UETA (Uniform Electronic Transactions Act)
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) is a model law, approved by the Uniform Law Commission in 1999, that states adopt to give electronic records and signatures the same legal standing as paper and ink.
Updated October 13, 2026 · 1 min read
What it says
- A record or signature can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic (Section 7).
- If a law requires a writing, an electronic record satisfies it. If a law requires a signature, an electronic signature satisfies it.
- It applies only when both sides have agreed to do business electronically, which can be shown by their conduct (Section 5).
"Electronic signature" means 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 the record.
Where it applies
Every state except New York has adopted UETA. Illinois was the most recent, in 2021. New York has its own law, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act, which gives an electronic signature the same validity as one signed by hand. States can add their own exclusions, so check your state's page. UETA works alongside the federal ESIGN Act.
UETA doesn't cover wills, codicils or testamentary trusts, or most of the Uniform Commercial Code (sales and leases of goods stay covered).
How SignMaster follows it
Before anyone signs, SignMaster asks them to agree to use electronic records and signatures, and lets them decline. Their agreement, signature and timestamps go into the audit trail and the certificate of completion.
Sources
- Uniform Law Commission, Electronic Transactions Act · uniformlaws.org
- Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (1999), final text (Uniform Law Commission) · uniformlaws.org
- Illinois Public Act 102-0038 (2021), Uniform Electronic Transactions Act · ilga.gov
- N.Y. State Technology Law § 304, Electronic Signatures and Records Act · nysenate.gov