Digital Signature Validity by Country
Admissibility in Court of a document with a digital signature
Documents signed with digital signatures are legally valid and have the same value as a handwritten signature in most countries.
On this page we show you the admission in court of documents with digital signatures, the norm applicable and its exclusions for each country.
This guide does not constitute official legal advice and should be used for informational purposes only. If you need specific information, consult a lawyer, as laws change frequently.
COUNTRY | COURT- ADMISSIBLE | RESOURCES | EXCLUSIONS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | Yes | eIDAS Regulation | - Documents that require notarization - Marriage agreements - Some real estate agreements - HR documents |
| Argentina | Yes (with some exceptions) | Digital Signature Law | - Documents that require notarization - Corporate minutes that contain resolutions, and appointments and removals of officers and directors - Resignation letters of employees - Agreements related to real estate rights |
| Australia | Yes | Common law: Electronic Transactions Act | - Documents that require a notarial process - Documents related to migration and citizenship - Statutory declarations requiring a witness - Powers of attorney in some states - Bills of exchange - Health insurance, life insurance, and general insurance - Documents, notices, and consents of credit-related services - Property transactions in South Australia Transfer of intellectual property |
| Austria | Yes | eIDAS regulation Signature and Trust Services Act | - Documents that require notarization - Legal transactions under family and inheritance law - Company registers |
| Belgium | Yes | eIDAS regulation Act of 20 October 2000 | - Documents that require notarization - Real estate contracts that create or transfer rights - Contracts requiring the involvement of courts or public authorities - Contracts involving collateral securities furnished by persons acting for purposes outside their trade, business, or profession - Contracts governed by family law or the law of succession |
| Brazil | Yes | Provisional Measure | - Documents that require notarization |
| Bermuda | Yes | Electronic Transactions Act 1999 | - Documents that require notarization - Wills - Real estate agreements |
| Bulgaria | Yes | eIDAS regulation | - Documents that require notarization |
| Brunei | Yes | Electronic Transactions Act | - Documents that require notarization |
| Canada | Yes | Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act | - Documents that require notarization - Real estate agreements, wills, and powers of attorney |
| Chile | Yes | Electronic Documents, Electronic Signatures and Certification Services of Signatures | - Agreements that require the attendance of one or more parties - Real estate agreements related to acquisition, modification, and extinction - Leasing agreements - Appointment of legal guardians of minors - Marital agreements - Declaration of wills - Mortgages - IP transfers - Documents that require notarization - Agreements that require the physical presence of one or more parties - Documents related to family law |
| China | Yes | PCR Electronic Signatures Law | - Documents that require notarization - Personal relationship agreements - Some real estate agreements |
| Colombia | Yes | eIDAS regulation | - Documents that require notarization |
| Croacia | Yes | eIDAS regulation | - Documents that require notarization |
| Czech Republic | Yes | eIDAS regulation Czech Civil Code | - Documents that require notarization - Lease and real estate agreements |
| Estonia | Yes | Civil Code Act | - Documents that require notarization |
| Finland | Yes | eIDAS Regulation English Translation of the Act on Strong Electronic Identification and Electronic Signatures | - Real estate buying and selling contracts - Documents that require notarization |
| France | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Act No. 2000-230 (2000) (French) | - Documents that require notarization - Marriage agreements - Labor agreements - Some real estate agreements |
| Germany | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Electronic Signature Act | - Documents that require notarization - Marriage agreements - Real estate agreements |
| Grecee | Yes | Trust Services and Electronic identification Presidential Decree (“PD”) | - Documents that require notarization - Some real estate agreements |
| Guatemala | Yes | Electronic Communications and Signatures Law | - Documents that require notarization |
| Hong Kong | Yes | Electronic Transactions Ordinance (Cap 553 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (2000) | - Documents that require notarization - Wills - Powers of attorney - Government leases - Some real estate agreements |
| Hungary | Yes | eIDAS Regulation EU Regulation No. 910/2014 | - Documents that require notarization - Family agreements - Marriage agreements |
| Iceland | Yes | Icelandic Act No. 28/2001 on Electronic Signatures | - Documents that require notarization - Employee contracts |
| India | Yes | Information Technology Act (2000) | - Documents that require notarization - Real estate agreements - Powers of attorney - Wills - Trust deeds |
