How QuoteBill e-signatures work, and are they legally binding?

What a QuoteBill e-signature records, how EU, US, Korean, Japanese and German law treat simple electronic signatures, and which documents need another form.

The short answer

For many everyday business contracts, yes. In many countries a contract can be signed electronically, and a signature is not refused only because it is electronic. There are exceptions, and how much a signature proves in a dispute depends on the evidence behind it. This guide explains what QuoteBill records and how several legal systems treat it; it is general information, not legal advice.

What QuoteBill creates

QuoteBill creates a simple electronic signature with an audit trail. It is not a qualified or advanced electronic signature, and QuoteBill does not verify who the signers are: it records the use of the link and access code the sender delivered. For each contract it keeps:

The exact contract text, frozen when it is sent, with its SHA-256 fingerprint. Any change to the content changes its fingerprint.
Each signature: the typed name, the drawn or typed signature, the consent text, the time, the IP address and the browser.
An audit trail of every event; each entry carries a hash of the one before, so a changed entry breaks the chain.
A certificate with the reference, the fingerprint and a certificate hash, which anyone holding a copy can check.

How the law treats a simple electronic signature

European Union: under Article 25(1) of the eIDAS Regulation (EU) No 910/2014, an electronic signature may not be denied legal effect or admissibility as evidence solely because it is electronic or is not qualified. Only a qualified electronic signature has the same effect as a handwritten one (Article 25(2)).

United States: the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. 7001) and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, adopted in every state except New York, which has its own law, say a signature or contract may not be denied effect solely because it is electronic. Extra consent rules apply when a law requires giving a consumer information in writing.

Korea: an electronic document is not denied legal effect only because it is electronic (Framework Act on Electronic Documents and Transactions, Article 4), and an electronic signature is not denied the effect of a signature or seal for that reason alone (Digital Signature Act, Article 3).

Japan: a contract is formed by agreement and needs no written form unless a law requires one (Civil Code, Article 522(2)). The presumption of authenticity in Article 3 of the Electronic Signatures Act covers only signatures that the signer alone can make; QuoteBill does not claim it.

Germany: where a statute requires written form (§ 126 BGB), the electronic form of § 126a BGB, which needs a qualified electronic signature, is the only electronic substitute. Text form (§ 126b BGB) and contracts without a required form can be completed electronically.

Documents that may need another form

Some documents cannot be signed this way, or only with extra steps. Examples, not a complete list:

Wills: Korea, Japan and Germany require a holographic will to be written by hand, and the ESIGN Act does not cover wills.
Land: in Germany a contract to transfer or acquire land must be notarised (§ 311b BGB), and most countries add registration formalities.
Guarantees: in Germany a guarantee declaration may not be given in electronic form (§ 766 BGB).
Employment: in Germany notice of termination and termination agreements need written form, and the electronic form is excluded (§ 623 BGB).

How to make your evidence stronger

Because the sender delivers the links, QuoteBill cannot prove who used a link. The certificate lists every link issued and every IP address, and notes when a signer used the sender’s IP address. These steps help:

Keep the access code on, and send it through a different channel from the link, such as a phone call.
For important contracts, confirm the other person’s identity another way, such as a call or video meeting.
Read names carefully: look-alike characters, such as a Cyrillic “а” in place of a Latin “a”, are not detected.
Save the signed PDF with its certificate as soon as the contract is complete.

Checking a signed contract later

Every certificate prints the contract reference and fingerprint. Enter both on QuoteBill’s verification page: a match confirms when a contract with exactly this text was completed and with how many signatures, and shows the certificate hash, which must match your copy. It shows no names or content, and works even after the sender deletes the contract.

Sources

154 Free Invoice, Quote & Receipt Templates

Free quotation generator
Download the quotation as Excel or Word with the formulas working, or edit it online and turn an accepted quote into an invoice. Free with a QuoteBill account.
Free invoice generator
Download the invoice as Excel or Word with the formulas working, or edit it online with your logo and tax settings and save a PDF. Free with a QuoteBill account.
Consultant invoice template
Create a consulting invoice for hourly or project work, research and report delivery. Add payment terms, review the total and export PDF.

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How QuoteBill e-signatures work, and are they legally binding?
What a QuoteBill e-signature records, how EU, US, Korean, Japanese and German law treat simple electronic signatures, and which documents need another form.