Are digital signatures legally valid for contractor contracts in Belgium?

The question comes up regularly: if a client signs a quotation on their phone screen, is that legally binding? The answer, under EU and Belgian law, is yes. Electronic signatures have the same legal status as handwritten signatures for standard commercial contracts.

The legal basis

EU Regulation 910/2014, known as eIDAS (Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services), establishes a legal framework for electronic signatures that applies across all EU member states including Belgium. The regulation defines three levels of electronic signature: Simple Electronic Signature (SES), Advanced Electronic Signature (AES), and Qualified Electronic Signature (QES). For standard trade contractor agreements, a Simple or Advanced Electronic Signature is sufficient.

What makes a digital signature valid?

For a digital signature to hold up legally, there must be a clear way to identify the signatory, evidence that they consented to sign, and a record that the signed document has not been altered after signing. A good electronic signature system captures the name and email address of the signer, the IP address, the timestamp, the device used, and stores a hash of the document to detect any changes.

For which contracts is a simple electronic signature sufficient?

For most trade contractor agreements, standard quotations, and service contracts, a simple electronic signature is legally valid in Belgium. This covers bathroom installations, electrical works, HVAC installation, painting, plastering, carpentry, and similar trade work. The contract does not need to be in any particular form unless a specific law requires it.

When do you need a qualified electronic signature?

Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) are required for specific high-stakes documents such as real estate transactions, some financial agreements, and public procurement contracts. For the vast majority of trade contractor work, a QES is not required.

How QuotCraft handles signatures

QuotCraft's electronic signature process captures the signer's identity data, timestamps the signing event, and stores an audit trail with each signed document. The signed PDF includes embedded verification data. This audit trail is what gives the signature its legal weight. If a client later claims they did not sign, the audit trail shows exactly when and how they did.