| Indonesia | Yes | Electronic Information and Transaction Law | - Documents that require notarization - Notarial deeds - Court summonses - Bond certificates - Real estate documents - HR documents - Asset transaction documents |
| Ireland | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Electronic Commerce Act (2000) | - Documents that require notarization - Wills - Trusts - Powers of attorneys - Property transactions |
| Israel | Yes | Electronic Signature Law, 5761-2001 | - Documents that require notarization |
| Italy | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Digital Administration Code, Legislative Decree 82/2005 | - Loan agreements - Documents that require notarization |
| Luxembourg | Yes | eIDAS Regulation | - Government leases - Powers of attorney - Real estate agreements - Employment contracts - Documents that require notarization |
| Macau | Yes | Law No. 5/2005 (2005)Macau Civil Code | - Documents that require notarization |
| Malaysia | Yes | The Digital Signature Act (1997) | - Documents that require notarization - Real estate property transfers - Wills - Money lending agreements |
| Mexico | Yes | Federal Civil Code | - Documents that require notarization - Marriage agreements - Documents related to tax obligations |
| Malta | Yes | eIDAS Regulation | - Documents that require notarization |
| Nigeria | Yes | The Evidence Act Sections 84 and 93 | - Documents that require notarization - Powers of attorney - Wills |
| Norway | Yes | eIDAS Regulation | - Documents that require notarization - Debt certificates - Premarital agreements - Loan and security agreements |
| New Zealand | Yes | Electronic Transactions Act (2002) | - Documents that require notarization - Powers of attorney - Real estate agreements - Wills |
| Netherlands | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Electronic Signatures Act (Wet elektronische handtekeningen) | - Documents that require notarization |
| Peru | Yes | eIDAS RegulationSignatures and Digital Certificates Law (Law No. 27269) (2000) | - Documents that require notarization - Mortgages |
| Philippines | Yes | Electronic Commerce Act (2001) | - Documents that require notarization - Some real estate agreements |
| Poland | Yes | eIDAS Regulation | - Documents that require notarization - Real estate agreements - Company shares - Bills of exchange |
| Portugal | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Decree Law No. 290-D/99 (2009) | - Documents that require notarization - Employee terminations - Real estate agreements |
| Romania | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Law No. 455/2001 on the Electronic Signature (2001) | - Documents that require notarization - Some real estate agreements of immovable property - Personal guarantee agreements |
| Slovakia | Yes | eIDAS regulation | - Documents that require notarization |
| Slovenia | Yes | eIDAS regulation | - Documents that require notarization |
| Sri Lanka | Yes | Electronic Transactions Act | - Documents that require notarization - Wills - Powers of attorney - Contracts governed by family law or the law of succession |
| South Korea | Yes | English Translation of the Digital Signature Act | - Documents that require notarization - Changes in real estate property ownership - Transfers of intangible assets - Wills |
| Sweden | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Lag Om kvalificerade Elektroniska Signaturer | - Documents that require notarization - Government agreements - Share certificates - Employee termination letters |
| Switzerland | Yes | eIDAS Regulation Electronic Signature Law | - Documents that require notarization - Wills - Trusts - Some real estate agreements - Inheritance contracts |
| Thailand | Yes | Electronic Transactions Act | - Documents that require notarization - Contracts of immovable properties - Mortgage contracts - Some agreements of ships |
| Taiwan | Yes | Electronic Signatures Act | - Documents that require notarization - Agreements with government agencies |
| Turkey | Yes | The Electronic Signature Law 5070 | - Documents that require notarization - Wills - Contracts under family law - Inheritance agreements |
| United Arab Emirates | Yes | Electronic Commerce Law | - Transactions and issues relating to personal law such as marriage, divorce, and wills - Deeds of title to immovable property - Negotiable instruments - Transactions involving the sale, purchase, lease (for a term of more than 10 years) and other disposition of immovable property and the registration of other rights relating to immovable property - Any document legally required to be attested before a notary public |
| United States | Yes | The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act | - Documents that require notarization - Some real estate agreements - Wills - Divorce agreements - Codicils - Terminations of insurance |
| United Kingdom | Yes | The Electronic Identification Regulation | - Documents that require notarization - Marriage agreements - Some real estate agreements - Negotiable instruments |
| Ukraine | Yes | Law of Ukraine No. 852-IV on Electronic Digital Signature (the “E-signature Law”) | - Documents that require notarization - Real estate agreements - Contracts under family law - Inheritance agreements |
