Can a disclosure form be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in almost all states provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.

When is notarization required?

Notarization depends on the document’s use and state law; certain instruments or filings may require notarized acknowledgment or witness signatures for acceptance.

What authentication strength should be used?

Select authentication proportional to risk: email link for low risk, SMS OTP or KBA for moderate risk, and identity proofing for high-risk regulatory or financial transactions.

How should corrections be handled after signing?

Minor errors typically require an executed amendment or corrective disclosure signed by the same authorized parties to preserve evidentiary clarity and contractual effect.

What if a signer lacks authority?

If the signer lacked authority, obtain ratification from an authorized officer or corrected execution documentation; lack of authority can void the form or lead to disputes.

How long must signed forms be kept?

Retention depends on content and regulation: IRS records three years (IRC §6501(a)), HIPAA six years (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and industry rules may require longer retention.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Business Disclosure Form

Business Disclosure Form

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

BUSINESS DISCLOSURE FORM

This Business Disclosure Form (the "Form") documents material disclosures, representations, and commercial terms made between the parties. Effective Date:

Parties

Disclosing Party (Company Name) Disclosing Party Address Receiving Party (Company or Individual) Receiving Party Address

Recitals

WHEREAS, Disclosing Party is engaged in the business described as and possesses certain confidential, financial or operational information relevant to commercial discussions; and

WHEREAS, Receiving Party seeks information necessary to evaluate or perform services under the Scope of Work and acknowledges the need for full disclosure of material facts; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to document disclosures, payment terms, and legal protections as set forth in this Form.

Disclosure Items

The Disclosing Party identifies the following disclosure items. Check applicable boxes and provide details where requested.

Material Disclosures

Conflict of interest exists

Pending litigation or regulatory investigation

Bankruptcy or insolvency history in last 7 years

Material regulatory noncompliance

Beneficial ownership or related-party interests

Details for any checked items (provide explanation here)

Scope of Work

Describe the goods, services, deliverables and any milestones. Include measurable acceptance criteria where applicable.

Payment Terms

Total Contract Amount:

Payment Schedule and Milestones

Invoices are due within days of invoice date. Late payment will accrue interest at or the maximum permitted by law, whichever is less.

Term and Termination

Term Commencement Date: Term Expiration Date:

Either party may terminate this agreement for convenience upon days' prior written notice. Termination for material breach is effective upon written notice specifying the breach if the breaching party fails to cure within days.

Confidentiality

All non-public, proprietary or commercially sensitive information disclosed by either party in connection with this Form ("Confidential Information") shall be held in strict confidence. Receiving Party shall not disclose Confidential Information to any third party except to employees, agents, or advisors with a need to know and who are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those in this Form. Confidential Information does not include information that: (a) is or becomes publicly available without breach; (b) was known to Receiving Party prior to disclosure; (c) is lawfully received from a third party without restriction; or (d) is independently developed without use of Confidential Information.

Upon termination or written request, Receiving Party shall promptly return or destroy Confidential Information and certify in writing its compliance.

Representations and Warranties

Each party represents that it has full authority to enter into this Form, that the statements made in this Form are true and correct to the best of its knowledge, and that execution of this Form will not violate any agreement, law or duty applicable to such party.

Governing Law; Dispute Resolution

This Form shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of without regard to conflict of laws principles. The parties shall first attempt to resolve disputes in good faith. If unresolved, disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of state or federal courts located in the selected governing jurisdiction.

Entire Agreement; Amendment

This Form, together with any attachments or schedules expressly incorporated herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes all prior negotiations, proposals and communications, whether written or oral. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Certifications

The undersigned certifies that the disclosures made herein are true, complete and correct to the best of their knowledge and that they are authorized to bind the party on whose behalf they sign.

Disclosing Party - Print Name:

By:

Date:

Receiving Party - Print Name:

By:

Date:

What a Business Disclosure Form Is and when it's used

A Business Disclosure Form is a structured document companies use to report material facts about ownership, control, financial interests, conflicts of interest, and other matters required by contracts or regulators. It typically collects party identification, entity formation details, ownership percentages, related-party relationships, dates, and supporting exhibits such as formation certificates or finance statements. Organizations use the form during contract signing, vendor onboarding, investment due diligence, procurement, and regulatory reporting to centralize disclosures and create an auditable record linking the disclosed facts to specific signers and dates.

