Someone in HR asks if typing your name in a signature field really counts. It does — and the legal frameworks supporting it have been in force for two decades. We're not lawyers, but the answer here is unambiguous.
The legal position
Under ESIGN (US), UETA, eIDAS (EU/UK), Australia's Electronic Transactions Act, and similar legislation worldwide, the form of an electronic signature doesn't matter at the SES level. What matters is intent.
A typed name is a signature provided it's intended as a signature. Courts in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the EU have all upheld typed signatures repeatedly.
Where typed signatures are common
Clickwrap consents (typing your name to accept terms), employment offers, NDAs, supplier agreements, consumer purchases, online petitions. All commonly use typed signatures.
Flint's signing tool offers typed as one of the three options (typed, drawn, uploaded image). For most B2B signing, typed is the fastest and looks the most consistent across signatures.
Where typed isn't enough
For AES and QES under eIDAS, typed signatures don't qualify on their own — they need to be backed by additional cryptographic identity controls. Use a qualified trust service provider for QES-level signing.
For some regulated forms — certain FDA submissions, some immigration documents, occasionally inheritance tax forms — a wet-ink signature may still be required by the specific form. Read the form's instructions.
FAQ
Can I type someone else's name as a signature?
No. Typing someone else's name without authority is forgery — same as forging a wet-ink signature.
Should I type my full name?
Yes — first and last as a minimum, matching how you would sign legally. Initials only is usually accepted but less unambiguous.
Is a typed signature stronger or weaker than a drawn one?
Legally equivalent at the SES level. The audit trail (IP, timestamp, intent) is what matters, not the visual form.
Does the font matter?
No legally. Stylised script fonts are common but optional. The act of typing with intent is the signature, not the typography.
Type your name with intent and you've signed. Sign in Flint — type, draw, or upload, all equally valid.