{"id":172,"date":"2025-08-20T22:53:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T17:23:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/?p=172"},"modified":"2026-06-09T17:35:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T12:05:25","slug":"a-brief-overview-of-esignatures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an eSignature? A Complete Guide (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An electronic signature, or eSignature, is a digital method of signing documents that carries the same legal weight as a handwritten signature. Whether you are signing an employment contract, a vendor agreement, or a financial document, an eSignature lets you do it instantly, from anywhere, without printing a single page.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide covers everything you need to know about eSignatures: how they work, their legal validity in India, how they differ from digital signatures, and how to start signing documents online.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is an eSignature?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An eSignature is any digital marker used to record and authenticate the intent of a signee. It does not require physical presence, paper, or a pen. Depending on the platform and purpose, an eSignature can take several forms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A typed name at the end of a document<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A drawn or stylised signature on a touchscreen<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A click-to-sign button on an online form<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An OTP-based authentication linked to the signer&#8217;s identity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An Aadhaar eSign verified through e-KYC<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a document is signed electronically, the platform captures data such as the signer&#8217;s IP address, timestamp, location, and identity verification method. This information is stored as part of an audit trail, which can be used later to verify the integrity of the signed document.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>eSignature vs Digital Signature: What is the Difference?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Parameter<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>eSignature<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Digital Signature<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Definition<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any electronic method of signing a document<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A specific type of eSignature that uses PKI-based cryptographic technology<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Security level<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basic to moderate, depending on the method<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High , uses public and private key encryption<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certificate required<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not always<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes , requires a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Authentication method<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OTP, email link, click-to-sign, biometrics<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DSC issued by a Certifying Authority (CA)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legal validity in India<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Valid for most commercial transactions under the IT Act<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Required for specific regulatory filings (MCA, GST, income tax)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use cases<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contracts, NDAs, HR documents, vendor agreements<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Company filings, government submissions, court documents<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short, all digital signatures are eSignatures, but not all eSignatures are digital signatures.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Does an eSignature Work?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most eSignature platforms follow a straightforward process:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A document is uploaded to the eSignature platform.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sender marks where signatures, initials, or date fields are required.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document is sent to the relevant signers via email or a shared link.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each signer verifies their identity through OTP, email confirmation, biometrics, or Aadhaar e-KYC, depending on the platform.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The signer reviews the document and applies their signature electronically.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once all parties have signed, the completed document is automatically returned to the sender.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A tamper-evident, time-stamped copy is saved securely, along with a full audit trail.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The entire process can be completed in minutes, regardless of where the signers are located.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Legal Validity of eSignatures in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eSignatures are legally valid in India under the <\/span><b>Information Technology Act, 2000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (IT Act). Section 5 of the IT Act gives electronic signatures the same legal recognition as handwritten signatures, provided they meet the required conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key points about legal validity:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An eSignature is enforceable when it can reliably identify the signer and confirm their intent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The IT Act recognises both eSignatures and digital signatures (DSC-based).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aadhaar eSign, facilitated through the e-KYC service, is a legally recognised form of electronic signature in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A comprehensive audit trail helps establish the authenticity and integrity of a signed document.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>When are eSignatures not valid?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certain documents in India cannot be executed through eSignatures alone, including wills, power of attorney, trust deeds, and negotiable instruments such as cheques. These require wet ink signatures or DSC-based signing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is Aadhaar eSign?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aadhaar eSign is a government-backed electronic signing service in India that allows individuals to sign documents using their Aadhaar number. It works through the e-KYC service provided by the UIDAI.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How it works:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The signer enters their Aadhaar number on the signing platform.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An OTP is sent to the mobile number linked to the Aadhaar.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upon OTP verification, the document is signed using a Digital Signature Certificate generated on a Hardware Security Module (HSM).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The private key is destroyed immediately after use, ensuring no misuse.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aadhaar eSign is commonly used for government applications, financial documents, insurance forms, and agreements requiring identity-linked authentication.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Aadhaar eSign vs DSC<\/b><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Parameter<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Aadhaar eSign<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>DSC<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Token required<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes (USB token)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Validity<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Single use<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1\u20133 years<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best for<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consumer and enterprise document signing<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regulatory filings, government portals<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cost<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderate to high<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Security and Authenticity of eSignatures<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A common concern with eSignatures is whether they can be forged or tampered with. Here is how eSignature platforms address this:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Signer verification:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Platforms authenticate signers through OTP, email links, biometrics, or Aadhaar e-KYC before allowing them to sign.