is a typed signature legally binding in the US.

For most business documents, a typed signature is treated the same as an ink one. 2 laws set that out: the federal ESIGN Act, and UETA in the states.

this page describes what those laws say. it is not legal advice, and sign does not give legal advice.

what ESIGN says

ESIGN is the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, enacted June 30, 2000, at 15 U.S.C. § 7001 and following.

Its general rule covers transactions affecting interstate or foreign commerce. A signature, contract, or record is not denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability solely because it is electronic.

The definition is what makes typing enough. ESIGN defines an electronic signature as an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with a record. It has to be executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign that record.

source for both: 15 U.S.C. §§ 7001 and 7006 — law.cornell.edu, checked August 16, 2026.

what UETA is

UETA is the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, a model state law completed by the Uniform Law Commission in 1999 — uniformlaws.org, checked August 16, 2026.

It is the state-level half of the same idea, and it has been adopted in some form by nearly every state. New York has not adopted it.

New York instead has its own Electronic Signatures and Records Act, at article 3 of the State Technology Law — nysenate.gov, checked August 16, 2026.

which law reaches a given document depends on the transaction and the state. both point the same way on the basic question, which is why a typed signature is ordinary practice.

the 4 things generally required

these 4 are how the 2 laws are usually read together. each one has a hook in the statute.

1. Intent to sign. The definition in § 7006 turns on a signature being executed or adopted with the intent to sign the record. Reading a document is not signing it.
2. Consent to do business electronically. Where a law requires that information be given to a consumer in writing, § 7001(c) requires the consumer to have affirmatively consented, after clear disclosures.
3. Attribution, and association with the record. The signature has to be attached to or logically associated with the record it signs. Separately, there has to be evidence tying it to the person.
4. Record retention. Under § 7001(d), a retention requirement is met by an electronic record that accurately reflects the information, stays accessible, and can be accurately reproduced later.

source: 15 U.S.C. §§ 7001 and 7006 — law.cornell.edu, checked August 16, 2026.

what a typed signature is

The signer types their own name into a field, and the page renders it onto the document. Nothing in ESIGN asks for a drawn mark, an uploaded image, or a certificate.

The statute's words are sound, symbol, or process, which is broader than a picture of handwriting. A typed name is a symbol adopted with intent to sign.

A drawn signature is not automatically stronger. On its own it is a line in a box, and what carries weight either way is the record kept around the act of signing.

what ESIGN excludes

ESIGN lists categories its general rule does not reach, at 15 U.S.C. § 7003. Paraphrased in the order the statute uses:

• wills, codicils, and testamentary trusts
• state law on adoption, divorce, and other matters of family law
• the Uniform Commercial Code, other than sections 1-107 and 1-206 and articles 2 and 2A
• court orders and notices, and official court documents required in connection with court proceedings
• notices cancelling or terminating utility service, including water, heat, and power
• notices of default, acceleration, repossession, foreclosure, or eviction under a credit agreement secured by, or a rental agreement for, a primary residence
• notices cancelling or terminating health insurance benefits, or life insurance benefits other than annuities
• notices recalling a product, or reporting a material product failure that risks health or safety
• documents required to accompany the transport or handling of hazardous materials, pesticides, or other toxic or dangerous materials

source: 15 U.S.C. § 7003 — law.cornell.edu, checked August 16, 2026. states add exceptions of their own, and other law can require a notary or a witness.

whether a particular document falls inside one of those categories is a question for a lawyer. sign will not answer it, because that is advice and we do not give advice.

what sign records for each signature

every signed copy carries a signing record on a final page. these are its rows.

hashes, document IDs, IP addresses, and timestamps are set in mono and never truncated. an example of the format: 2026-08-16T14:22:07Z

the hash is of the document as it went out, before the signature was applied. recompute it against the original and you can show the file was not changed afterwards.

the signed copy, with that page attached, is emailed to the sender and the signer. both sides keep the same file. how sign is run, and what it stores

what the signer reads before the box

The signing page opens with a plain-English summary of the document. It covers who the parties are, what each side agrees to do, money, dates, and how it ends.

the summary describes what the document says. it never calls a clause risky or unusual, never recommends anything, and is not legal advice. the document is what gets signed.

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6 documents, explained — an NDA, a contractor agreement, an offer letter, an order form, a lease addendum, and a statement of work, with the summary each one got.