[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":129},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-\u002Fguides\u002Fcontracts\u002Fare-electronic-signatures-legally-binding":3,"guide-siblings-\u002Fguides\u002Fcontracts\u002Fare-electronic-signatures-legally-binding":119},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"description":94,"disclaimer":95,"draft":96,"extension":97,"faq":98,"lastReviewed":111,"meta":112,"navigation":113,"path":114,"publishedAt":111,"seo":115,"sitemap":116,"stem":117,"__hash__":118},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fcontracts\u002Fare-electronic-signatures-legally-binding.md","Are electronic signatures legally binding?","Rally",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":86},"minimark",[10,14,19,22,51,54,58,61,64,68,71,79,83],[11,12,13],"p",{},"Yes. Electronic signatures have been legally binding across the United\nStates since the federal ESIGN Act of 2000, backed by UETA in nearly every\nstate. The signer needs to show intent to sign, agree to do business\nelectronically, and get a copy of the record. A signed link holds up like\nink.",[15,16,18],"h2",{"id":17},"what-makes-an-e-signature-valid","What makes an e-signature valid",[11,20,21],{},"The law cares about the record, and the record needs four things:",[23,24,25,33,39,45],"ul",{},[26,27,28,32],"li",{},[29,30,31],"strong",{},"Intent."," The signer meant the click, the typed name, or the drawn\nline as a signature.",[26,34,35,38],{},[29,36,37],{},"Consent."," They agreed to handle the agreement electronically. The\ncheckbox on a signing page covers this.",[26,40,41,44],{},[29,42,43],{},"Attribution."," The record ties the signature to the person: their\nemail, their phone, the timestamp.",[26,46,47,50],{},[29,48,49],{},"Retention."," Both sides can get a copy, and yours stays findable.",[11,52,53],{},"Every serious e-sign tool produces all four automatically. That trail is\nthe reason an e-signed contract is often easier to stand behind than a\nphotographed piece of paper.",[15,55,57],{"id":56},"the-exceptions-and-why-parties-arent-one","The exceptions, and why parties aren't one",[11,59,60],{},"ESIGN and UETA carve out a short list of documents that still want paper:\nwills, some family-law filings, court orders, and a few notices like\nutility shutoffs. A party services agreement is nowhere near that list.",[11,62,63],{},"Two operator-specific cautions still apply. The person signing should be\nthe adult booking the event, since a minor's signature holds no weight.\nAnd when a school, town, or venue hands you their own contract, follow\ntheir signing process, whatever it is. Their purchasing office wins that\nargument every time.",[15,65,67],{"id":66},"typed-drawn-or-clicked","Typed, drawn, or clicked",[11,69,70],{},"Clients ask whether the finger-drawn scribble on a phone counts. It does,\nand so does a typed name or a clear \"I agree\" click, because the law\nweighs the record over the artwork. Pick the method your clients finish.\nIn our experience that's a link they can open on a phone: the client\nopens it, signs, and pays the deposit in minutes.",[72,73,76],"rally-aside",{"label":74,"to":75},"See contracts in Rally","\u002Ffeatures",[11,77,78],{},"Contracts in Rally carry e-sign built in, and one link covers the\nagreement and the deposit. And if you do not use contracts, skip them.\nRally matches your workflow, not the other way around.",[15,80,82],{"id":81},"the-part-that-actually-protects-you","The part that actually protects you",[11,84,85],{},"The signature is the last step of protection, and the wording is the\nfirst. A signed contract with a vague rain policy protects nobody. Get\nthe terms right, then let the client sign them from their couch.",{"title":87,"searchDepth":88,"depth":88,"links":89},"",2,[90,91,92,93],{"id":17,"depth":88,"text":18},{"id":56,"depth":88,"text":57},{"id":66,"depth":88,"text":67},{"id":81,"depth":88,"text":82},"Yes. The federal ESIGN Act and state UETA laws have made electronic signatures binding in the US since 2000, when the signer shows intent and consents to sign electronically.","legal",false,"md",[99,102,105,108],{"q":100,"a":101},"Is a typed name a legal signature?","It can be, when the record shows the person meant it as a signature and agreed to sign electronically. What matters is the trail: who signed, when, and what they saw. A typed name with a timestamp and an email trail beats a scribble with neither.",{"q":103,"a":104},"Do e-signed contracts need a witness or a notary?","A party services contract almost never needs either, on paper or on a screen. Witnessing and notarization are for specific document types like real estate deeds. Check with an attorney if a venue or a city contract asks for one.",{"q":106,"a":107},"Is a text message agreement binding?","A text thread can form a contract, and courts have enforced them. It is also a terrible record: no single document, no clear terms, no signature line. Send a real agreement and keep the texts as backup.",{"q":109,"a":110},"What records should I keep after a client signs?","Keep the signed document, the timestamp, and the email or phone it went to. Keep them somewhere you can find by client name two years later. The record is what makes the signature worth anything.","2026-07-12",{},true,"\u002Fguides\u002Fcontracts\u002Fare-electronic-signatures-legally-binding",{"title":5,"description":94},{"loc":114},"guides\u002Fcontracts\u002Fare-electronic-signatures-legally-binding","jekzmLSX7SAnD5qIwIVjpHlOitIJidM5GlBxLJgz7-Y",[120,123,126],{"path":121,"title":122},"\u002Fguides\u002Fcontracts\u002Fcan-i-use-a-contract-template-i-found-online","Can I use a contract template I found online?",{"path":124,"title":125},"\u002Fguides\u002Fcontracts\u002Fdo-i-need-a-liability-waiver-for-a-foam-party","Do I need a liability waiver for a foam party?",{"path":127,"title":128},"\u002Fguides\u002Fcontracts\u002Fwhat-happens-if-a-kid-gets-hurt-at-my-event","What happens if a kid gets hurt at my event?",1783921368721]