E-signature legality · United Kingdom
Are electronic signatures legal in the United Kingdom?
Reviewed
In short
Yes, generally. In England and Wales, an electronic signature is capable in law of being used to execute a document, including a deed, provided the signer intends to authenticate it and any formalities are met, as the Law Commission concluded in 2019 and the Government accepted in 2020. The Electronic Communications Act 2000 and UK eIDAS make electronic signatures admissible in evidence. Wills, witnessed deeds and Land Registry dispositions have extra requirements, and Scotland has its own rules.
The law
Laws that apply
- 2000Electronic Communications Act 2000, section 7
Electronic signatures and their certification are admissible in evidence about authenticity and integrity.
Source: legislation.gov.uk
- 2014UK eIDAS: Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 as retained and amended in UK law
Art. 25: an electronic signature can't be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic or not qualified; a qualified electronic signature has the effect of a handwritten one.
Source: legislation.gov.uk
- 2016Electronic Identification and Trust Services for Electronic Transactions Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/696)
Implements the trust-services framework in UK law and amended section 7 of the 2000 Act.
Source: legislation.gov.uk
- 2019Law Commission, Electronic execution of documents (Law Com No 386)
Concluded that an electronic signature is capable in law of executing a document, including a deed; the Government agreed with its legal conclusions in March 2020.
Source: lawcom.gov.uk
- 2026HM Land Registry Practice Guide 82: electronic signatures accepted by HM Land Registry
Sets the conditions under which the Land Registry accepts electronically signed deeds and documents; updated June 2026.
Source: gov.uk
- 1837Wills Act 1837, section 9
Wills must be signed in the presence of two witnesses; temporary video-witnessing rules covered wills made between 31 January 2020 and 31 January 2024 only.
Source: legislation.gov.uk
Generally fine to sign electronically
- Commercial contracts, NDAs and supplier terms
- Employment contracts and settlement paperwork, subject to specific statutory requirements
- Residential tenancy agreements and commercial leases that aren't deeds
- Deeds in England and Wales, provided they are witnessed in the physical presence of the witness and any other formalities are met
- Consumer agreements and terms of business
Exceptions and extra formalities
- Wills in England and Wales, which must be signed and witnessed in person under section 9 of the Wills Act 1837
- Deeds where the witness is not physically present when the signer signs, even if both sign electronically
- Land Registry transfers, charges and other registrable dispositions, which must follow Practice Guide 82; simple electronic signatures aren't accepted for them
- Lasting powers of attorney and statutory declarations, which have their own execution rules
- In Scotland, documents that need formal writing, such as those creating real rights in land, which require an advanced electronic signature (and a qualified certificate to be self-proving)
- Documents where a statute, regulator or counterparty requires a particular method
In practice
Things to know
Every PDFBetter signer signs with their own cryptographic key: their browser generates an ECDSA P-256 key that never leaves the device and signs a statement binding the document's SHA-256 fingerprint to exactly what they entered, and PDFBetter's certificate authority certifies that key. Every completed PDF and its certificate of completion are digitally sealed with a PAdES signature and, when the service is reachable, independently time-stamped under RFC 3161, so any change shows in PDF readers. The evidence is built into the file: signed statements, device signatures, certificates, entered values and a hash-chained audit log of every view, consent, signature and decline with time and IP address. Signers consent to sign electronically first, the sender can require an emailed 6-digit code, and completed evidence is kept for 7 years. Signature requests are designed to the technical requirements of an advanced electronic signature (eIDAS art. 26): a unique key per signer, under their sole control, linked to the document so any change is detectable. Signers are identified by email (and an optional emailed code), not by ID documents or SMS.
For a deed, a PDFBetter signature alone doesn't provide witnessing; the witness must be physically present with the signer and also sign. PDFBetter doesn't produce documents in a form the Land Registry accepts for registrable dispositions.
PDFBetter does not create qualified electronic signatures (QES) and does not offer SMS codes, phone authentication, knowledge-based questions or government ID checks. Its seal certificate comes from PDFBetter's own certificate authority, not a government-accredited one, and is not yet on Adobe's trust list, so Acrobat shows the seal's identity as not verified while still detecting changes. Where a law requires a qualified or accredited signature, verified identity, a notary, wet ink or a witness, use a process that provides it.
This page summarizes what the law generally says, with links to the official texts. PDFBetter is not a law firm; for an important or unusual document, check with a lawyer qualified where the document will be relied on.
What PDFBetter gives you as evidence
Every signer signs with their own cryptographic key, bound to the document’s SHA-256 fingerprint, after recorded consent and an optional emailed code. The completed PDF and certificate of completion are digitally sealed and independently time-stamped, with the hash-chained audit trail built into the file. Designed to the technical requirements of an advanced electronic signature (eIDAS art. 26); signers are identified by email (and an optional emailed code), not by ID documents or SMS. Not a qualified signature (QES).
E-signatures in the United Kingdom: questions people ask
Are electronic signatures legally binding in the UK?
Generally yes for contracts in England and Wales, where an electronic signature can execute a document if the signer intends to authenticate it and formalities are met. Scotland has its own rules for documents that need formal writing.
Can a deed be signed electronically in England and Wales?
Yes, but the witness must be physically present when the signer signs. Remote witnessing by video is not currently enough for deeds.
Can I sign a will electronically in the UK?
No. Wills in England and Wales must be signed and witnessed in person. The temporary video-witnessing rules applied only to wills made between 31 January 2020 and 31 January 2024.
Does the UK still follow eIDAS?
The UK retained eIDAS in domestic law after Brexit, with amendments. EU recognition of UK qualified signatures no longer applies automatically.
Does HM Land Registry accept PDFBetter signatures?
No. The Land Registry accepts electronic signatures only in the ways described in Practice Guide 82, such as through conveyancer-controlled platforms meeting its conditions.