How to sign a contract remotely: the process step by step

A contract is signed remotely in four steps: prepare a PDF, send it to the recipient, have them sign on a phone or computer screen, and keep the signed document in the account. In SignSafe the recipient does not create an account or install an app, so they can do it from abroad too. According to a 2023 legal opinion, a signature in SignSafe is handwritten and meets written form; for the electronic form of Art. 78¹ of the Polish Civil Code (a qualified signature) we can connect one in SignSafe, and a notarial deed is not possible.

A contract is signed remotely in four steps: prepare a PDF, send it, have the recipient sign on their screen, and receive the signed document. In SignSafe the recipient does not create an account or install an app. According to a 2023 legal opinion by the law firm Gałecki and Associates, a signature in SignSafe is handwritten and meets written form (see Legal security). Where the electronic form of Art. 78¹ CC is required, we can connect a qualified signature in SignSafe; a notarial deed is not possible. This summarises the opinion and is not legal advice.

Step by step, from the company’s side

1. Check what form the contract requires. Before sending, establish whether it needs written form, electronic form (Art. 78¹ CC) or a notarial deed. According to the opinion, a SignSafe signature meets written form and, as a fallback, is valid in documentary form. This is a question for a lawyer, especially for unusual or costly contracts.
2. Prepare the document. Two routes: your own PDF with the final text (A4 portrait), where you choose the signature places, or a template with fields for the other party to fill in (for example company or personal details). A template makes sense if you repeat similar contracts. Other formats must be converted to a PDF in A4 portrait first.
3. Send it for signature. Give the recipient’s e-mail, first and last name, or pick them from your contact list or a group (you can add yourself too). Choose the order: any (everyone is told at the same time that a document awaits them) or fixed (one after another), and with several signature places, one signature for all places (for example 3) or a separate one each time (for example 3 times). Confirm the send in the window.
4. The recipient signs. They open the document in a browser (with a one-time code from the e-mail or an account password), tick the consent, fill in the fields and draw the signature with a finger, or a mouse on a computer. Whoever signs many documents can select them and sign in bulk.
5. Check the status. In the document list you see a coloured status dot. For people who have not signed, you can resend the invitation by hand with the “resend for unsigned” button.
6. Archive. Once everyone has signed, the finished document arrives in your e-mail and is in the list. It is good to save it at once in your own system or folder according to company policy.

What about a person abroad?

Technically nothing changes: the recipient needs a browser and a connection. Questions to settle before sending:

• which country’s law governs the contract and whether it requires a special form,
• whether the counterparty or their bank accepts a handwritten signature on a screen,
• which language the document should be in (a separate PDF for each language).

If any answer is unclear, it is a topic for a lawyer who knows that country’s law. We do not claim that a contract with a foreign party will always be effective.

How do you sign with many parties?

SignSafe lets you send a document to one or many people. Practical tips:

• collect correct e-mail addresses of all parties before sending,
• decide who in the company checks the status,
• where the order of signing matters, choose signing in the order of the list: the next person receives the document after the previous one; where it does not matter, keep the default and everyone is notified at once,
• after all signatures are in, check that each party has a copy.

How to speed up repeated contracts

A document template with fields removes retyping and mistakes. For a large number of contracts (for example in staffing agencies) you can automate sending from your own system through the API integration, so that the signed document returns to the right profile.

Common mistakes

• sending an outdated file,
• a wrong e-mail address for the recipient,
• no clarity on who signs for the company and on whose behalf (a matter of authorisation to discuss with a lawyer),
• using only an on-screen handwritten signature where the electronic form of Art. 78¹ CC (we can connect a qualified signature) or a notarial deed (not possible in SignSafe) is required.

An example: a contract with a new customer

A service company prepares a PDF contract with fields for the customer’s data and sends it to the customer’s e-mail. The customer, sitting on a train, opens the document on a phone, enters their data and signs with a finger. A company employee sees the dot turn green in the list, and the signed file arrives in the e-mail. The whole exchange takes as long as the customer spends reading the contract.

What to prepare on the company side

• a list of people authorised to sign on behalf of the company,
• contract templates with current text,
• a rule for naming and saving signed files,
• a short instruction for customers (one sentence: “open the link, fill in the fields, sign”).

What next

• Learn about remote signing in SignSafe.
• See how to send a document for signature.
• Read about signing contracts online.
• Check pricing or contact us.