# Are documents signed in TotalCtrl legally binding?

**Category:** [Document Signing](https://help.totalctrl.app/hc/totalctrl/totalctrl-help-center/en-US/categories/document-signing)
**Updated:** 2026-08-19

## Yes — and here's the basis

Documents signed through TotalCtrl Document Signing are legally binding electronic signatures. They rest on the same laws and technical standards the major e-signature providers rely on.
### The laws that make e-signatures valid

- **US — ESIGN Act (2000)** and **UETA**: an electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten one, provided the signer intended to sign and consented to do business electronically.
- **EU — eIDAS regulation**: TotalCtrl produces a **Simple Electronic Signature (SES)**, which is admissible and enforceable for the vast majority of business agreements.

### How TotalCtrl meets those requirements

- **Intent & consent**: before their first signature, each signer must affirmatively accept an *electronic records and signatures* disclosure. The consent is captured with a timestamp and IP address, and printed on the certificate.
- **Attribution**: every view, consent, signature, and decline is recorded in a tamper-evident **audit trail** with the signer's email, IP address, and timestamp.
- **Integrity**: the completed PDF is fingerprinted with a **SHA-256 hash** and finished with a **Certificate of Completion** that lists every signer, their consent, and the full audit trail.
- **Tamper-evidence**: completed documents are sealed with a **PAdES (PKCS#7) digital signature** and an **RFC 3161 trusted timestamp**, so the PDF self-verifies as unaltered in any reader — Adobe Acrobat shows *"Signed and all signatures are valid."*

### What this is — and isn't

This is a **Simple Electronic Signature**, which is the right standard for everyday agreements: NDAs, sales contracts, order forms, HR paperwork, and consent forms. It does not perform government-grade identity proofing (eIDAS Advanced/Qualified signatures), which a small number of regulated use cases require. This article is general information, not legal advice — consult your counsel for your specific situation.

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## Related Articles

- [Integrations: CRM, automation, API, and reminders](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/signing-integrations-1)
- [Signing a document you received](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/how-to-sign)
- [Signing a document you received](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/signing-as-a-signer)
- [Templates, automation, and integrations](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/signing-integrations)
- [Document Signing overview](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/signing-overview)

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