Sign an employment contract online (permanent, fixed-term)
Employment contract between an employer and an employee, electronically signed with the same legal value as a paper contract. Compliant with article L1221-1 of the Labour Code (contract formation), article L1242-12 (mandatory written fixed-term contract transmitted within 2 days), eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, 10-year archiving with evidential value.
- Legal framework
- L1221-1 + L1242-12 Labour Code
- Signature level
- eIDAS AES recommended
- Legal archiving
- 10 years included
What is a dematerialized employment contract?
An employment contract is the deed by which an employer and employee formalize their working relationship. For permanent contracts, no written document is mandatory under French law (art. L1221-1 Labour Code), but practice requires one for evidentiary and conventional reasons. For fixed-term contracts (art. L1242-12), a written document is mandatory on pain of reclassification as permanent; it must be transmitted to the employee no later than two business days following hiring (art. L1242-13). Since 2017, late transmission no longer leads to reclassification on its own, but entitles the employee to compensation of up to one month's salary (art. L1245-1). Sending online makes it possible to meet this deadline, and the audit trail dates both the sending and the signature.
Why sign electronically?
2-day fixed-term contract deadline met to the second
Article L1242-13 requires the fixed-term contract to be transmitted to the employee within two business days following hiring; late transmission entitles the employee to compensation of up to one month's salary (art. L1245-1). Certyneo's audit trail dates the sending and the signature, with an RFC 3161 timestamp when one could be obtained — to be produced before the employment court.
Accelerated onboarding — start the same day
No need to wait for postal delivery of the signed paper contract. The employee signs from their phone and can start immediately, with direct access to their digital safe for all their HR documents (contract, amendments, payslips).
10-year archiving with evidential value
The employment contract is kept for the entire duration of employment, then for at least 5 years after the employee leaves. Certyneo archives the signed contract and its eIDAS audit trail for 10 years by default. The signed PDF and its evidence file can be exported at any time to your HRIS or your own archiving system, for longer employment relationships.
Audit trail enforceable before the employment court
Each contract is delivered with a proof PDF: employee identity verified by SMS OTP, RFC 3161 timestamping when it could be obtained (its absence is signalled), SHA-256 hash, IP. Enforceable before the employment court in case of dispute over hiring date, contract nature or clauses.
Which employment contracts can be signed online?
From permanent employment to work-study programs, all employment contracts can be signed electronically with the same legal value as paper.
Permanent contract
Permanent employment contract: the foundation of salaried employment. Have it signed before the employee starts work, with legal value equivalent to a handwritten signature.
Sign a permanent contractFixed-term contract
Fixed-term employment contract: it must be transmitted to the employee within two business days following hiring (art. L1242-13). The audit trail of the electronic sending dates this transmission.
Sign a fixed-term contractTemporary work contract
Temporary staffing and assignment: have the assignment contract and mission contract signed remotely in just a few minutes.
Sign a temporary work contractApprenticeship contract
Collect signatures from the employer, the apprentice (or their legal representative) and the training centre without printing paper.
Sign an apprenticeship contractProfessional development contract
Work-study in professional development contract: sign and submit the contract within the deadline, without re-entry.
Sign a professional contractPayroll outsourcing agreement
Formalize the relationship between the outsourced employee, the payroll company and the client with a compliant electronic signature.
Sign an agreement4-step procedure
From preparation to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Prepare the contract
Upload your permanent or fixed-term contract template (mandatory information: identity of the parties, hiring date, job title, work location, working hours, remuneration, collective agreement, trial period, reason and end date of fixed-term contract).
2. Add signatories
Employer + employee. If guarantor (apprentice, minor), add the legal representative. Each receives a personalized secure link by email with SMS OTP.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, RFC 3161 timestamp requested at each signature. Compliant with article 26 of the eIDAS regulation and enforceable before the employment court.
4. Immediate onboarding
The finalized contract and its audit trail are automatically archived for 10 years, and the employee receives their signed copy. Onboarding can start immediately.
How much does electronic signature of an employment contract cost?
You pay for envelopes sent, not for users or employees. An employment contract signed by the employer and employee, with its annex and internal rules, consumes a single envelope.
| Hires per month | Plan | Monthly price | Cost per contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 (test or one-off hire) | Free | 0 € | 0 € |
| Up to 25 | Personal | 9 € | from €0.36 |
| Up to 100 | Standard | 19 € | from €0.19 |
| Up to 300 | Business | 39 € | from €0.13 |
Prices exclude tax, no commitment. The cost per contract is the plan price divided by its envelope quota: it decreases as you use your quota, and the free plan allows 5 envelopes per month for the first 14 days, then 2 per month.
