Questions, answered plainly
The law, the signing experience, the evidence and the billing. Cannot find your question? Ask us.
The law
Are electronic signatures legally valid in South Africa?
Yes, in general. The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA) says a signature may not be denied legal effect only because it is electronic, and most documents can be signed this way. Some document types are excluded, and some laws or counterparties ask for more — see the next two questions.
This page is general information, not legal advice. If a document matters a great deal, ask your attorney.
What cannot be signed electronically?
ECTA excludes certain documents, which must still be signed in the way the relevant law requires. The best-known examples are agreements for the sale of land (such as offers to purchase and deeds of sale, under the Alienation of Land Act), long-term leases of land of more than 20 years, wills and codicils, and bills of exchange. Other laws can add their own formalities.
Do not use Signetec for documents the law requires to be signed in ink. Our Acceptable Use Policy says the same.
What kind of electronic signature does Signetec provide?
Standard electronic signatures: the signatory’s name and email verified by a one-time code, a drawn, typed or uploaded signature, the date and time, their location, and a tamper-evident audit trail. For the large majority of everyday business documents this is what is needed.
ECTA also describes advanced electronic signatures, which are issued through an accredited authentication service provider. Signetec is not an accredited provider. If a particular law or counterparty specifically requires an advanced signature, you will need one from an accredited provider.
Signing
Do the people signing need an account?
No. They open the private link in the email, confirm a one-time code, and sign. It works in any modern browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with nothing to install.
How is a signer’s identity checked?
Signetec sends a one-time code to the email address you gave for that signatory and they must enter it before they can sign. We record that verification in the audit trail. We do not check government ID documents, so for situations that need stronger identity proof, collect and file that separately.
How do people sign?
They can draw their signature with a finger or mouse, type their name in a signature style, or upload an image of their signature. Signetec also records the date, time, device details and their location, from the device when permitted or typed in.
Can a document have several signatories?
Yes. Add as many signatories as the document needs. Each gets their own link and verification, and you can copy in other people who should be told about the outcome.
Can signers fill in details too?
Yes. Fields you mark for the signatory — an ID number, a choice from a list, a date — appear for them to complete before they sign, and the document updates as they do.
Evidence and timestamps
What is in the evidence package?
A PDF with a cover page, the signed document, a record for each signatory (name, email, verification method, signing time and location, device), the blockchain timestamp details with instructions for verifying them, and the complete audit trail.
What does the Bitcoin timestamp prove?
It proves that a document with exactly that fingerprint existed at that time and has not changed since. It does not by itself prove who signed — that is what the verification records and audit trail are for.
Bitcoin confirmation is not instant: a timestamp usually becomes final within a few hours, and the evidence package says whether it is still pending.
Does my document go onto the blockchain?
No. Only a SHA-256 fingerprint of the document is submitted. The fingerprint cannot be turned back into the document, and the document itself stays in Signetec.
Accounts and billing
How much does it cost?
R199 a month or R1 990 a year in rand, $10 a month or $100 a year in dollars, with everything included. Team pricing is arranged per organisation. See the pricing page.
How do I pay, and can I cancel?
South African customers pay in rand through PayFast; everyone else pays in dollars through Paddle. You can cancel any time from your account page and keep access until the end of the period you have paid for.
Can my whole team use one account?
Yes, with an organisation account. Invite colleagues by email, give them a role (Admin, Manager, Agent or Viewer), organise them into branches and add or remove seats as you grow. Contact us for a price.
Which languages does Signetec support?
The application, the signing page and the emails are available in English (UK and US), Spanish (Spain and Latin America) and Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil). This website is in English for now.
Your data
Where is my data kept?
Primarily on Google Cloud in Johannesburg, South Africa, encrypted in transit and at rest. If you are outside South Africa, we handle the cross-border transfer with the contractual safeguards your law requires — see the Region Schedule in our Privacy Policy. We do not yet offer a choice of hosting region; if you need one, tell us. Read more on the security page.
Can I get my documents out?
Yes. Signed PDFs and evidence packages can be downloaded at any time. If you close your account, our Terms of Service give you a period afterwards to export your documents and records.