Are electronic signatures legally valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states; ensure intent, consent, attribution, and retainability to satisfy legal tests.

Can the charter be signed electronically for audit evidence?

Yes. Use an eSignature platform that captures audit trails, timestamps, and signer attribution to produce admissible evidence; ensure record retention meets audit and legal requirements.

Do I need a notary or witnesses for the charter?

Typically no for internal governance documents, but notarization or witnesses may be required if the charter is used to effect legal instruments; check state rules if notarized execution is desired.

Who must sign the charter to make it enforceable?

Designated organizational signatories such as the executive sponsor, the security owner, and legal counsel should sign to demonstrate authority and acceptance of obligations.

How often must the charter be reviewed or updated?

At minimum annually and after major changes to systems, vendors, or card processing; document the review date and version history to aid assessors.

What if scope or controls change after approval?

Document changes via a formal amendment process, rerun scoping and control mapping, obtain updated approvals, and retain prior versions for audit trails and regulatory inquiries.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Compliance PCI DSS Charter

Compliance PCI DSS Charter

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

COMPLIANCE PCI DSS CHARTER

Organization Name: Service Provider / Consultant Name:

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Organization Name: operates systems that store, process, or transmit payment card data and requires compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS); and

WHEREAS, Service Provider Name: has expertise in assessing, designing and implementing controls to achieve and maintain PCI DSS compliance and will act as the designated PCI DSS Program Provider under this Charter; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth the scope, responsibilities, deliverables, payment terms and governance for the establishment and operation of the Organization's PCI DSS compliance program.

Purpose

The purpose of this Charter is to establish the authority, responsibilities and deliverables for implementing, maintaining and governing a PCI DSS compliance program for Organization Name. This Charter authorizes the Service Provider to perform the Scope of Work defined below and to coordinate with Organization stakeholders to achieve and maintain compliance.

Scope of Work

The Service Provider will provide the following services as part of the PCI DSS Program:

Minimum deliverables include: scoping and CDE identification, gap assessment against PCI DSS requirements, remediation planning and oversight, implementation support for security controls, preparation and submission of required attestations and reporting, periodic vulnerability scanning coordination, and assistance during external assessment or audit events.

Roles and Responsibilities

Executive Sponsor (Organization): PCI DSS Program Owner (Organization):

The Service Provider shall act as the PCI DSS Program Provider and is responsible for executing the Scope of Work, coordinating assessments, preparing artifacts, and advising on remediation. The Organization retains ultimate responsibility for its environment, accepts or rejects remediation actions, and shall provide timely access to systems, personnel and documentation as required.

Payment Terms

The Organization shall pay the Service Provider for the services performed under this Charter as follows.

Total Agreement Amount (USD): Payment Schedule:

One-time upon execution
By milestone: specify milestones and amounts below

Milestone Description and Amounts: Payment Terms (Net days): Late Fee / Interest on Overdue Amounts:

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, invoices shall be issued by the Service Provider and are payable within the number of days specified above. Disputed amounts must be identified in writing within ten (10) days of receipt of the invoice; the undisputed portion shall remain payable in accordance with these Payment Terms.

Term and Termination

This Charter shall commence on the Start Date: and shall continue until the End Date: , unless earlier terminated in accordance with this section.

Either party may terminate this Charter for convenience upon providing written notice to the other party not less than days prior to termination. Either party may terminate for material breach if the breaching party fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice of breach. Termination shall not relieve Organization of its obligation to pay for services performed and reasonable wind-up costs incurred prior to termination.

Confidentiality

Each party shall maintain in strict confidence all Confidential Information of the other party. "Confidential Information" includes without limitation cardholder data, authentication data, system architecture, security configurations, vulnerability scan reports, assessment results, and remediation plans. Confidential Information may only be used to perform obligations under this Charter and may not be disclosed to third parties except to the extent necessary for performance, subject to written obligations at least as protective as those herein.

