Sign a French real-estate sales mandate online in 2 minutes
Sales mandate between a property owner and a French real-estate agent holding a T (transactions) professional card, signed electronically with the same legal value as a paper mandate. Compliant with the Hoguet Act (no. 70-9 of 2 January 1970) and the eIDAS regulation — advanced electronic signature recommended, multi-signers (joint ownership, marital community), 10-year retention included.
- Legal framework
- Hoguet Act — T card
- Signature level
- AES eIDAS recommended
- Legal retention
- 10 years included
What is a French real-estate sales mandate?
A French real-estate sales mandate is a contract by which a property owner (principal) entrusts a real-estate agent holding the T professional card with the mission of finding a buyer. It is governed by Act no. 70-9 of 2 January 1970 ("Hoguet Act") and subject to strict rules: T card, financial guarantee, mandatory clauses (net seller price, commission, duration, optional exclusivity), termination terms. The mandate may be simple (the owner may sign other mandates and sell directly) or exclusive (the agent has sole authority).
Why sign the sales mandate electronically?
Identical legal value
Article 1366 of the French Civil Code gives an electronic writing the same probative force as paper, provided the signatory can be identified and the document is kept under conditions guaranteeing its integrity. No Hoguet provision requires handwritten signature.
Multi-signers (joint ownership)
When the property is jointly owned (marriage, indivision, family SCI), all co-owners must sign, otherwise the mandate is partially void. Our flow handles sequential or parallel signing, each signer with their own SMS OTP.
10-year retention included
Article 72 of the decree of 20 July 1972 requires the real-estate agent to keep mandates for 10 years. Certyneo archives the signed mandate and its eIDAS audit trail for the entire period, accessible in one click for CCI or DGCCRF inspection.
Enforceable eIDAS audit trail
Every mandate ships with an evidence PDF: signer identities, qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, IP geolocation, SMS OTP. Enforceable in case of dispute over commission, duration, exclusivity or delegated powers.
Sign a sales mandate in 4 steps
From preparing the mandate to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Prepare the mandate
Upload your existing PDF or start from a Hoguet-compliant template (T card, financial guarantee, duration, net seller price, commission, exclusivity or not, termination terms).
2. Add the signers
Real-estate agent + owner(s). In joint ownership or marital community, add every co-owner. Each receives a personalised secure link by email.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced electronic signature (AES) recommended for real-estate sales: SMS OTP identity check, unique certificate per signer, qualified timestamp. Compliant with article 26 of the eIDAS regulation.
4. Sign and archive
Each signer signs from their phone or computer. The finalised mandate and the evidence PDF are automatically archived for 10 years, accessible at any time.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a French real-estate sales mandate be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction. The Hoguet Act does not require handwritten signature: only the mentions of article 1 of the decree of 20 July 1972 are mandatory (T card, financial guarantee, duration, net seller price, commission). Article 1366 of the Civil Code gives an electronic signature the same value as paper.
- Which signature level: SES, AES or QES?
- For a real-estate sales mandate, advanced electronic signature (AES) is the professional standard. It brings a reinforced reliability presumption thanks to identity verification (SMS OTP) and a unique certificate per signer. QES is reserved for the notarial sale deed; SES is underdimensioned given the financial stakes.
- What about joint ownership, indivision or marital community?
- All co-owners must sign the mandate, otherwise it is partially void (article 815-3 Civil Code for indivision; article 1424 for marital community). Certyneo's multi-signer flow handles sequential or parallel signing. Each signer receives their personal link with SMS OTP.
- What is the maximum duration of a sales mandate?
- Freely set by the parties up to 30 years (article 73 of decree no. 72-678). In practice, most simple mandates are 3 months renewable, and exclusive mandates 3 months irrevocable then simple. After 3 months, the principal may terminate with 15 days' notice by registered letter.
- What are the mandatory clauses of a sales mandate?
- Full identity of the parties, T professional card number of the agent, financial-guarantee provider and amount, precise duration, net seller price, commission amount or rate and who bears it, exclusivity or not, termination terms, designation of the competent court.
- How does the exclusive mandate differ?
- The exclusive mandate (article 78 of the decree of 20 July 1972) must include an exclusivity clause in a distinct framed box on the front of the mandate, stating the irrevocability period (typically 3 months). The simple mandate allows the owner to sign other mandates and sell directly; the exclusive mandate forbids both under penalty.
- Can an electronically-signed sales mandate be terminated?
- Yes — termination follows the same rules as a paper mandate: respect of the notice period set in the contract (15 days for most mandates beyond 3 months), notification by registered letter or any means provided in the mandate. The termination itself can be signed electronically.
- Is the electronically-signed mandate enforceable in court?
- Yes — French case law unanimously recognises eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures. The reliability presumption of article 1367 of the Civil Code makes an advanced electronic signature (AES) enforceable, provided the eIDAS audit trail is produced in court (evidence PDF delivered automatically by Certyneo).
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Sign your first sales mandate online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes / month), no credit card. Hoguet Act + eIDAS compliant. Audit trail and 10-year archiving included.