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Audit trail:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Every signing event is logged with a timestamp, IP address, device information, and identity verification record. This trail is stored securely and cannot be altered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Tamper detection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Once a document is signed, any modification to the file invalidates the signature. The platform detects and flags any changes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Encryption:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Documents are encrypted using public-key infrastructure (PKI), ensuring that only authorised parties can access and verify the signed document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Trusted Certifying Authorities:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> eSign services in India are backed by Certifying Authorities (CAs) licensed under the IT Act, ensuring compliance with e-authentication rules.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Create an eSignature<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several ways to create an eSignature depending on the level of formality required:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Typed signature:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Type your name in a signature field. Most platforms offer multiple font styles to make it look like a handwritten signature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Drawn signature:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Use a mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen to draw your signature directly on the document.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Uploaded image:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Upload an image of your handwritten signature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Aadhaar eSign:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Use your Aadhaar number and OTP for a government-verified electronic signature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>DSC-based signing:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Use a Digital Signature Certificate stored on a USB token for high-security or regulatory submissions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right method depends on your use case. For most commercial contracts and business documents, a typed or drawn signature authenticated via OTP is sufficient.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Sign Documents Online<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Signing a document online takes only a few steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upload the document to an<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/legistify.com\/sign-doc\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">online document signing platform<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add the required signature fields to the document.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter the signers&#8217; email addresses and send the document for signing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each signer receives a link, verifies their identity, and applies their signature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once all parties have signed, the completed document is sent to everyone automatically.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Download or store the signed document along with its audit trail.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Platforms like Legistify&#8217;s Sign Doc allow you to upload, send, and collect signatures on any document in minutes, with a full audit trail and tamper-evident records.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Key Takeaways About eSignatures<\/b><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Simple and accessible:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> eSignature platforms do not require physical tokens or technical expertise. Any authorised user can sign from a browser or mobile device.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legally valid:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> eSignatures are legally recognised under the Information Technology Act, 2000, for most commercial and business transactions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Secure authentication:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Platforms offer multiple authentication options including OTP, biometrics, and Aadhaar e-KYC to verify signer identity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Privacy-first design:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Only the hash (fingerprint) of the document is submitted for signing, not the full document content, protecting signer privacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Trusted infrastructure:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> eSign services in India operate through Certifying Authorities licensed under the IT Act, with private keys generated on HSMs and destroyed after each use.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Advantages of Using eSignatures in Business<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Speed:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Contracts are signed and returned in minutes instead of days.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cost savings:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Eliminates printing, scanning, courier, and storage costs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Convenience:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Multiple signers can sign simultaneously or sequentially, from any location.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Transparency:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Audit trails give a clear record of who signed, when, and from where.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Security:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Encryption and tamper-detection protect document integrity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legal enforceability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> eSignatures are valid across most business transactions in India and internationally.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>What Documents Can Be Signed Electronically?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eSignatures are suitable for most business and personal documents. Common use cases include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Employment and HR documents<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Offer letters and employment contracts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HR policies and acknowledgements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Non-disclosure agreements<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Commercial contracts<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vendor and supplier agreements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Service agreements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales contracts<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Finance and banking<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loan agreements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Account opening forms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insurance documents<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Customer onboarding<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Terms and conditions acceptance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">KYC forms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subscription agreements<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Real estate<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rental and lease agreements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Property sale agreements<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Note:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Wills, power of attorney, trust deeds, and negotiable instruments such as cheques cannot be executed through eSignatures in India and require physical or DSC-based signing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why the eSignature Market is Growing<\/b><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b> Growth of digital commerce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> As more businesses move online, the volume of legally enforceable documents is increasing. eSignatures are a natural requirement for digital-first transactions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Demand for faster contract cycles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Legal and procurement teams are under pressure to close deals faster. eSignatures reduce contract turnaround time from days to hours.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Remote and distributed teams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> With teams working across cities and time zones, getting physical signatures is no longer practical. eSignatures make it possible to close agreements without either party being in the same room.