Why documenting disclosures matters

A completed Business Disclosure Form reduces legal and commercial risk by creating a clear record of material information. It helps counterparties and regulators assess conflicts, enforces contractual warranty language, and supports internal compliance and audit workflows.

Who typically completes and reviews these forms

Typical users include compliance staff, legal counsel, procurement teams, and officers who must certify material facts on behalf of the business.

Company executives and in-house counsel who manage contract disclosures and regulatory filings
Procurement and vendor management teams documenting supplier conflicts and ownership interests
Investors, auditors, and compliance officers reviewing material relationships during due diligence

Reviewers often include outside counsel, auditors, investors, or contracting officers who rely on the form for due diligence and regulatory checks.

Stepwise process to complete and submit the form

Follow these steps to prepare, validate, and deliver a Business Disclosure Form in the correct sequence to preserve legal effect and record integrity.

01

Prepare: Gather entity documents, ownership records, and supporting exhibits.
02

Complete Fields: Enter required data carefully; use MM/DD/YYYY for dates.
03

Attach Documents: Upload formation certificates, financial schedules, and identity files.
04

Review & Sign: Review accuracy, then sign electronically or notarize if required.

How electronic completion and routing typically works

Digital workflows reduce turnaround by automating field placement, authentication, and routing while preserving an audit trail of actions and timestamps.

Upload Document: Sender uploads the disclosure form PDF or DOCX for configuration.
Set Fields: Place signature, date, and required data fields for each signer.
Authenticate: Signers authenticate by email link, SMS code, or stronger methods.
Capture Audit: System logs timestamp, IP, and actions and stores final PDF.

Recommended digital workflow settings

Configure the workflow to match your compliance and evidence needs before sending the form to signers.

Setting	Recommended configuration
Authentication	Email + SMS OTP for moderate risk; KBA or ID analysis for higher risk
Field Types	Signature, Initials, Date, Text, Conditional disclosures
Retention Policy	Retain signed copies and audit logs for the statutory retention period
Notifications	Automated reminders and escalation to prevent missed deadlines

Technical considerations for eSubmission and integrations

Choose a platform that preserves legal evidentiary items such as timestamps, signer attribution, and reproducible signed records.

Supported Formats: PDF, DOCX, and HTML inputs supported
Integrations: Connectors to CRM and cloud storage platforms
Security Controls: TLS, AES encryption, and access controls

Verify the platform supports the authentication strength you require, preserves a complete audit trail, and integrates with your document storage or ERP systems for recordkeeping.

Core elements that make a professional disclosure form

A well-designed Business Disclosure Form balances completeness, clarity, and evidence capture so reviewers can readily confirm material facts without follow-up.

Clear fields

Explicitly labeled fields for entity name, identifiers, ownership percentages, and roles reduce ambiguity and downstream questions.

Conditional disclosure

Conditional sections reveal additional questions only when specific answers trigger more detail, keeping the form concise.

Supporting exhibits

Attachment area for formation documents, shareholder ledgers, or financial statements to corroborate the disclosed facts.

Signature block

Space for authorized signatory name, title, date, and any required notarization or witness lines.

Audit metadata

Fields or system capture for signer IP, timestamp, and change history for evidentiary value.

Governing law

A clause identifying the governing state law and venue for disputes to avoid later jurisdictional arguments.

Security and compliance features to look for

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: Immutable log of signer actions and timestamps

HIPAA BAA: Business Associate Agreement available where required

ESIGN / UETA: Compliant with ESIGN and UETA frameworks

21 CFR Part 11: Controls available for FDA-regulated workflows

Access Controls: Role-based permissions and SSO capability

Common timing and deadline considerations

Plan submission and update timing to match contractual or regulatory triggers; note deadlines for updates and regulatory filings where applicable.

On Request:

Provide the form promptly when requested by a contracting party

Pre-Execution:

Deliver disclosures required before contract signature or closing

Material Change:

Update the form within 30 days of material changes unless contract sets another period

Regulatory Filing:

Comply with any regulator-specific filing deadlines when disclosures trigger filings

Recordkeeping:

Retain signed copies per retention schedule and jurisdictional law

Key milestones from drafting to archive

Track milestones so each stage completes on time and evidence is captured for the next step in the lifecycle.

