Are electronic signatures legal in Washington, D.C.?
Yes. The District of Columbia's Uniform Electronic Transactions Act gives electronic signatures and records the same effect as paper ones when both sides agree to do business electronically. It has applied since October 3, 2001, alongside the federal ESIGN Act.
Updated October 13, 2026 · 3 min read
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District of Columbia: at a glance
DC- E-signature law
- District of Columbia Uniform Electronic Transactions Act
- Citation
- D.C. Code §§ 28-4901 to 28-4918
- In effect since
- 2001
- Based on UETA
- Yes
- Remote notarization
- AllowedD.C. Code § 1-1231.13a
- Doesn't cover
- Wills, codicils and testamentary trusts (§ 28-4902(b)(1))
- The Uniform Commercial Code, except Articles 2 and 2A and §§ 28:1-107 and 28:1-206 (§ 28-4902(b)(2))
How the District adopted UETA
The District isn't a state, but the D.C. Council adopted the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act as local law in 2001, as part of a budget support law (D.C. Law 14-28), after a temporary emergency version that August. The act is chapter 49 of Title 28 of the D.C. Code and applies to electronic records and signatures created on or after October 3, 2001 (§ 28-4903).
What the District's act says
- Electronic counts as paperA record, signature or contract can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic, and electronic records and signatures satisfy laws requiring a writing or a signature (§ 28-4906).
- Both sides agreeThe act applies only when each party has agreed to transact electronically, judged from context and conduct. Anyone can refuse the next deal (§ 28-4904(b)–(c)).
- Recipients can keep itInformation a law requires in writing can go electronically only in a form the recipient can print or store (§ 28-4907(a), (c)).
- Electronic records can be keptAn electronic copy satisfies a retention rule if it accurately reflects the final record and stays accessible (§ 28-4911).
The definition of an electronic signature is the uniform one: an electronic sound, symbol or process attached to or logically associated with a record and adopted with the intent to sign (§ 28-4901). The method doesn't matter. Intent does.
A short list of exclusions
The District kept the uniform text's exclusions and added none of its own. The act doesn't apply to the laws on creating and signing wills, codicils and testamentary trusts, or to the Uniform Commercial Code except sales and leases of goods (Articles 2 and 2A) and two general sections (§ 28-4902(b)).
A short list doesn't mean every notice can go by email. If another D.C. law says a record must be sent by a specific method, posted, or formatted a certain way, you still have to follow it (§ 28-4907(b)).
Filing with District agencies
The act lets the Mayor decide whether, and how far, District agencies send and accept electronic records and signatures, and it doesn't require any agency to accept them (§ 28-4917). Before you e-sign a form for a District agency, check that agency's filing instructions.
How it fits with the ESIGN Act
The federal ESIGN Act applies in the District too (15 U.S.C. § 7001), and it lets a UETA enactment supersede parts of it (§ 7002). If a law requires you to give a consumer information in writing, also follow ESIGN's consumer consent steps (§ 7001(c)). Our guide covers how the two laws work together.
Remote notarization in D.C.
Since 2022, a notary located in the District can notarize for someone appearing by real-time audio and video (D.C. Code § 1-1231.13a). The notary must identify the signer, record the session and keep the recording for at least 10 years, and must notify the Mayor before the first remote notarization. See remote online notarization. SignMaster doesn't notarize documents.
The District wants written information in a form the recipient can print or store (§ 28-4907). In SignMaster, each signer can download the completed PDF, and the certificate of completion at its end records every event with a timestamp. Signers also agree to sign electronically before they sign, and that consent is kept with the disclosure version they read.
Questions? Answers.
Can I sign a D.C. apartment lease electronically?
In most cases, yes. A lease isn't among the exclusions in § 28-4902(b), so once landlord and tenant agree to go electronic, an e-signature meets a signature requirement (§ 28-4906). Slow down on notices: if a D.C. law says how a landlord notice must be sent, that method still applies (§ 28-4907(b)).
Will a District agency accept an e-signed form?
It depends on the agency. The Mayor decides how agencies use electronic records, and the act doesn't force any agency to accept them (§ 28-4917). Follow the agency's instructions.
Can I get a document notarized online in D.C.?
Yes, by a notary located in the District who identifies you, records the session and has notified the Mayor (§ 1-1231.13a).
Sources
- D.C. Code §§ 28-4901 to 28-4918, Uniform Electronic Transactions · code.dccouncil.gov
- D.C. Code § 28-4917, electronic records and District agencies · code.dccouncil.gov
- D.C. Code § 1-1231.13a, notarial act for a remotely located individual · code.dccouncil.gov
- Uniform Law Commission, Electronic Transactions Act (enactment history) · uniformlaws.org
- 15 U.S.C. § 7001, ESIGN Act general rule of validity (govinfo) · govinfo.gov
- 15 U.S.C. § 7002, state laws that adopt UETA (govinfo) · govinfo.gov
General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and how they apply depends on your situation. For advice about a specific document, talk to a lawyer licensed in your state.