Agreement to transact electronically
Signers consent to electronic signing up front, and that agreement is recorded — satisfying UETA’s requirement that both parties opt in.
United States · State law
UETA compliant eSignatures
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act is the state-level foundation for electronic signing in the US. BeeSign makes every signature attributable, auditable, and retained — exactly what UETA asks for.
What is UETA?
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), first published in 1999, is a model law that has been adopted by 49 states, the District of Columbia, and several US territories. It gives electronic records and signatures the same legal effect as their paper equivalents at the state level, complementing the federal ESIGN Act.
UETA applies when both parties have agreed to conduct the transaction electronically. It defines an electronic signature broadly as "an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with a record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign."
A key UETA concept is attribution: an electronic signature is attributable to a person if it was the act of that person, which can be shown "in any manner" — including the security procedures and audit trail surrounding the signature.
How BeeSign meets UETA
Attribution to the signer
Email-bound links, optional OTP/TOTP, and identity verification, combined with a detailed audit trail, establish that the signature was the act of the signer.
Intent and association
The signer takes a deliberate action to sign, and the signature is logically associated with the specific record and its form fields.
Retention & accurate reproduction
Completed documents are sealed and stored so they remain accessible and can be accurately reproduced — the standard UETA sets for record retention.
What UETA-ready records include
- Recorded agreement to sign electronically
- Attribution evidence: timestamps, IP, and authentication
- Signature logically associated with each field
- Tamper-evident seal on the completed document
- Certificate of completion for every document
- Long-term, reproducible storage of the signed record
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between UETA and ESIGN?
ESIGN is the federal law; UETA is a model state law adopted by nearly every state. They are closely aligned and reinforce each other — ESIGN generally defers to UETA where a state has adopted it in standard form. BeeSign is built to satisfy both.
Which states have not adopted UETA?
New York is the notable exception; it has its own Electronic Signatures and Records Act (ESRA), which produces substantially the same result. Everywhere else, UETA (or a close equivalent) applies.
How does BeeSign satisfy UETA attribution?
UETA lets attribution be shown "in any manner," including the security procedures used. BeeSign’s email-bound signing links, optional multi-factor verification, and a complete timestamped audit trail provide exactly that evidence.
Does UETA cover business-to-consumer agreements?
Yes, as long as the consumer has agreed to transact electronically. BeeSign records that consent before the signer proceeds.
This page explains how BeeSign supports compliance with UETA and is provided for general information — it is not legal advice. Consult your own counsel about your specific use case.
Related standards
Compliant from your first document
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