The Service Provider acknowledges that payment card data and sensitive authentication data must never be stored, processed or transmitted by the Service Provider except as authorized in writing; any unauthorized storage or retention shall constitute a material breach and requires immediate notification to the Organization.

Security and Compliance Obligations

The Service Provider shall perform services in a manner consistent with PCI DSS requirements applicable to the scope defined in this Charter. Service Provider shall maintain appropriate administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect cardholder data and shall cooperate with Organization's security team and external assessors. The Service Provider shall notify the Organization promptly upon discovery of any security incident or suspected compromise involving cardholder data.

Governing Law

This Charter shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction of , without regard to conflict of law principles.

Entire Agreement; Amendments

This Charter, together with any exhibits or attachments expressly incorporated herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings. Any amendment or modification to this Charter must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Liability and Indemnification

Each party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other party from and against claims, losses or liabilities arising from the indemnifying party's negligence, willful misconduct or breach of this Charter. The parties' aggregate liability arising out of or relating to this Charter shall be limited to the total fees paid by Organization to the Service Provider under this Charter during the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, except for liability resulting from gross negligence, willful misconduct or unauthorized retention of cardholder data.

Acceptance

By signing below, the parties acknowledge and agree that they have the authority to enter into this Charter, accept its terms, and commit the resources necessary to carry out the obligations described herein.

Organization:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Compliance PCI DSS Charter Is

A Compliance PCI DSS Charter is a formal organizational document that defines scope, roles, responsibilities, governance, and controls for meeting Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard requirements. It documents who owns cardholder data protection, which systems and business units are in-scope, approval authorities, and the cadence for monitoring, testing, and reporting. The charter acts as the primary governance instrument for PCI DSS readiness and ongoing compliance, aligning internal policy with PCI DSS obligations and clarifying escalation paths for incidents and remediation activities across technical, operational, and third-party domains.

Why a Dedicated Charter Matters for PCI Compliance

A written charter centralizes accountability and reduces ambiguity about PCI scope, controls, and decision rights. It supports audit evidence, demonstrates governance to assessors and card brands, and helps coordinate technical, vendor, and business controls across environments.

Core Components of a Professional PCI DSS Charter

A complete charter balances governance, technical scope, stakeholder roles, risk management, and operational procedures. Each element should be specific enough to be enforceable and flexible enough for periodic review and testing.

Scope Definition

Precisely identify the Cardholder Data Environment (CDE), including systems, network segments, cloud services, and third-party processors that store, process, or transmit cardholder data.

Roles & Responsibilities

Name the PCI owner, data steward, security operations lead, IT change authority, and executive sponsor with clear duties for compliance maintenance and incident response.

Governance Structure

Define approval authorities, reporting lines, meeting cadence, exception process, and how findings escalate to senior leadership or a risk committee.

Control Baseline

Reference the applicable PCI DSS version and list mandatory control families, compensating controls, monitoring requirements, and logging/retention expectations.

Third-Party Oversight

Describe vendor assessment, contract language requirements, attestations, and how service provider PCI status is verified and documented.

Review & Update Cycle

Set periodic review intervals, change-management triggers, and revalidation steps after major architecture, business, or vendor changes.

Who Prepares and Uses the PCI DSS Charter

The charter is typically prepared by cross-functional teams that combine security, IT, compliance, and business leadership to ensure complete coverage before executive approval.

Security and Compliance Teams — Draft policy, map controls, and coordinate assessments and remediation activities.
IT and Infrastructure — Define technical scope, segmentation, and monitoring configurations for the Cardholder Data Environment.
Business Leaders and Legal — Approve governance terms, contract language, and resources; validate regulatory and contractual obligations.

Once approved, the charter serves operational teams, auditors, external assessors, and vendors as the authoritative reference for PCI responsibilities and evidence collection.

Step-by-Step: Completing the PCI DSS Charter

Follow a clear sequence to assemble the charter: gather scope data, assign roles, document controls, obtain approvals, and schedule reviews.