What is included at no extra cost
Signer authentication by SMS code (eIDAS advanced signature) is included up to the plan quota — 25 SMS on Personal, 100 on Standard. Additional signers, automatic reminders, timestamped proof folder and probative archiving are never charged per transaction.
No billing per HR manager
The Standard plan includes 10 users: your team can grow without inflating your bill. That's the model difference with publishers who charge per sending user, where each new manager multiplies the cost at constant hiring volume.
Frequently asked questions
Can an employment contract be signed electronically?
Yes, without restriction. No provision of the Labor Code requires a handwritten signature. Article 1366 of the Civil Code grants electronic documents the same probative force as paper documents. Certyneo's advanced signature (AES) meets evidentiary requirements in case of labor court disputes.
Is the 2-day deadline for fixed-term contracts really met with electronic signature?
Yes, and with greater precision than paper. Certyneo's audit trail precisely dates the contract's transmission to the employee. The 2-day deadline runs from the effective hire date; electronic signature allows the contract to be sent the same day, or even before the start date.
What happens in case of dispute over the hire date?
Certyneo's audit trail dates the signature, and an RFC 3161 timestamp issued by a third-party service confirms it when one could be obtained: the proof certificate states whether it is missing. It can be produced before the labour court. No more debate over "backdated contract" or "never received": the technical proof is verifiable end to end.
What signature level for an employment contract?
Advanced signature (AES) recommended. It is admissible in court (art. 1367 Civil Code) and its evidence file demonstrates its reliability in case of dispute. SES is undersized given labor law stakes; QES is oversized.
How long must an employment contract be kept?
For the entire duration of employment, then for at least 5 years after the employee leaves: this is the generally recommended period, covering the limitation periods for claims relating to the contract and salary. Certyneo archives the contract and its audit trail for 10 years by default; beyond that, export the signed PDF and its evidence to your HRIS or your archiving system.
Can an amendment be signed electronically?
Yes — amendments to the employment contract (change of function, location, compensation, duration) are signed like the initial contract, with an advanced signature. The amendment is archived with the contract in the same employee file.
Must the contract be in two copies?
Article L1242-12 requires a written copy transmitted to the employee for fixed-term contracts. With electronic signature, this requirement is satisfied by making the signed PDF available in the employee's digital vault + sending the PDF by email. No need for two paper copies.
Is an electronically signed contract enforceable in labor court?
Yes — labor court case law recognizes eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures. Advanced signature (AES) is admissible as evidence (art. 1366 and 1367 Civil Code); the presumption of reliability being reserved for the qualified signature, its reliability is demonstrated by producing the audit trail.
Can you have a fixed-term contract, apprenticeship contract or secondment agreement signed in the same way?
Yes. Permanent contracts, fixed-term contracts, temporary work contracts, apprenticeships, professionalization agreements and secondment conventions can all be signed electronically with the same legal value. Only the document template changes; the advanced signature process (AES) and archiving remain identical.
Does the employee need to create an account to sign their contract?
No. The employee receives a link by email and signs directly from their browser, without creating an account or installing an application. They then receive a copy of the signed contract and can find it at any time in their digital safe.
How much does electronic signature of an employment contract cost?
Between €0 and approximately €0.36 per contract depending on your hiring volume. The free plan covers 5 contracts per month for the first 14 days, then 2 per month; from €9/month you get 25 envelopes, or approximately €0.36 per contract, and €19/month covers 100, or approximately €0.19. The price is the same regardless of the number of signatories to the contract.
Do you need to pay a subscription per HR manager?
No. Billing is based on envelopes sent, not on users: the Standard plan includes 10 users and the Business Pro plan has unlimited. An HR department of five people therefore pays the same price as a single manager with equal hiring volume.
Go further
Discover our HR resources on termination by mutual agreement and payroll outsourcing or consult our guides on differences between permanent and fixed-term contracts and how to sign an employment contract electronically.
Also read
Other HR topics related to employment contract
Sign your first employment contract online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes for 14 days, then 2/mo), without credit card. Compliant with Labor Code and eIDAS. Audit trail and 10-year archiving included.