{"id":213628,"date":"2022-02-01T18:57:04","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T05:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/?p=213628"},"modified":"2022-02-03T19:45:20","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T06:45:20","slug":"types-businesses-require-e-signatures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/commercial-contracts\/types-businesses-require-e-signatures\/","title":{"rendered":"What Types of Businesses Require E-Signatures in New Zealand?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Electronic signatures, or e-signatures, are now common in New Zealand. This is partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prohibits people from signing documents in the traditional face-to-face way. If your business is looking to adapt to this new way of working, you may be wondering if electronic signatures will work for you. They can save your business time and money. This article will outline the situations where you can use electronic signatures, what criteria your electronic signatures will need to meet to be valid and some suggestions as to which type of electronic signature may be best for your business. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can I Use Electronic Signatures?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Electronic signatures will likely become more and more common as the business environment continues to change to rely on technology more and more. They allow you to <\/span>send and sign digital documents online<\/span><\/a>, without n<\/span>eeding to print or return signed documents with a handwritten signature. You can use electronic signatures to sign several <\/span>types of contracts<\/span><\/a>, including <\/span>business contracts<\/span><\/a>, employment agreements, leases, and many others. Additionally, you can even use them for the sale and purchase of real estate. Finally, you can also use e-signatures to sign trustee, shareholder and director documentation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the most part, electronic signatures are just as valid at law as handwritten signatures. Therefore, you can treat them as original documents to conduct business. However, some documents or businesses cannot use electronic signatures. Firstly, government departments are often more reluctant to use electronic signatures. Notably, any documents that relate to elections cannot use an electronic signature. Furthermore, you cannot electronically sign any documents used in courts, tribunals, or elsewhere in the justice system. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In addition, some other exclusions are:<\/span><\/p>\n