When must Section 1 be completed?

Section 1 must be completed by the employee on or before the first day of employment. Employers should capture the date of hire and ensure the employee enters accurate legal name and DOB to match presented documents.

How soon must Section 2 be done?

An employer or authorized representative must examine original documents and complete Section 2 no later than three business days after the employee’s first day of employment to comply with federal requirements.

Can the I-9 be signed electronically?

Electronic signatures are acceptable from a records standpoint when the employer’s eSignature process meets ESIGN/UETA requirements, but the employer must still physically examine original documents unless a specific temporary or state-authorized remote inspection procedure is in effect.

Who may inspect documents for Section 2?

Any person authorized by the employer may serve as an authorized representative to examine documents and complete Section 2; the employer remains responsible for proper completion and retention of the form.

How long must I retain completed I-9 forms?

Retain each I-9 for either three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later, consistent with 8 CFR §274a.2; preserve accessibility for DHS inspections.

What if documents are expired or incomplete?

If authorization is temporary, employers must timely reverify before expiration. Missing or expired documentation should be resolved immediately; failures may produce paperwork violations and fines.

Form I-9

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

Form I-9 — Employment Eligibility Verification

Section 1. Employee Information and Attestation

Last Name (Family Name): First Name (Given Name): Middle Initial:

Other Last Names Used (if any) Address (Street number and name)

Apt./Ste.: City: State: ZIP Code:

Date of Birth: U.S. Social Security Number (optional):

Employee Email: Phone Number:

I attest, under penalty of perjury, that I am (check one):

A citizen of the United States

A noncitizen national of the United States

A lawful permanent resident (provide Alien Registration Number/USCIS Number):

An alien authorized to work until: (Provide foreign passport number and country of issuance or Form I-94 Admission Number if applicable.)

Employer: Please complete Section 2 and retain this form for your records. Employee: sign in the signature block at the end of this form.

Section 2. Employer Review and Verification

Employer Business Name Employer Business Address

Date Employee Began Employment:

Document(s) Examined (enter document title, issuing authority, document number, expiration date if any)

Document 1

Document 2

Document 3 (if needed)

I attest, under penalty of perjury, that I have examined the documents presented by the employee, that the documents reasonably appear to be genuine and to relate to the person presenting them, and that the employee is authorized to work in the United States.

Employer Representative Business Title

Employer: sign in the signature block at the end of this form.

Section 3. Reverification and Rehire (to be completed by employer)

Date of Rehire (if applicable) New Name (if applicable) Document Title Used for Reverification Document Number

Supplemental HR Information

Personal Information

Full Legal Name (repeat) Current Address (repeat)

Position Information

Job Title Department Reporting Manager Start Date Salary / Pay Rate

Employment History

Employer 1 — Company Responsibilities Employer 2 — Company Responsibilities

Education

Highest Degree Institution Graduation Date

References

Reference 1 Reference 2 Reference 3

Legal Disclosures

At-Will Employment: Employment with this employer is on an at-will basis, unless otherwise provided in a written agreement signed by an authorized representative. Either the employee or the employer may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, to the extent permitted by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The employer provides equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without regard to protected characteristics. Employment decisions are made in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Authorization: By signing below, the employee authorizes the employer to contact prior employers and listed references, and to conduct background and verification checks as permitted by law. The employee acknowledges that providing false information or documents is grounds for immediate termination and may carry civil or criminal penalties.

Applicant Certification

I certify under penalty of perjury that the information I have provided on this form is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that it is unlawful to hire or continue to employ an unauthorized person. I consent to the verification procedures described above.

I acknowledge and agree to the Applicant Certification and Authorization statements above.

Employee Printed Name:

Employer Representative Printed Name:

Employee Signature:

Employer Representative Signature:

Date:

What Form I-9 Is and why it matters

The Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, is the U.S. federal form employers use to confirm an individual’s identity and authorization to work in the United States. Employers collect Section 1 from new hires and examine original identity and work-authorization documents to complete Section 2, then retain the form for inspection. The form is not submitted to USCIS or the IRS as a routine filing; instead employers keep I-9 records on file. Accurate completion and retention are required under federal regulation 8 CFR §274a.2 and are central to immigration compliance and audit readiness.

Why accurate Form I-9 practices reduce legal and operational risk

Completing and retaining Form I-9 properly demonstrates compliance with federal immigration rules, reduces the risk of penalties, and provides evidence in the event of an audit or investigation. Consistent procedures protect both employer and employee by documenting lawful employment authorization.

Typical organizations and teams that handle Form I-9

Human resources, payroll, and hiring managers typically prepare and store Form I-9 records as part of onboarding.

HR teams managing onboarding and recordkeeping across multiple locations.
Payroll departments reconciling employment status and tax withholdings.
Hiring managers or authorized representatives who perform document inspection.

Consistent role assignment and training reduce errors and simplify audits.

Step-by-step: Completing Form I-9 correctly

Follow these sequential steps to collect required information and inspect documents while meeting federal timing rules.

01

Step 1: Employee completes Section 1 on or before first day of employment.
02

Step 2: Employer examines original documents and completes Section 2 within three business days.
03

Step 3: Retain the completed form separately from employee personnel files, per retention rules.
04

Step 4: Complete Section 3 for rehires or reverifications when required.

Typical digital workflow settings for Form I-9 completion

Configure your onboarding platform to mirror Form I-9 timing, reviewer roles, and secure storage requirements.

