E-signature legality · Americas
Is electronic signature legal in Chile?
Yes. Acts and contracts signed electronically are valid and have the same effect as those on paper. An advanced electronic signature (firma electrónica avanzada) carries additional evidential weight.
The law
- Ley 19.799 (2002) sobre documentos electrónicos, firma electrónica y servicios de certificación
What still needs wet ink, a notary or a qualified signature
- Acts the law requires to be performed in person or with a formality that cannot be met electronically
- Acts relating to family law
- Acts requiring a public deed unless executed with an advanced signature before a notary
Where Clinch fits
Clinch is built for everyday commercial agreements — freelance and agency contracts, statements of work, NDAs, quotes and service agreements — which in Chileneed no special form. Every signature is captured with the signer's explicit consent, and the signed PDF carries an audit trail (name, email, timestamp of every event, hashed IP) plus a SHA-256 fingerprint of the exact document, so anyone can check it was not changed after signing.
It is a simple electronic signature, not a qualified one: for the documents listed above, use the formality the law requires.
Draft and send a contractOther countries in Americas
This page is general information, not legal advice, and laws change. For a document with high stakes or a formality requirement, check with a lawyer in Chile.
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