01

Drafting

Populate fields and attach supporting exhibits for initial review

02

Internal Review

Legal and compliance verify accuracy and authority to sign

03

Execution

Authorized signers sign electronically or in-person with notarization

04

Submission & Archive

Deliver to recipient, store signed PDF, and preserve audit log

Common preparation mistakes to avoid

Failing to verify the authorized signatory, which can lead to later challenges to the form’s enforceability and require corrective affidavits.
Entering inconsistent entity names or tax IDs that trigger requests for certified documents and delay transaction closings or filings.
Omitting supporting exhibits such as formation certificates or shareholder registers, causing reviewers to request additional documentation and pause approval.
Using vague language to describe interests or relationships, which increases dispute risk and may require corrective disclosure amendments.

Potential consequences of incorrect or missing disclosures

Contract Liability: Breach damages possible

Regulatory Penalties: Fines or enforcement action

Tax Consequences: Backup withholding or reporting errors

Delay Costs: Transaction or funding delays

Reputational Risk: Loss of trust or business

Corrective Filings: Costly amendments or affidavits

How a Business Disclosure Form compares with related documents

Compare typical purposes and signers to select the correct document for your transaction or compliance need.

Document	Primary Purpose	Typical Signers
Business Disclosure Form	report material facts	officers, owners
Conflict of Interest Statement	disclose potential conflicts	individual employees
NDA	protect confidential information	parties exchanging data
Certificate of Good Standing	prove entity status	secretary of state filings

Representative eSignature pricing and capability comparison

Basic pricing and feature availability across common eSignature vendors to inform tool selection for managing disclosure forms.

	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	Yes, 7-day trial	No	No	No	No
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Real-world examples of electronic disclosures in use

Two brief examples show how organizations use electronic workflows to collect, verify, and store Business Disclosure Forms.

Martin Properties (Real Estate)

Martin Properties moved disclosures online to streamline closings and vendor onboarding.

Result: faster turnaround and reduced paper handling.
Tim Martin noted the ability to process and execute documents online with compliance and security while enabling remote signings that support timely closings and fewer manual follow-ups.

Fertility Centers of Illinois (Healthcare)

Medical group standardized disclosure forms to include HIPAA addenda and BAAs for third-party reviewers.

Result: consistent patient and vendor records.
John Butler highlighted responsiveness and API integration that allowed signature collection, secure storage, and retrieval consistent with privacy obligations and operational needs.

Practical tips for accurate and efficient completion

Adopt consistent practices to reduce errors, speed approvals, and maintain defensible records.

Use authoritative source data

Populate names, EINs, and formation details directly from formation certificates or tax records to avoid mismatches and rework.

Standardize field formats

Require MM/DD/YYYY for dates and specific numeric formats for percentages to prevent data-entry errors and simplify automated validation.

Attach corroborating exhibits

Include formation documents, shareholder registers, and officer resolutions where relevant to reduce follow-up requests from reviewers.

Preserve audit evidence

Maintain signed PDFs and detailed audit logs showing signer identity, timestamps, and any field edits for dispute resolution and compliance audits.

Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting

Answers to common operational, legal, and technical questions about completing and relying on Business Disclosure Forms.

Need help? Contact support

Can a disclosure form be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in almost all states provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.
When is notarization required?
Notarization depends on the document’s use and state law; certain instruments or filings may require notarized acknowledgment or witness signatures for acceptance.
What authentication strength should be used?
Select authentication proportional to risk: email link for low risk, SMS OTP or KBA for moderate risk, and identity proofing for high-risk regulatory or financial transactions.
How should corrections be handled after signing?
Minor errors typically require an executed amendment or corrective disclosure signed by the same authorized parties to preserve evidentiary clarity and contractual effect.
What if a signer lacks authority?
If the signer lacked authority, obtain ratification from an authorized officer or corrected execution documentation; lack of authority can void the form or lead to disputes.
How long must signed forms be kept?
Retention depends on content and regulation: IRS records three years (IRC §6501(a)), HIPAA six years (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and industry rules may require longer retention.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now