E-signatures · Glossary
What is a signature page?
A signature page is the page of a contract that carries the execution blocks where the parties sign, usually the last page. It matters because a signed signature page on its own can be separated from the agreement, so the rules on signing one in advance, or swapping it onto a final version, decide whether the document was validly signed.
The signature page is where a document becomes binding, and the easiest page to move. Most of the law about it concerns keeping it attached to the right version.
Indunil Asanka · Co-founder
4 min read · Published
| Term | What it is | Risk it brings |
|---|---|---|
| Signature page | The page holding the signature blocks | Can be detached from the agreement it belongs to |
| Counterpart | A full copy signed by one party, read together with the others | Every counterpart must be the same final text |
| Execution block | The wording and lines for one party to sign | Wrong wording can bind the wrong person |
| Pre-signed signature page | A page signed before the final text is ready | May not count as signing the final document |
What a signature page does
A long agreement usually ends with a page that contains only the execution blocks: for an Australian company, two directors' lines under section 127; for a person, a signature line, name and date. Putting them on their own page keeps the signing tidy and lets the text above change in drafting without moving the blocks. The trade off is that the page can be printed, signed and attached to any document, which is why practitioners add the agreement's name and date to the page header or a footer reference.
The Mercury case
In R (Mercury Tax Group Ltd) v HM Revenue and Customs, decided by the High Court of England and Wales in 2008, signature pages signed for one version of a deed were later attached to a different, amended version. The court held the deed was not validly executed, because a deed must be a single document that is signed, and the signatures had been made on another document. The case changed practice in England and Wales: lawyers now circulate the final agreement with its signature page, or follow agreed protocols for virtual signings, so each signature is linked to the final text.
Signature pages and electronic signing
Electronic signing removes much of the risk, because the signer signs the whole final PDF in a session and the platform records a hash of the document. The Law Commission's 2019 report on electronic execution in England and Wales confirmed that electronic signatures can validly execute documents in most cases. The remaining questions are about deeds that need witnesses and about any process where only one page is sent around. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Common mistakes
Signing a signature page in advance and letting someone attach it later to whatever the final version turns out to be. A signature page with no reference to the agreement it belongs to. Execution blocks split across two pages, so one director signs a page with no other text. And returning only the signature page by email as a scan, then losing track of which version the other side holds.
Signature pages in the product
In the e-sign module, signers sign the whole uploaded PDF rather than a loose page, and the certificate of completion records the hash of the document as sent and of the fully signed document. Fields are placed on whichever page they belong to, and every non-cc recipient needs at least one signature, initials or signature block field before the envelope can be sent. After completion the PDF is certified so that any later edit breaks the signature.
Questions people ask
Can I sign just the signature page of a contract?
You can, but sign it only once you have seen and approved the final version, and make sure it is attached to that version. Signing a loose page in advance risks it being attached to a different text. For deeds in England and Wales, the Mercury case shows a mismatch can invalidate execution.
Should a signature page have the contract name on it?
Yes. Adding the agreement's title, the parties and the date in the header or as a line above the blocks ties the page to its document. It makes it harder to reuse the page and easier to prove which agreement each signature belongs to if the pages are ever separated.
What does this page is intentionally left blank mean before a signature page?
It tells the reader that the blank space on the previous page is deliberate, so nothing was removed. It is used where the signature page must start on a new page. It has no legal effect, and with electronic signing it is rarely needed because signers see the whole document.
Is a scanned signature page enough to make a contract binding?
For many contracts, an exchange of scanned signed pages shows agreement and can bind the parties. For deeds and documents with formality rules, it may not be enough on its own. The safest approach is signing the full final document, electronically or in counterparts, rather than circulating single pages.
Does every page of a contract need to be signed?
No. A signature at the end is normally enough. Some parties initial each page so that a page cannot be swapped later, which is a separate practice. The initials on every page post on this site sets out when that is worth doing and when an electronic audit trail already covers the risk.
Make one with e-signatures
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Send a document for signingRelated questions
- What does signing in counterparts mean?Signing in counterparts means each party signs a separate copy and the copies together form one agreement. Why electronic signing makes it mostly unnecessary.
- What is an execution block in a contract?An execution block is the signing section at the end of a contract or deed: wording that shows who signs and on what authority. Company and deed forms compared.
- What is a signature line?What is a signature line: the ruled line a signer signs on, the labels printed under it, how it differs from a signature block, and how to lay one out.
Step by step in the builder: Send a PDF for e-signature.
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