and helps preserve the evidence needed for ESIGN and UETA review.

For bulk sending, signNow Business Premium includes bulk send. If your plan does not show that feature, check the plan tier and account permissions before preparing a large recipient list.

For stronger identity assurance, use the available authentication options in your workflow and match them to the document risk. signNow supports controlled signing workflows, and regulated use may require additional verification beyond a simple email link.

If you need long-term recordkeeping, export completed files and keep them under your retention policy. For HIPAA-covered records, retain signed documents for 6 years under 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2).

signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	Criteria
ESIGN and UETA compliance	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free trial	7-day trial	Not verified	Not verified
Envelope cap	No cap	100/year	Not verified

Day 0:

Set up the account and confirm access rules.

Day 1:

Send the first document for signature.

Week 1:

Onboard the team and review workflows.

7-day trial:

signNow offers a free trial with no credit card.

HIPAA retention:

Keep signed PHI records for 6 years.

ESIGN/UETA:

Electronic signatures remain enforceable when intent and attribution are captured.

UETA adoption:

49 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have adopted UETA.

Post-signing:

Store the completed file and audit trail together.

Risks of improper eSignature use

Weak attribution

Document may be harder to enforce.

Incomplete logs

Audit evidence may be challenged.

Short storage

Retention violations can trigger record loss.

Missing BAA

HIPAA records may fail review.

No electronic consent

Consent defects can undermine validity.

Signer authentication:

Verifies the signer before the record is accepted.

Timestamp capture:

Records the UTC time of each action.

Document hashing:

Calculates a hash for the signed file.

Tamper-evident sealing:

Locks the record against later changes.

Audit trail storage:

Stores the event history with the document.

Retrieval and export:

Exports the log for review or evidence.

	Plan / Feature	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free trial	7 days	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Bulk send	Yes, Business Premium	Not verified	Not verified	Yes	Not verified
Audit trail	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
HIPAA compliance	BAA required	BAA available	BAA available	Not verified	Not verified

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating