SignNow Launches Free, Legally-Binding E-signature Service for Consumers

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SignNow™, Inc. – a pioneer in the consumer e-signature market – today announced it has launched its free service for easily e-signing virtually any electronic document on PCs and mobile devices. SignNow expects strong interest from small business owners, professionals or anyone seeking a free, simple and legally-binding way to add their signature to an electronic document. 

Given the universal use of electronically-generated documents, it seems quaintly old-fashioned to print a document only to physically sign it, then fax or scan the document back into electronic format just for a signature. In the United States, both federal and state laws stipulate that e-signatures for virtually all documents are legal and binding (with the exception of a few obscure documents, such as those related to nuclear facilities and Air Traffic Control).

Users simply visit www.signnow.com, select the document they want e-signed from their computer and use their mouse or smartphone touchscreen to sign the document with a digitized signature. As an alternative to signing with a mouse or finger, users can also select a handwriting font and type in their signature, which is just as binding. Users can sign their own documents or easily obtain a signature from a client or friend by entering the new signer's email to invite them to sign.

Once all signers are finished, the e-signed document is then emailed to the user-chosen recipients and deleted from SignNow's system within 30 minutes of signature completion. As an aid to user privacy, it is not even necessary to sign up for an account to use www.signnow.com – SignNow is jumpstarting the market by offering all this for free and with an exceptionally clear privacy agreement.

To verify each signature, SignNow uses military-grade encrypted "certificates" that are attached to each unique usage of SignNow. These certificates are electronically issued by the most trusted name in PC security, Symantec™, and are authorized by VeriSign®, the leader in electronic security for electronic transactions.  

Each certificate is original and also incorporates the unique IP address of the signer – these certificates are then signed and encrypted using 256-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), the same standard used by the US military and considered unbreakable using conventional technology. Through this technique, each and every SignNow signing has an electronic "fingerprint" that is as legally binding as a physical signature, but with far greater security and authentication than a remotely-signed, un-witnessed signature.

"We are very excited to be launching this new service that brings fast, free and easy e-signing to everyone," said Chris Hawkins, CEO of SignNow, Inc. "For too long, e-signatures have been the domain of large corporations, governments and technology power users – using SignNow, anyone can electronically sign documents without paying or signing up. Legality is backed up by both State and Federal law and we are confident this will be a real turning point to bring e-signing to everyday life."

About SignNow

SignNow, Inc. is an Angel-funded startup seeking to bring the millennia-old practice of using hardcopy signatures into the digital age through user-friendly, consumer-oriented Web applications. Designed to meet or exceed the security provided by long-standing handwritten practices, SignNow offers a simple, effective way to e-sign digital files without the need to scan, fax or mail documents. Learn more at www.signnow.com.

SignNow is a trademark of SignNow, Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks previously cited are the property of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. Editors note: Logos, screenshots and additional data are available from the SignNow PR contact.

SOURCE SignNow, Inc.