Are electronic signatures legal in Switzerland?
Yes. Swiss contract law starts from freedom of form, so most agreements can be signed electronically. Where the law requires simple written form, only a qualified electronic signature combined with a qualified time stamp under the Federal Act on Electronic Signatures (ZertES) counts as a handwritten signature. Switzerland isn't in the EU, so eIDAS doesn't apply directly.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 2 min read
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Switzerland: at a glance
Country · CH- E-signature law
- Federal Act on Electronic Signatures (ZertES) and Code of Obligations art. 14
- Citation
- SR 943.03; OR art. 14(2bis)
- In effect since
- 2017
- Framework
- Swiss national law; not part of the EU, so eIDAS doesn't apply directly
- Doesn't cover
- Simple written form: qualified signature plus qualified time stamp only (OR art. 14(2bis))
- Land purchases need public notarization (OR art. 216)
- Handwritten wills must be written by hand (ZGB art. 505)
Article 14 of the Code of Obligations
Article 14(1) of the Code of Obligations (OR/CO) says a signature must be written by hand. Article 14(2bis) makes the exception: a qualified electronic signature combined with a qualified electronic time stamp, under the Federal Act of 18 March 2016 on Electronic Signatures (ZertES, SR 943.03), is equivalent to a handwritten signature. The federal communications office (OFCOM/BAKOM) stresses that only this combination is equated with handwriting.
ZertES defines the levels. A qualified signature is an advanced electronic signature made with a qualified signature creation device and based on a qualified certificate from a provider recognized in Switzerland. According to the federal IT office (BIT), certificates from EU, EEA or other countries aren't automatically treated as qualified in Switzerland.
When you need the qualified signature
Because most transactions are form-free, the qualified signature only matters where the law requires at least simple written form. The federal IT office gives these examples:
- an assignment of a claim (Zession);
- an apprenticeship contract (Lehrvertrag);
- a non-compete agreement;
- an acknowledgment of debt (Schuldanerkennung); and
- consumer credit agreements, which OFCOM names as one of the few transactions that need a qualified signature.
What still needs a notary or your own hand
- Real estate. A contract to buy land requires public notarization to be valid (OR art. 216).
- Handwritten wills must be written by hand from beginning to end, including the date, and signed by the testator (Civil Code art. 505).
Where SignMaster fits
SignMaster provides simple electronic signatures, which suit form-free Swiss contracts: quotes (Offerten), service and work contracts, purchase orders and NDAs. It doesn't provide qualified signatures or qualified time stamps, so it can't meet article 14(2bis). Signers can use the signing page in French or English, and each signed PDF ends with a certificate of completion recording emails, IP addresses and timestamps, with a SHA-256 fingerprint of the document.
Questions? Answers.
Is an electronic signature valid in Switzerland?
Yes, for the many contracts that need no particular form. Where simple written form is required, only a qualified electronic signature with a qualified time stamp under ZertES counts as handwritten (OR art. 14(2bis)).
Is an EU qualified signature valid in Switzerland?
Not automatically as a qualified signature. The federal IT office says EU, EEA and other foreign certificates aren't automatically treated as qualified in Switzerland, because ZertES requires a provider recognized there.
Can I sign an employment contract electronically in Switzerland?
Usually yes, since most employment terms need no particular form. Clauses that require written form, such as a non-compete, need a qualified signature with a qualified time stamp to be signed electronically.
Sources
- Code of Obligations (OR), art. 14 (Fedlex) · fedlex.admin.ch
- Federal Act on Electronic Signatures (ZertES), SR 943.03 (Fedlex) · fedlex.admin.ch
- Civil Code (ZGB), art. 505 (Fedlex) · fedlex.admin.ch
- OFCOM/BAKOM, What legal force do electronic signatures have? · bakom.admin.ch
- Federal Office of Information Technology (BIT), Vertragsrecht · bit.admin.ch
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 where you are.