Yes  and it’s legally solid. If you’re onboarding staff remotely, running a paperless office, or simply trying to cut the admin overhead of chasing wet signatures, electronic signatures are a fully legitimate way to execute UK employment contracts.

The Legal Position

UK law is clear: electronic signatures are legally valid. The Electronic Communications Act 2000 established that e-signatures carry full legal weight, and the UK’s retained version of the eIDAS Regulation provides a recognised framework for how they work.

The Law Commission has specifically confirmed that electronic signatures can be used to execute documents, including employment contracts.

Worth knowing:
Strictly speaking, an employment contract doesn’t even need to be signed at all. Under UK law, a contract can be verbal or implied. But getting a signed agreement protects both parties if terms are disputed later, a signed contract is your evidence. Always get it signed.

Three Types of Electronic Signature

Under UK eIDAS, there are three recognised levels:

Simple Electronic Signature (SES) — a typed name, a tick box, or a scanned signature image. Perfectly valid for the vast majority of employment contracts.
✓ Sufficient for most standard hires

Advanced Electronic Signature (AdES) — uniquely linked to the signer, with a tamper-evident audit trail. Adds stronger identity assurance for sensitive roles.

Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) — the highest level, backed by a government-accredited trust service. Rarely required for employment contracts.

For standard employment agreements, a Simple Electronic Signature is sufficient. Most businesses never need to go beyond this.

One Exception: Deeds

If your employment contract is executed as a deed, typically because it contains a power of attorney clause (common when protecting IP rights or share transfers) the rules tighten.

A deed must be signed in the presence of a witness. That witness must be physically present at the time of signing not watching via video call. Electronic witnessing is possible, but both the signatory and witness must share the same location when the deed is executed.

For most standard employment contracts this doesn’t apply. But if your legal team has included a power of attorney clause, confirm the execution requirements before going fully digital.

What Makes an E-Signed Contract Enforceable

To hold up if challenged, including in an employment tribunal. Your e-signed contract should evidence:

  • Intent to sign — the employee actively completed the signing action
  • Consent to transact electronically — ideally captured during the process
  • Identity verification — the platform records who signed
  • Audit trail — timestamps, IP addresses, and a full signing history
  • Tamper-evidence — any alteration post-signing is detectable

A good e-signature platform handles all of this automatically.

Choosing the Right Tool

Not all e-signature tools are equal. For employment contracts, look for:

  • UK-compliant audit trails that hold up in an employment tribunal
  • Tamper-evident documents with cryptographic seals
  • Automatic notifications so you know when a contract is viewed and signed
  • Secure storage with easy retrieval if disputes arise
  • Employee-friendly UX — the simpler it is to sign, the faster your onboarding moves

Eezaly is built precisely for this. Simple, legally compliant e-signatures without the enterprise price tag — send a contract, track its progress, store it securely. All in one place.

Try Eezaly Free →

The Bottom Line

Yes employment contracts can be signed electronically in the UK. It’s legal, it’s recognised, and it’s faster than chasing paper through the post. The key is using a platform that generates a proper audit trail and keeps your signatures evidentially sound. For most standard employment contracts, a Simple Electronic Signature is all you need.

If you’re still printing, scanning, and emailing PDFs… there’s a better way.