Sign a real estate sales mandate online, in 2 minutes
Sales mandate between a property owner seller and a real estate agent holding card T, signed electronically with the same legal value as a paper mandate. Compliant with Hoguet law (No. 70-9 of January 2, 1970) and eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, multi-signatories (co-ownership, joint ownership), 10-year archiving included.
- Legal framework
- Hoguet law — card T
- Signature level
- eIDAS AES recommended
- Legal archiving
- 10 years included
What is a real estate sales mandate?
A real estate sales mandate is a contract in which a property owner (principal) entrusts a real estate agent holding professional card T (real estate transactions) with the mission to find a buyer for their property. It is governed by law No. 70-9 of January 2, 1970 (known as "Hoguet law") and subject to strict rules: card T, financial guarantee, mandatory provisions (net seller price, commission, duration, possible exclusivity), termination procedures. The mandate can be simple (the owner can sign multiple mandates and sell themselves) or exclusive (the agent is the only one authorized to present the property).
Why sign the sales mandate electronically?
Identical legal value
Article 1366 of the French Civil Code recognizes electronic documents as having the same evidential force as paper documents, provided that the person from whom it emanates can be identified and the document is retained under conditions guaranteeing its integrity. No Hoguet provision requires handwritten signature for the sales mandate.
Multi-signatories (couple, co-ownership)
If the property belongs to multiple co-owners (married couple, co-ownership, family LLC), all must sign the mandate or face partial nullity. Our workflow handles sequential or parallel signature: each signatory receives an individual secure link protected by OTP SMS and signs at their own pace from their phone.
10-year archiving included
Article 72 of the decree of July 20, 1972 requires the real estate agent to retain mandates for 10 years. Certyneo automatically archives the signed mandate + its eIDAS audit trail for this entire period, accessible with one click from your dashboard to respond to a CCI or DGCCRF inspection.
Enforceable eIDAS audit trail
Each mandate comes with a proof PDF: identity of signatories, qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, IP geolocation, OTP SMS verification. Enforceable in case of dispute over commission, duration, exclusivity or powers granted.
Sign a sales mandate in 4 steps
From mandate preparation to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Prepare the mandate
Upload your existing PDF or start from a Hoguet-compliant template (professional card T, financial guarantee, duration, net seller price, commission, exclusivity or not, termination conditions).
2. Add signatories
Real estate agent + owner(s). In co-ownership or joint ownership, add all co-owners. Each receives a personalized secure link by email.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended for real estate sales: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified time-stamping. Compliant with article 26 of the eIDAS regulation.
4. Sign and archive
Each signatory signs from their phone or computer. The finalized mandate + proof PDF are archived for 10 years automatically, accessible at any time.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a real estate sales mandate be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction. The Hoguet law does not require handwritten signature: only the provisions of article 1 of the decree of July 20, 1972 are mandatory (professional card T, financial guarantee, duration, net seller price, commission). Article 1366 of the Civil Code gives electronic signature the same value as paper signature as soon as the signatory''s identification and document integrity are guaranteed.
- Which signature level to choose: SES, AES or QES?
- For a real estate sales mandate, advanced signature (AES) is the professional standard. It provides enhanced reliability through identity verification (SMS OTP) and a unique certificate per signatory. QES is reserved for the authentic deed of sale before a notary; SES (simple signature) is undersized given the financial stakes of the mandate.
- What to do in case of co-ownership, joint ownership or married couple?
- All co-owners must sign the mandate on pain of partial nullity (art. 815-3 Civil Code for joint ownership; art. 1424 Civil Code for joint ownership between spouses). Certyneo''s multi-signatory flow manages sequential or parallel signature. Each signatory receives their personal link with SMS OTP on their own number.
- What is the maximum duration of a sales mandate?
- The duration is freely set by the parties up to 30 years (art. 73 of decree no. 72-678). In practice, the majority of simple mandates are concluded for 3 renewable months, and exclusive mandates for 3 irrevocable months then simple. Beyond 3 months, the principal may terminate with 15 days'' notice by registered letter.
- What are the mandatory provisions of a sales mandate?
- Complete identification of the parties, professional card T number of the agent, body and amount of financial guarantee, precise duration, net seller price, amount or rate of commission and party bearing the charge, exclusivity or not, termination conditions, designation of competent jurisdiction.
- Does the exclusive mandate have a different legal regime?
- Yes — the exclusive mandate (art. 78 of the decree of July 20, 1972) must include an exclusivity clause in a separate box on the front of the mandate, and specify its duration of irrevocability (often 3 months). The simple mandate allows the owner to sign multiple mandates and sell themselves; the exclusive mandate prohibits both possibilities on pain of penalty.
- Can a mandate signed electronically be terminated?
- Yes — termination follows the same rules as for 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 may itself be signed electronically.
- Is the electronically signed mandate enforceable in court?
- Yes — French case law unanimously recognizes eIDAS-compliant electronic signature. The reliability presumption of article 1367 of the Civil Code makes advanced signature (AES) enforceable without further proof, provided the eIDAS audit trail is produced in court (proof PDF automatically delivered by Certyneo).
Also read
Sign your first online sales mandate
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes/month), no credit card. Compliant with Hoguet law and eIDAS. Audit trail and 10-year archiving included.