The US recognises electronic signatures through two overlapping laws:
- E-SIGN Act (Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act): federal, applies across state lines.
- UETA (Uniform Electronic Transactions Act), a model law adopted by nearly every state.
Both say the same thing: a signature, contract or record can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic.
What they require
US law works differently from eIDAS. There are no signature tiers. A signature is valid when four things hold true.
| Requirement | How swipesign covers it |
|---|---|
| Intent to sign | The signer takes a deliberate signing action on the document |
| Consent to do business electronically | The signer accepts the electronic process before signing |
| The signature is associated with the record | It's cryptographically bound to that exact document |
| The record can be retained and reproduced | The audit trail is kept and the signed document is available to download |
Why an EU-grade signature helps in the US
Because US law looks at outcomes rather than tiers, what matters in a dispute is how good your evidence is. An AES or QES from swipesign carries a verified identity, a tamper-evident seal and a full audit trail: well past what E-SIGN and UETA ask for.
A signature built for the stricter EU standard meets the US one automatically.
Retention is on you
Both laws require that an electronic record can be accurately reproduced later. Since we delete documents 14 days after completion, that means downloading and storing them yourself. See How long we keep your documents.
Some transactions are carved out
E-SIGN and UETA exclude a few categories: wills and testamentary trusts, some family-law matters, certain court documents and notices. Narrow, but worth checking before you sign anything unusual.