01

Gather Scope: Inventory systems and third parties that touch cardholder data.
02

Assign Roles: Document owners, approvers, and day-to-day operators.
03

Document Controls: Map required PCI controls and evidence locations.
04

Approve and Publish: Executive approval and circulation to stakeholders.

Where to Send, File, and Maintain the Charter

Define authoritative storage and distribution so assessors and internal teams know where to locate the current charter and supporting evidence.

Central Repository: Store the charter in a secure document repository with version control.
Security Team Copy: Maintain a read-only copy with the security and compliance team.
Vendor Records: Attach vendor attestations and SAQs in a linked vendor folder.
Executive Archive: Provide an approved copy to executives and the audit committee.

Digital Workflow Settings for Charter Approval

Set up a controlled signing workflow with role-based routing, signer authentication, and an auditable trail to support compliance evidence.

Field	Configuration
Signing Order	Sequential routing: Security Owner → IT Lead → Legal → Executive Sponsor
Authentication	Email + SMS code or enterprise SSO for approvers
Retention Policy	Immutable storage with exportable audit trail
Exception Handling	Conditional fields and comments for compensating controls

Technical Requirements for Digital Charter Management

Use platforms that provide secure storage, strong authentication, tamper-evident audit trails, and role-based access controls for the charter.

Encryption: TLS in transit, AES-256 at rest
Audit Trail: Timestamped events and signer attribution
Integrations: SIEM, ticketing, and cloud storage connectors

Choose solutions supporting PCI DSS evidence exports, long-term retention, and vendor integrations to centralize documentation and reduce administrative overhead.

Essential Security and Compliance Data to Record

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

Certifications: PCI DSS compliance status

Audit Trail: Immutable logs and timestamps

Vendor BAA: HIPAA BAA where applicable

Regulatory Framework: ESIGN, UETA applicability

Access Controls: Role-based and MFA enforced

Consequences of an Incomplete or Incorrect Charter

Noncompliance Fines: Card brand fines and penalties

Forensic Costs: Expensive investigations and remediation

Contract Liability: Breach of merchant agreements

Operational Disruption: Service restrictions or suspension

Reputational Harm: Customer trust erosion

Loss of Certification: Failed assessments or corrective actions

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing the Charter

Vague scope language that omits cloud components or outsourced processors, creating gaps between documented and actual cardholder data flows.
Unassigned ownership where control tasks lack named individuals, causing slow remediation and weak accountability during assessments.
Overreliance on compensating controls without documented justification or measurable validation, which assessors frequently flag.
Absent or inconsistent version controls that create uncertainty about the current charter during audits or following architectural changes.

Comparing eSignature Options for Charter Approval and Evidence Management

Platform choice affects authentication, audit trails, pricing, and integrations. The table below compares common criteria important for managing a PCI DSS charter and its signatures.

	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	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Frequently Asked Questions About the PCI DSS Charter

Answers to common legal, technical, and process questions about using, signing, and maintaining a Compliance PCI DSS Charter.

Need help? Contact support

Are electronic signatures legally valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states; ensure intent, consent, attribution, and retainability to satisfy legal tests.
Can the charter be signed electronically for audit evidence?
Yes. Use an eSignature platform that captures audit trails, timestamps, and signer attribution to produce admissible evidence; ensure record retention meets audit and legal requirements.
Do I need a notary or witnesses for the charter?
Typically no for internal governance documents, but notarization or witnesses may be required if the charter is used to effect legal instruments; check state rules if notarized execution is desired.
Who must sign the charter to make it enforceable?
Designated organizational signatories such as the executive sponsor, the security owner, and legal counsel should sign to demonstrate authority and acceptance of obligations.
How often must the charter be reviewed or updated?
At minimum annually and after major changes to systems, vendors, or card processing; document the review date and version history to aid assessors.
What if scope or controls change after approval?
Document changes via a formal amendment process, rerun scoping and control mapping, obtain updated approvals, and retain prior versions for audit trails and regulatory inquiries.

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