An engagement letter is ordinary business paperwork. For most firms, getting it signed electronically means less time chasing clients, and a better record of what the client agreed to and when.
This guide covers three things: whether an engagement letter suits a simple electronic signature, how to send one, and what to keep afterwards. It's written for firms in England and Wales. It is not legal advice.
Does an engagement letter suit e-signature?
Usually, yes, if it's an ordinary agreement. Engagement letters are on the list of everyday paperwork DrakonSign is built for, alongside NDAs, supplier terms and offer letters.
There are some caveats:
- If it's drafted as a deed, it's out. DrakonSign excludes every document marked or intended to be executed as a deed.
- If someone has told you how it must be signed, follow that. That includes a regulator, your professional body, your insurer or the client's own lawyer. Their requirement takes priority over the general position.
- If it's governed by law outside England and Wales, take local advice first.
- If it matters, take advice. DrakonSign records what happened. It doesn't decide whether a document is legally effective.
The full scope list is on the suitability page.
What you need before you start
- The final engagement letter as a PDF, with any schedules or terms of business attached.
- The name and email address of each person signing for the client, plus anyone signing for the firm.
- A clear idea of who has to sign and who just needs a copy.
Your signers don't need an account, an app or a password.
Step by step: sending an engagement letter for signature
- Upload the PDF. DrakonSign looks for signature, date and initial fields in the document and places them for you.
- Review the fields. Move or add fields as needed, so each signer has a signature and date field where your letter expects one.
- Add recipients. Add each person who signs as a Signer. Add anyone who only needs a record as CC. CC recipients aren't emailed and don't sign, but they're listed on the certificate of completion.
- Send. Each signer gets a personal link by email.
- The client verifies their inbox and signs. Before the document opens, each signer enters a one-time code sent to the address you used. They can sign on a phone.
- Download the record. When the last signer finishes, you get the sealed PDF, a certificate of completion and the evidence bundle.
If you send the same letter every year, save it as a reusable template so the fields are already in place.
What to keep on the client file
A signature image on a PDF is weak evidence on its own. What helps if a client later disputes the scope or the fee is the record around the signature. Keep three things.
- The sealed PDF. The completed document carries a tamper-evident seal and an independent RFC 3161 timestamp from DigiCert's public timestamp authority.
- The certificate of completion. This is a separate PDF that shows who signed, when, how their inbox was verified, and the fingerprints of the original and signed files.
- The evidence bundle. It records events from created and sent through inbox verified, opened and signed to completed, each linked to the last by SHA-256. Changing any single record breaks the chain, and you can re-verify the whole chain from the dashboard.
Keep all three together. A client, auditor or lawyer can check the bundle without asking DrakonSign.
Common snags
Several signers at the client. Add each director or partner who needs to sign as a separate Signer. One envelope covers the whole letter, however many people sign it.
A correction after sending. A corrected copy counts as a new envelope. The original and the correction each keep their own record.
The client wants a witness. A simple electronic signature doesn't provide legal witnessing. DrakonSign has a Witness label for routing, but it's only a label. Nothing records that a witness was physically present. If your letter really needs a witness, it isn't one for DrakonSign.
The client wants wet ink. Print it. Their requirement governs.
Identity checks. DrakonSign confirms that the signer controls the inbox you addressed. It doesn't check passports, driving licences or company records. Your client onboarding and ID checks stay a separate step.
What it costs
Every plan includes the audit trail, the sealed and timestamped PDF, the certificate of completion and the evidence bundle. There are no per-signer fees and no per-seat charges.
- Starter: £15/month or £150/year, 25 envelopes a month.
- Business: £59/month or £590/year, 150 envelopes a month.
- Scale: £199/month or £1,990/year, 1,000 envelopes a month.
A firm sending a batch of renewal letters each year should look at its peak month as well as its average. Unused envelopes don't roll over.
Try it on your next engagement letter
Starter comes with a free trial of 30 days or 3 envelopes, whichever ends first. Send your next engagement letter through it and look at the certificate and evidence bundle it produces.