Is an electronically signed service contract valid?

Yes, fully. Article 1101 of the French Civil Code defines a contract as an agreement of wills intended to create legal effects: once the service provider and client sign, the service contract (work for hire) is formed and binds both parties. Article 1366 of the French Civil Code recognizes electronic writing with the same probative force as paper, subject to signatory identification and document integrity. Certyneo meets these conditions via dual-channel OTP and SHA-256 fingerprint embedded in the PDF, with evidence admissible before commercial court.

What essential provisions must a service contract contain?

A robust service contract specifies: the scope and deliverables exhaustively listed, the duration and renewal conditions, the price and payment methods (to be aligned with the invoicing rules of article L441-1 of the French Commercial Code), late payment penalties, confidentiality clause, subcontracting regime and intellectual property of deliverables. These are the clauses that electronic signature locks in: the SHA-256 fingerprint guarantees that none have been modified after acceptance. You can add a signature field on critical annexes (specifications, schedule, terms and conditions) to materialize detailed acceptance.

How to manage duration and tacit renewal at signature?

The duration and renewal clause appear in the body of the signed contract: their acceptance is dated with certainty by the qualified timestamp, which unambiguously fixes the project start date and renewal deadlines. For a contract with tacit renewal, keep the original signed contract as proof of the framework applicable to each renewed period. If you wish to modify the conditions at the expiry date, simply issue an amendment or new contract to sign, rather than letting the old one renew tacitly.

Is the confidentiality clause secured by electronic signature?

Yes. The confidentiality clause (or non-disclosure agreement embedded in the contract) is covered by the SHA-256 hash that protects the entire signed document: its exact content, as accepted, is frozen and time-stamped. In case of breach, the proof PDF establishes precisely which version of the clause was accepted, by whom and on what date. This traceability strengthens the enforceability of the confidentiality obligation before the commercial court.

How do I manage subcontracting and co-signatories?

Certyneo manages multiple signatories per contract, sequentially or in parallel: principal, main contractor, subcontractor, legal department. Each party receives an individual link secured by SMS OTP and signs independently, without any need to create an account. For a subcontracting chain, you can have the subcontracting contract signed immediately after, with each signature traced in its own eIDAS-compliant audit trail.

How do I formalize a modification or amendment during the engagement?

Any change to scope, price or timeline must be formalized by a signed amendment — the initial contract signature alone does not cover subsequent changes. In practice, you issue an amendment that references the original contract and have it signed by the same parties, with the same AES level. The SHA-256 hash of the original contract remains intact: any attempt to directly modify the signed document makes the hash non-matching and falsification is detected instantly.

How long must I keep signed service contracts?

10 years from the end of the financial year, in accordance with article L123-22 of the Commercial Code which requires preservation of accounting documents and supporting documents. Certyneo archives the signed contract and its eIDAS audit trail throughout this period, free of charge, with immediate access from your dashboard. You can thus respond without delay to a tax audit, a client audit or a dispute over service performance.

Is a signed service contract enforceable before the commercial court?

Yes — French case law unanimously recognizes electronic signatures compliant with the eIDAS regulation. The presumption of reliability in article 1367 of the Civil Code makes the advanced signature (AES) enforceable without further proof, subject to producing the eIDAS audit trail in court (proof PDF automatically delivered by Certyneo). For disputes between professionals falling under the commercial court, this evidence file — identity, time-stamp, SHA-256 hash — is sufficient to establish the actual scope and clauses accepted.

Article 1101 Civil Code · eIDAS AES

Sign an online service contract in less than 2 minutes

Service contract — legally a work for hire — electronically signed with qualified timestamp. The signature commits the scope, deliverables, timelines and price as soon as the parties' intentions meet (Article 1101 Civil Code) and prevents any subsequent dispute over what was ordered. Compliant with Article 1366 of the Civil Code and the eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, co-signatories and subcontracting managed, 10-year archival included.

Legal framework: Article 1101 Civil Code
Signature level: eIDAS AES recommended
Legal archival: 10 years included

What is an electronically signed service contract?

A service contract is a contract by which a service provider (agency, consulting firm, freelancer, IT services company, maintenance provider) undertakes to perform a mission for a client, in full independence and without subordination. Legally, it is analyzed as a work for hire: the service provider is bound by an obligation to perform, defined by a scope, deliverables, duration and price. As soon as the client and service provider sign, the meeting of minds forms the contract — this is Article 1101 of the Civil Code. Advanced electronic signature (AES) timestamps this agreement with a level of evidence enforceable in commercial court and freezes the exact version of accepted clauses (scope, confidentiality, penalties, intellectual property). Article 1366 of the Civil Code gives electronic documents the same probative force as paper documents, subject to identification of the signer and document integrity — exactly what Certyneo guarantees via dual-channel OTP and SHA-256 fingerprint embedded in the PDF.

Why sign the service contract electronically?

Scope and deliverables locked in

The timestamped signature freezes the exact version of the scope, deliverables and timeline accepted by the client (Article 1101 Civil Code). It prevents scope creep and late disputes such as "that wasn''t in the contract" or "the deliverable wasn''t that one". The SHA-256 fingerprint makes any post-signature modification immediately detectable.