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Regulatory acceptance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Governments across the world, including India, have recognised eSignatures as legally valid, removing the last barrier to widespread adoption.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Cost and sustainability<\/b> Going paperless reduces operational costs and supports sustainability goals, both increasingly important for large enterprises.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>eSignatures have moved from a convenience to a business necessity. Whether you are managing vendor contracts, onboarding employees, or closing deals, signing documents electronically saves time, reduces costs, and holds up legally under the Information Technology Act, 2000. With options ranging from simple OTP-based signing to government-backed Aadhaar eSign, there is a method suited to every use case. As more businesses in India go digital, having a reliable eSignature process is no longer optional.<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also Read:<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/electronic-contract-signing-for-digital-contracts\/\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electronic Signature for Contract Signing<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The word \u201ceSignatures&#8221; refers to the specifications in general (e.g., components) required for an electronically legal contract to be accepted in a court of law; this is regarded as legally binding. A signature is just one component of an electronically signed document.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":193,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is eSignature? A Complete Guide for Businesses (2026)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what an eSignature is, how it works, its legal validity in India under the IT Act, and how it differs from a digital signature.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is eSignature? A Complete Guide for Businesses (2026)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn what an eSignature is, how it works, its legal validity in India under the IT Act, and how it differs from a digital signature.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Legistify\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/legistify\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-20T17:23:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-09T12:05:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Untitled-design-2-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"628\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Legistify\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@legistify\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Legistify\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\\\/\",\"name\":\"What is eSignature? A Complete Guide for Businesses (2026)\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Untitled-design-2-1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-20T17:23:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-09T12:05:25+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn what an eSignature is, how it works, its legal validity in India under the IT Act, and how it differs from a digital signature.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Untitled-design-2-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Untitled-design-2-1.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":628,\"caption\":\"What is ESignature\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What is an eSignature? A Complete Guide (2026)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/\",\"name\":\"Legistify\",\"description\":\"End to End Enterprise Legal Management Software\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Legistify\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/legistify-logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/legistify-logo.svg\",\"width\":547,\"height\":164,\"caption\":\"Legistify\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e71c3606ece5d969a13f396b06c670a4\",\"name\":\"Legistify\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e2149590994d4b758e3fdb71347f4f2688999b86c2e0a1ec8116a873e9da2ddf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e2149590994d4b758e3fdb71347f4f2688999b86c2e0a1ec8116a873e9da2ddf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e2149590994d4b758e3fdb71347f4f2688999b86c2e0a1ec8116a873e9da2ddf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Legistify\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/legistify\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/legistify\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/get-legal\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/legistify\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/c\\\/getlegalIn\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legistify.com\\\/blogs\\\/author\\\/legistify\\\/\",\"description\":\"Trusted by numerous international corporations spanning various regions, Legistify uses advanced technology to provide smart insights from extensive historical case data, catering to a wide range of legal environments. Come join us to see how we're making legal management easier and smarter!\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What is eSignature? A Complete Guide for Businesses (2026)","description":"Learn what an eSignature is, how it works, its legal validity in India under the IT Act, and how it differs from a digital signature.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What is eSignature? A Complete Guide for Businesses (2026)","og_description":"Learn what an eSignature is, how it works, its legal validity in India under the IT Act, and how it differs from a digital signature.","og_url":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/","og_site_name":"Legistify","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/legistify\/","article_published_time":"2025-08-20T17:23:23+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-09T12:05:25+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":628,"url":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Untitled-design-2-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Legistify","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@legistify","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Legistify","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/","url":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/","name":"What is eSignature? A Complete Guide for Businesses (2026)","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Untitled-design-2-1.png","datePublished":"2025-08-20T17:23:23+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-09T12:05:25+00:00","description":"Learn what an eSignature is, how it works, its legal validity in India under the IT Act, and how it differs from a digital signature.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Untitled-design-2-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Untitled-design-2-1.png","width":1200,"height":628,"caption":"What is ESignature"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/a-brief-overview-of-esignatures\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What is an eSignature? A Complete Guide (2026)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/#website","url":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/","name":"Legistify","description":"End to End Enterprise Legal Management Software","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/#organization","name":"Legistify","url":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legistify-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legistify-logo.svg","width":547,"height":164,"caption":"Legistify"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/e71c3606ece5d969a13f396b06c670a4","name":"Legistify","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2149590994d4b758e3fdb71347f4f2688999b86c2e0a1ec8116a873e9da2ddf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2149590994d4b758e3fdb71347f4f2688999b86c2e0a1ec8116a873e9da2ddf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2149590994d4b758e3fdb71347f4f2688999b86c2e0a1ec8116a873e9da2ddf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Legistify"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/legistify.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/legistify\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/legistify\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/get-legal","https:\/\/x.com\/legistify","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/getlegalIn"],"url":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/author\/legistify\/","description":"Trusted by numerous international corporations spanning various regions, Legistify uses advanced technology to provide smart insights from extensive historical case data, catering to a wide range of legal environments. Come join us to see how we're making legal management easier and smarter!"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":830,"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172\/revisions\/830"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legistify.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}