Electronic signatures, explained for small businesses
A short, practical overview of what e-signatures are, when they're legally binding, and how to add a clean signature to your everyday documents.
For most everyday business documents — engagement letters, NDAs, consent forms, freelance contracts — an electronic signature is fully sufficient. But the term "e-signature" covers everything from a typed name to cryptographically anchored signatures, and it helps to know which one your situation needs.
The three common types
- Simple electronic signature — a typed name, a drawn signature image, or a checkbox indicating consent. Suitable for low-risk agreements where both parties act in good faith.
- Advanced electronic signature — uniquely linked to the signer and capable of identifying them, typically using certificate-based identity.
- Qualified electronic signature — an advanced signature backed by a qualified certificate from a regulated trust service provider. Has the same legal standing as a handwritten signature in the EU.
Are they legally binding?
In the United States (ESIGN Act, 2000), the European Union (eIDAS), the UK (Electronic Communications Act), India (IT Act), and most other major jurisdictions, electronic signatures are legally enforceable for the vast majority of commercial agreements. A small set of documents — typically wills, certain real-estate transfers, and some family-law instruments — still require wet-ink signatures.
What makes a good signature block?
- The signer's full legal name, printed below the signature
- Their title or role, where relevant
- The date the document was signed
- A clean visual separation from the rest of the document body
How AetherSign handles this
AetherSign produces clean, executive-grade PDFs with properly positioned signature blocks. The document is generated in your browser and never uploaded to a server, which keeps sensitive client material entirely on your device. For most freelance and small business agreements, this is exactly what you need.