Field	Configuration
Section 1 delivery	Provide as editable form before start date
Document upload	Allow images but require in-person inspection
Reviewer roles	Assign HR or authorized rep to sign Section 2
Retention flag	Auto-archive after retention period ends

How the Form I-9 process typically flows inside organizations

This sequence highlights handoffs and verification steps during onboarding and when rehires occur.

Offer accepted: Employee receives I-9 form and instructions.
Section 1 completed: Employee fills Section 1 by start date.
Document inspection: Authorized person examines original documents.
Form retained: Completed I-9 is stored per retention schedule.

Technical requirements for electronic I-9 workflows

Ensure the platform supports secure form fields, audit trails, and controlled access for I-9 records.

File formats: PDF and DOCX supported
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365
Authentication: SSO and multi-factor options

Key timing rules and deadlines for Form I-9

Follow federal timing requirements for Sections 1, 2, and 3 to meet compliance obligations and reduce inspection risk.

Section 1 timing:

Complete by the employee’s first day of employment.

Section 2 timing:

Employer must examine original documents within three business days of hire.

Reverification:

Reverify before temporary work authorization expires.

Retention trigger:

Retention begins at hire or termination date, whichever applies.

Inspection readiness:

Have forms ready for DHS verification upon request.

Common pitfalls employers encounter with Form I-9

Missing or incomplete dates and signatures cause technical violations and fines.
Mismatched names between Section 1 and documents lead to confusion during audits.
Failure to reverify temporary employees results in expired authorization violations.
Improper retention or disposal can trigger recordkeeping penalties and compliance findings.

Penalties and compliance risks tied to Form I-9 errors

Paperwork violations: Civil fines $281–$2,789 per violation

Knowing violations: Higher fines and possible criminal charges

Documentation fraud: Possible prosecution and severe penalties

Reputational risk: Public enforcement increases scrutiny

Operational downtime: Audits divert HR resources

Contract impact: Loss of public contracts for noncompliance

Security and compliance features to look for

In-transit encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3

At-rest encryption: AES-256

Regulatory certifications: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001

Healthcare compliance: HIPAA (BAA available)

Audit trail: Detailed timestamp and IP logging

21 CFR support: 21 CFR Part 11 capabilities

Practical tips to complete Form I-9 quickly and accurately

Adopt standardized procedures, training, and read‑back verification to prevent common errors and speed onboarding.

Standardize document checks

Create an internal checklist of acceptable documents and train all authorized reviewers to confirm title, number, and expiration fields exactly as presented to avoid inconsistency during inspections.

Record the inspector

Always capture the name, title, and business address of the person who examined documents and entered Section 2; this information is essential for demonstrating compliance and resolving subsequent questions.

Automate reminders

Use system reminders for reverification dates on temporary work authorizations to prevent lapses in employment authorization and limit exposure to paperwork violations.

Keep separate storage

Retain completed I-9s in a secure, accessible repository separate from general personnel files to streamline inspection and preserve privacy protections.

Real-world examples of Form I-9 workflows

These short examples show how organizations handle verification, remote work, and retention in practice.

Optica Ventures — Small business

Optica centralized onboarding forms online to improve completion rates and audit readiness.

The HR lead inspects documents in person at first meeting.
The company retains I-9s centrally and sets calendar alerts for reverification, which reduced missing reverify events and simplified internal audits for three locations.

Martin Properties — Real estate firm

Martin Properties uses a mobile-friendly form for new site hires to complete Section 1 remotely.

An authorized rep completes Section 2 on-site within three days.
This approach balances candidate convenience with in-person ID inspection, enabling property managers to onboard short-term staff while maintaining compliance.

Electronic signature vs digital signature: key distinctions

Understand the practical difference: digital signatures are a cryptographic subset of electronic signatures and may be required by specific regulations.

Criteria	Electronic signature	Digital signature
Legal scope	broad category	cryptographic subset
Technology	varied methods	pki and certificates
Non-repudiation	audit trail evidence	strong cryptographic proof
Typical use cases	general contracts	high-assurance regulated records

eSignature vendor pricing and feature snapshot for Form I-9 workflows

Compare starting prices and common capabilities for eSignature platforms used to support Form I-9 processes and secure onboarding. Pricing reflects typical annual billing plans.

	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 plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about Form I-9

Answers to common questions about timing, acceptable documents, electronic signing, and record retention for Form I-9.

Need help? Contact support

When must Section 1 be completed?
Section 1 must be completed by the employee on or before the first day of employment. Employers should capture the date of hire and ensure the employee enters accurate legal name and DOB to match presented documents.
How soon must Section 2 be done?
An employer or authorized representative must examine original documents and complete Section 2 no later than three business days after the employee’s first day of employment to comply with federal requirements.
Can the I-9 be signed electronically?
Electronic signatures are acceptable from a records standpoint when the employer’s eSignature process meets ESIGN/UETA requirements, but the employer must still physically examine original documents unless a specific temporary or state-authorized remote inspection procedure is in effect.
Who may inspect documents for Section 2?
Any person authorized by the employer may serve as an authorized representative to examine documents and complete Section 2; the employer remains responsible for proper completion and retention of the form.
How long must I retain completed I-9 forms?
Retain each I-9 for either three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later, consistent with 8 CFR §274a.2; preserve accessibility for DHS inspections.
What if documents are expired or incomplete?
If authorization is temporary, employers must timely reverify before expiration. Missing or expired documentation should be resolved immediately; failures may produce paperwork violations and fines.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now