Are electronic signatures legal in the Cayman Islands? Which laws primarily regulate electronic signatures?
Electronic signatures are legal in the Cayman Islands, and electronic signatures in the Cayman Islands are primarily regulated by the Electronic Transactions Law (revised 2003) (hereinafter referred to as “ETL”).
What types of electronic signatures are recognized in the Cayman Islands? What are the respective requirements?
The Cayman Islands recognizes two types of electronic signatures, namely electronic signatures and reliable electronic signatures.
1. Electronic Signatures
An “electronic signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with an electronic record, executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the electronic record.
In a court, arbitration tribunal, or arbitration proceeding, regardless of whether its nature is legal, judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative, the admissibility of electronic records or electronic signatures as evidence shall not be denied solely because they are electronic records or electronic signatures.
By default, eSignGlobal electronic signatures can meet the requirements for electronic signatures in the Cayman Islands
2. Reliable Electronic Signatures
According to the ETL, electronic signatures have the same legal effect as wet signatures, provided that the electronic signatures and their generation methods:
- are reliable based on their purpose and specific circumstances; and
- otherwise comply with all requirements for such signatures in relevant laws, regulations, contracts, or deeds.
Electronic signatures should be considered reliable if they meet the following conditions:
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in the context of their use, the method of creating electronic signatures is associated with the signatory and not with any other person;
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at the time of signing, the method of creating electronic signatures is under the control of the signatory and not under the control of any other person;
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any changes made to the electronic signature after signing are detectable;
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if one of the legal requirements for the signature is to ensure the integrity of the relevant information, any changes made to that information after signing are detectable.
Paragraph (3) does not restrict any person from:
- proving the reliability of an electronic signature by other means to meet the requirements described in paragraph (1); or
- providing evidence that the electronic signature is unreliable.
Signatures provided by eSignGlobal after integrating local trusted service providers can meet the requirements for reliable electronic signatures in the Cayman Islands
In which scenarios in the Cayman Islands is a traditional signature required?
Traditional signatures are typically required in the following scenarios:
- Wills or other testamentary instruments
- Documents that need to be signed and/or witnessed in the presence of a notary public
- Legal proceedings-related documents that need to be sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths
★ Disclaimer:
The content of this page is for reference only. It aims to provide background information on the electronic signature legal framework in various countries/regions. Please note that the content of this page does not constitute legal advice and should not be used or relied upon as legal advice. For any legal issues related to your use of electronic signatures in a specific jurisdiction, we recommend consulting relevant legal counsel. eSignGlobal is not responsible for any express, implied, or statutory representations or warranties regarding this page or its materials, including but not limited to representations, warranties, or guarantees of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or accuracy. If there are other language versions of the electronic signature compliance explanation, and their content is inconsistent with the Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
Last updated:2025-12-17