Electronic Signature in Saudi Arabia: The Complete Guide

Contracts, offer letters, quotations, approvals: in Saudi Arabia most of them can now be signed on a phone in under a minute, with no printer and no courier. This is the complete guide: what an electronic signature is, where it is used, the types, how to sign and send documents, how to be sure who signed, and how to choose an e-signature app.

What is an electronic signature?

An electronic signature (e-signature) is any electronic way of showing that a person agrees to the content of a document: a typed name, a signature drawn on a screen, a tap on "I agree", or an uploaded image of a handwritten signature. What counts is the intent to sign, together with a reliable way to link the signature to the person and to the document. It is not the same thing as a digital signature, which is one specific, certificate-based technology; the difference is explained in Electronic signature vs digital signature.

Can I use an electronic signature in Saudi Arabia?

Yes, and people do, every day: contracts, offer letters, quotations, approvals and forms are signed on phones across the Kingdom, and the Kingdom has a law for electronic transactions. Some documents have special requirements, such as certain official deeds, so for your own document it is worth a quick check with the party that asked for it. If you want the background, read what the law says about e-signatures.

The types of electronic signature

• A simple electronic signature: a drawn, typed or uploaded signature recorded with the document and an audit trail. Right for most everyday agreements.
• A signature with a verified identity: the same, but the signer first proves who they are, with a code, a password or Nafath. This is what makes a signature easy to defend.
• A certified (digital) signature: a signature backed by a digital certificate. Some transactions or organisations ask for this kind, so ask if you are not sure.

For the great majority of agreements (contracts, approvals, consent forms, quotations, confidentiality agreements), a signature with a verified identity and a tamper-evident audit trail is the right choice. Use the certified kind when a regulation or the other party asks for it.

How to sign a document online

There are three situations, and ilzam covers all of them:

1. You sign a document yourself. Open the PDF in ilzam, draw, type or upload your signature, place it where it belongs and save the signed copy. Step by step: How to sign a PDF online.
2. You send a document for others to sign. Add each signer, approver or viewer, decide the order, place their fields, choose how each proves who they are and send. You follow every person's status and remind the ones who are late. Step by step: How to sign a contract electronically in Saudi Arabia.
3. Someone sends a document to you. You open the link from the email, SMS or WhatsApp message, prove who you are, read the document and sign, approve or decline. You do not need an account.

How the signer's identity is checked

The strength of a signature is mostly the strength of the answer to "who signed?". With ilzam the sender chooses, per signer:

• A code sent by email, SMS or WhatsApp: it proves the person controls that address or phone.
• A password shared in advance: it suits a document agreed face to face.
• Nafath, the national digital identity platform: the signer confirms in the Nafath app with face verification or their PIN, which ties the signature to a national identity. How it looks to the signer is in Nafath signature: how a signer proves who they are.

What makes a signature hold up

A signature is easiest to defend when it has these five things:

1. It is linked to the signer and to nobody else.
2. The signer controlled it: only they could have made it.
3. The identity can be verified: you can show how the signer was identified.
4. Intent and consent are clear: the signer chose to sign, and agreed to sign electronically.
5. Integrity: a change to the document after signing can be detected.

A record of who signed, when and from where turns a mark on a page into evidence. That record, and the signed PDF with a QR code anyone can scan to check it, are what you keep.

Who uses electronic signatures

• Human resources: offer letters, employment contracts, policies to acknowledge, leave and termination forms.
• Sales and procurement: quotations, purchase orders, service agreements, renewals.
• Property and brokerage: brokerage agreements, tenancy paperwork and handover forms.
• Finance and insurance: application forms, consents, authorisations.
• Freelancers, agencies and clinics: engagement letters, statements of work, consent forms.
• Companies with many documents: one template, many recipients, one dashboard.

How to choose an e-signature app

Ask these questions of any service, ilzam included:

• How does it identify the signer? A code is the minimum; Nafath is the strongest for Saudi users.
• Does the signer need an account? Every extra step loses signatures. Signing from a link is best.
• Does it speak Arabic? Both the screens and the documents should work right to left.
• What record does it keep? Who signed, when and from where, and a way to verify the signed file.
• Can you follow and remind? You need to see who is late without writing emails.
• Does it work on a phone? Most signatures happen on a phone.
• Can it handle your volume? Templates and sending one document to many people save hours.
• What does it cost, and in what currency? Look for a free start and prices in riyals.

What ilzam gives you

• Sign and send PDFs from iPhone, Android and the web, in Arabic and English, right to left.
• Signers act from a link, with no account, after a code, a password or Nafath.
• Signatures and stamps, text and date fields, and an order for the signers.
• Status for every person, reminders, and the option for a participant to approve, decline or step out.
• A record of who signed, when and from where, and a QR code to verify the signed file.
• Templates, and sending one document to many people.
• Free to start, with plans and packages when you need more.

Mistakes to avoid

• Sending a draft: a change after signing means starting again.
• Wrong name, phone or email for a signer, or the wrong order.
• Forgetting a field for the date or the initials.
• Treating every document as signable electronically without checking the exceptions.
• Not keeping the signed file with its record.
• Sharing a verification code or password in the same message as the link.

Questions people ask

Can I use an electronic signature in Saudi Arabia?

Yes. Contracts, offer letters, quotations and forms are signed electronically every day. Some documents have special requirements, so check yours with the party that asked for it. Read about the law.

Can I sign a PDF online for free?

Yes. In ilzam you can sign a PDF on iPhone, Android or the web and start for free. Here is how.

Does the person I send a document to need an account?

No. They open the link, prove who they are with a code, a password or Nafath, and sign.

What is Nafath and why use it?

Nafath is the national digital identity platform. The signer confirms in the Nafath app, which ties the signature to a national identity. Use it when you must be able to show who signed. How it works.

What is the difference between an electronic and a digital signature?

An electronic signature is the broad legal concept: any electronic way of showing intent to sign. A digital signature is one specific, certificate-based technology for it. The difference in detail.

How do I know a signed document is genuine?

The signed PDF carries a QR code you can scan to check it, and a record of who signed, when and from where.

What if someone refuses to sign?

They can decline with a reason, or ignore the document. You see the status at once and can send a corrected version.

Will the other party accept an electronic signature?

Most do. Some organisations have their own rules for certain documents, so it is worth asking before you send.

Keep reading

• Are electronic signatures legal in Saudi Arabia?: the law, the conditions, the exceptions.
• How to sign a contract electronically in Saudi Arabia: the six steps.
• Nafath signature: how a signer proves who they are.
• How to send a document for signature and track it.
• Sign employment contracts and offer letters electronically: a guide for HR teams.
• E-signature for schools: staff contracts and forms with parents.
• E-signature for companies and institutions: staff, clients and suppliers.
• E-signature for individuals: sign from your phone.
• E-signature for leases and rental paperwork.
• iDara Sign is now ilzam.
• How to sign a PDF online (free).
• Electronic signature vs digital signature.