E-signature legality in France
France gives e-signatures the same legal force as handwritten signatures under the Code civil.
The law in plain language
France implements eIDAS through Décret n° 2017-1416 (2017) which clarifies how electronic signatures interact with Articles 1366-1368 of the Code civil. Article 1367 explicitly recognises electronic signatures as equivalent to handwritten signatures when produced by a reliable identification process — qualified electronic signatures benefit from a legal presumption of reliability.
- Primary framework
- eIDAS + Décret n° 2017-1416 + Code civil Art. 1366-1368
- National act
- Décret n° 2017-1416 du 28 septembre 2017 relatif à la signature électronique
Signature tiers recognised in {country}
France recognises the three eIDAS-aligned tiers. The right tier depends on the contract — most B2B documents are fine with SES; AES adds an identity-binding factor; QES carries the legal force of a handwritten signature for documents that require written form.
The baseline — admissible as evidence in court. Suitable for everyday commercial contracts.
SES + a second factor (typically SMS) that uniquely binds the signature to the signer.
AES + a qualified certificate from a Qualified Trust Service Provider. Equivalent to a wet signature.
Routinely signed electronically
- B2B service agreements, SaaS contracts, supplier MSAs
- NDAs, sales orders, partner agreements
- Employment offer letters, onboarding paperwork
- Independent contractor + freelance engagement letters
- Quotes, invoices, statements of work
- Internal HR documents (policy acknowledgements, training)
Still need wet ink
- Real estate transfers and mortgages (notarisation required)
- Wills, testaments, and inheritance documents
- Marriage, divorce, adoption and other family law instruments
- Some employment-termination documents under national labour law
- Acts requiring a "acte authentique" (notarial act) under French law
- Promissory notes and bills of exchange (Code de commerce Art. L. 511-1)
Specifics for France
- Article 1367 Code civil gives QES a legal presumption of reliability — the burden of proof shifts to the party challenging the signature.
- France Connect is the national digital identity platform; supports qualified signing through partner QTSPs.
Local Qualified Trust Service Providers
We recognise certificates from these providers when verifying signed PDFs on /verify.
- ChamberSign France
- Universign
- CertEurope
- LuxTrust
Underlying standards
The legal force above comes from these technical + regulatory standards. Each has its own page with the full detail.
Signed contracts in France, in 90 seconds
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