Is an electronic signature valid for your contract?
A Simple Electronic Signature (SES) under eIDAS Art. 25 — the kind SignSent creates — is legally sufficient for most everyday contracts across the EU. For a small number of contract types, however, national law explicitly requires a handwritten signature, where even an electronic signature does not help. This overview describes German law specifically (as one EU member state's implementation) for the most common contract types where the distinction matters — rules can differ in other EU countries.
Contract types at a glance
| Contract type | Simple Electronic Signature (SES) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Rental agreement | Suitable, with caveats | Read more |
| Freelance / service contract | Suitable | See security & legal page |
| Terminating an employment contract | Not suitable | Read more |
| Suretyship / guarantee declaration | Not suitable | Read more |
| Sale of movable goods | Suitable | See security & legal page |
| NDA / confidentiality agreement | Suitable | See security & legal page |
| Power of attorney | Suitable, with caveats | See security & legal page |
These pages do not replace legal advice. When in doubt, ask a lawyer.