Signature within 24 hours, mission launched faster

The decision maker on the client side signs from their phone in less than 2 minutes, without installing an app or creating an account. SMS OTP formally identifies the signer, including the procurement director or legal officer. The mission starts in hours rather than weeks of PDF email exchanges.

Subcontracting and co-signatories

A service contract often involves multiple parties: client, service provider, subcontractor, legal department. Our flow handles sequential or parallel signature — each party receives an individual link secured by SMS OTP and signs at their own pace. Ideal for cascading a subcontracting chain or having multiple entities in a group co-sign.

eIDAS audit trail enforceable in court

Each signed contract is delivered with a proof PDF: signatory identity (email + OTP phone), qualified timestamp, SHA-256 fingerprint, IP and rough geolocation, consultation log. Enforceable before commercial court in case of dispute over scope, late payment penalties, confidentiality or intellectual property of deliverables.

Sign a service contract in 4 steps

From contract upload to archival with probative value, in less than 5 minutes.

1. Upload the contract
Upload your PDF (contract drafted by your legal counsel, law firm template, or Certyneo model). Verify key clauses: scope and deliverables exhaustively listed, duration and renewal conditions, confidentiality, late payment penalties, subcontracting, intellectual property.
2. Add signatories
Enter the name, email and phone number of the decision-maker on the client side — and, where applicable, the subcontractor or legal department as co-signatories. Each party receives a personalized secure link and signs independently.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended for B2B service contracts: identity verified by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified timestamp, compliant with article 26 of the eIDAS regulation. Simple signature (SES) remains possible for low-stakes occasional assignments.
4. Sign and archive
Parties sign from phone or computer, typically within 24 hours. The signed contract and its proof PDF are automatically archived for 10 years (article L123-22 French Commercial Code), accessible at any time for tax audit or commercial dispute.

Frequently asked questions

Is an electronically signed service contract valid?: Yes, fully. Article 1101 of the French Civil Code defines a contract as an agreement of wills intended to create legal effects: once the service provider and client sign, the service contract (work for hire) is formed and binds both parties. Article 1366 of the French Civil Code recognizes electronic writing with the same probative force as paper, subject to signatory identification and document integrity. Certyneo meets these conditions via dual-channel OTP and SHA-256 fingerprint embedded in the PDF, with evidence admissible before commercial court.
What essential provisions must a service contract contain?: A robust service contract specifies: the scope and deliverables exhaustively listed, the duration and renewal conditions, the price and payment methods (to be aligned with the invoicing rules of article L441-1 of the French Commercial Code), late payment penalties, confidentiality clause, subcontracting regime and intellectual property of deliverables. These are the clauses that electronic signature locks in: the SHA-256 fingerprint guarantees that none have been modified after acceptance. You can add a signature field on critical annexes (specifications, schedule, terms and conditions) to materialize detailed acceptance.
How to manage duration and tacit renewal at signature?: The duration and renewal clause appear in the body of the signed contract: their acceptance is dated with certainty by the qualified timestamp, which unambiguously fixes the project start date and renewal deadlines. For a contract with tacit renewal, keep the original signed contract as proof of the framework applicable to each renewed period. If you wish to modify the conditions at the expiry date, simply issue an amendment or new contract to sign, rather than letting the old one renew tacitly.
Is the confidentiality clause secured by electronic signature?: Yes. The confidentiality clause (or non-disclosure agreement embedded in the contract) is covered by the SHA-256 hash that protects the entire signed document: its exact content, as accepted, is frozen and time-stamped. In case of breach, the proof PDF establishes precisely which version of the clause was accepted, by whom and on what date. This traceability strengthens the enforceability of the confidentiality obligation before the commercial court.
How do I manage subcontracting and co-signatories?: Certyneo manages multiple signatories per contract, sequentially or in parallel: principal, main contractor, subcontractor, legal department. Each party receives an individual link secured by SMS OTP and signs independently, without any need to create an account. For a subcontracting chain, you can have the subcontracting contract signed immediately after, with each signature traced in its own eIDAS-compliant audit trail.
How do I formalize a modification or amendment during the engagement?: Any change to scope, price or timeline must be formalized by a signed amendment — the initial contract signature alone does not cover subsequent changes. In practice, you issue an amendment that references the original contract and have it signed by the same parties, with the same AES level. The SHA-256 hash of the original contract remains intact: any attempt to directly modify the signed document makes the hash non-matching and falsification is detected instantly.
How long must I keep signed service contracts?: 10 years from the end of the financial year, in accordance with article L123-22 of the Commercial Code which requires preservation of accounting documents and supporting documents. Certyneo archives the signed contract and its eIDAS audit trail throughout this period, free of charge, with immediate access from your dashboard. You can thus respond without delay to a tax audit, a client audit or a dispute over service performance.
Is a signed service contract enforceable before the commercial court?: Yes — French case law unanimously recognizes electronic signatures compliant with the eIDAS regulation. The presumption of reliability in article 1367 of the Civil Code makes the advanced signature (AES) enforceable without further proof, subject to producing the eIDAS audit trail in court (proof PDF automatically delivered by Certyneo). For disputes between professionals falling under the commercial court, this evidence file — identity, time-stamp, SHA-256 hash — is sufficient to establish the actual scope and clauses accepted.

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