Are electronic signatures legal in the UAE?
Updated
Yes. Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021 on Electronic Transactions and Trust Services recognizes electronic signatures. It replaced Federal Law No. 1 of 2006 and took effect on 2 January 2022. This page is general information, not legal advice, and laws change, so check the current rules for your situation.
What the law says
Any form of electronic signature can be used unless other legislation restricts it. The old 2006 law excluded certain transactions, such as property deals and negotiable instruments. The 2021 law removed those blanket exclusions.
There are three types of electronic signature: a standard electronic signature, an approved (reliable) electronic signature, and a qualified electronic signature. Approved and qualified signatures have the same legal effect as a handwritten signature when the law's conditions are met. Trust service providers for these are licensed by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
Free zones and other laws
The federal law covers onshore UAE. Free zones such as DIFC and ADGM have their own rules. Other legislation can still require specific formalities for certain documents, such as notarization or registration, so check before relying on an e-signature for property, court or government documents.
What KamiSign provides
KamiSign provides standard electronic signatures backed by a Certificate of Completion. It is not a licensed trust service provider in the UAE, so use one if your document needs an approved or qualified signature.
Sources
Overview: Al Tamimi & Co. on the new UAE electronic transactions law. Law text: UAE Legislation portal.
What KamiSign records
Every fully signed KamiSign document comes with a Certificate of Completion listing who signed, when, whether their email was verified, and a SHA-256 fingerprint of the document. You can also ask signers to verify their email before they sign.
Frequently asked questions
Are electronic signatures legal in the UAE?
Yes. Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021 recognizes electronic signatures, and any form of e-signature can be used unless other legislation restricts it.
What types of e-signature exist under UAE law?
Three: a standard electronic signature, an approved electronic signature and a qualified electronic signature. The approved and qualified types carry stronger legal effect.
Do DIFC and ADGM follow the same law?
No. Free zones such as DIFC and ADGM have their own e-signature rules, separate from the federal law.
Can I e-sign property or government documents?
The 2021 law removed the old blanket exclusions, but other laws may still require formalities, so check with a UAE lawyer or the relevant authority first.