How to Sign a Contract Electronically in Saudi Arabia

A contract no longer needs a printer, a courier or everyone in the same room. In Saudi Arabia you can prepare a contract, send it to every party, have each one prove who they are, and end up with one signed PDF and a record of how it was signed. Here are the steps with ilzam, and what to check before you start.

Sign a contract electronically in 6 steps

1. Upload the contract. Open ilzam and add the contract as a PDF, from your phone, your computer or your cloud storage.
2. Add the people. Add every signer, and, if you need them, approvers (who accept or refuse without signing) and viewers (who only need to see it). Decide the order: the next person is invited when it is their turn.
3. Choose how each person proves who they are. A code sent by email, SMS or WhatsApp; a password you share with them; or Nafath, Saudi Arabia's national digital identity service, for the strongest check.
4. Place the fields. Put a signature, a stamp, a date or a text field exactly where each person has to act on the page.
5. Send it and follow it. Each person gets a link. You see who has signed, who is still waiting, and who refused. You can remind the ones who are late.
6. Keep the proof. When the last person has signed you have the signed PDF and a record of who signed, when and from where. The signed file carries a QR code anyone can scan to check it is genuine.

What the other party does

They do not need an account. They open the link in the email, SMS or WhatsApp message, prove who they are with the check you chose, read the contract, and then sign it, or decline it. A person who is not the right one can also choose to ignore it, and then the contract ends for everyone: they are asked to confirm that first, because it cannot be undone.

Which identity check should you choose?

• A code by email, SMS or WhatsApp is right for everyday contracts: it proves the person controls that address or phone.
• A password suits a contract you agreed face to face, where you can give the password in person.
• Nafath ties the signature to the person's national identity. Choose it when you must be able to show who signed, for example for an employment or a financing contract.

Before you send: a short checklist

• The PDF is the final version: a change after signing means starting again.
• You have the right name and the right phone or email for every signer, in the right order.
• Every place that needs an action has a field, including the initials and the date.
• You know what kind of document it is, and whether the other party has any special requirement for it.

Questions people ask

Can a contract be signed electronically in Saudi Arabia?

Yes, many contracts are signed electronically every day. Some documents have special requirements, so check yours with the party that asked for it, or a lawyer. Read about the law.

Do the signers need an account?

No. Each signer opens a link and proves who they are with a code, a password or Nafath, then signs.

How do I know who signed?

You see each person's status, and the signed file comes with a record of who signed, when and from where, plus a QR code to check it is genuine.

What if someone refuses to sign?

They can decline, with a reason, or ignore the document. You see the status at once and the contract ends; you can send a corrected one.

Read the complete guide: Electronic Signature in Saudi Arabia: The Complete Guide