General guidance, not legal advice
This information is general guidance about the Orbis Sign service and is not legal advice. It focuses on England and Wales. Scotland, Northern Ireland and other countries can have different requirements. Obtain advice for an important, unusual or cross-border transaction.
Orbis Sign provides document-workflow technology. It does not certify that a Signer is who they claim to be, that they have authority, or that a particular document is enforceable.
What is an electronic signature?
An electronic signature is an electronic method a person uses with the intention of authenticating a document or communication. It can take different forms: typing a name, clicking an acceptance, applying a drawn signature, using a secure signing platform, or using a more identity-assured digital certificate.
The visual mark is only one part of the evidence. Context matters: what was presented, what the person was asked to do, whether they intended to sign, how access was controlled, when events occurred and whether the document changed.
The position in England and Wales
The Law Commission concluded that an electronic signature is capable in law of executing a document, including a deed, where the person intends to authenticate it and all required formalities are satisfied. The UK Government endorsed that conclusion. This is technology-neutral; it is not a guarantee for every transaction.
Section 7 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 provides for electronic signatures and related certification to be admissible in evidence on authenticity and integrity questions. The UK eIDAS framework distinguishes types of electronic signature and trust service, but does not make a qualified or advanced signature universally mandatory for ordinary English-law contracts. Useful guidance includes the Law Commission's Electronic execution of documents project and the Government response.
Common uses and sensible checks
Businesses commonly consider electronic signing for routine commercial contracts, approvals, engagement letters, employment paperwork, supplier terms and acknowledgements. Suitability depends on the particular document and process, not its label alone.
Before sending, identify the parties, confirm each signatory's authority, check the governing law and contractual signing clause, decide the level of identity assurance needed, and preserve the final document and evidence. For higher-risk matters, consider independent identity checks and legal review outside Orbis Sign.
When additional formalities may apply
Take particular care with deeds, documents requiring a witness, documents executed by companies or attorneys, wills and testamentary documents, property and Land Registry matters, guarantees, regulated consumer transactions, court or government filings, notarisation, and documents governed by another jurisdiction.
A witness may need to be physically present and attest the signature under the applicable rules. A filing body may prescribe a format or identity standard. Orbis Sign's ordinary workflow must not be assumed to satisfy those requirements. Ask a solicitor or the receiving body before relying on it.
Intention, identity and audit evidence
A dispute may concern who acted, what they intended, whether they had authority, what document they saw and whether it changed. Orbis Sign records express consent; the accepted electronic-signing disclosure ID, version, URL, hash, full text and acceptance time; signing time; available network and browser information; workflow audit events; and recipient details. Optional one-time codes and expiring recipient-specific links can add evidence of control of a channel.
These records support an evidential picture, but are not conclusive proof of civil identity, authority, capacity, location, understanding or freedom from duress. Email and SMS channels can be shared or compromised. Customers should choose controls proportionate to the transaction.
Document integrity and hashes
When completed PDF bytes are available, Orbis Sign computes and records a SHA-256 hash over those bytes. Comparing the same bytes later can reveal a change. If completed PDF bytes are unavailable, the service records a separately described completion-event hash based on document ID and completion time.
A completion-event hash is not a PDF content hash. A hash does not prove identity, authority, informed consent or legal validity, and integrity evidence is only useful alongside retention of the relevant document and audit records.
How Orbis Sign works
- Prepare: an authorised Customer user uploads a PDF, adds recipients and fields, and chooses sequential or parallel routing and available verification options.
- Send: the Service creates high-entropy recipient links with expiry and delivers them through configured email or SMS providers.
- Review and sign: a Signer opens the link, completes any required one-time-code step, reviews the document, fills assigned fields and expressly consents to sign electronically.
- Record and complete: the Service timestamps events, records the accepted disclosure and audit information, updates status and makes document/audit downloads available through the workflow.
A practical pre-send checklist
- Is electronic execution allowed for this document and jurisdiction?
- Who must sign, in what capacity, and with what authority?
- Is a witness, attestation, delivery step, filing or registration required?
- Does the contract require a particular signing method?
- How confident must you be about identity and channel control?
- Are privacy notices, lawful basis and recipient details in order?
- Who will retain the final PDF and evidence, and for how long?
- Would independent legal advice or a specialist execution platform be more appropriate?
Learn more
Review how Orbis Sign works, the security overview, pricing and the Terms. Contact a suitably qualified legal adviser for the effect of a particular signature or document.