Electronic Signature Disclosure and Consent

Effective Date: June 30, 2026  |  Last Updated: July 4, 2026

1. Legal Validity of Electronic Signatures

Electronic signatures created through the Middledoc platform are legally binding under:

• The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN Act), 15 U.S.C. §§ 7001 et seq.: A federal US law that establishes that electronic signatures, contracts, and records have the same legal effect as paper-based signatures and documents. Under the ESIGN Act, a signature may not be denied legal effect solely because it is in electronic form.
• The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA): Adopted in 49 US states and the District of Columbia, UETA provides that electronic signatures and records satisfy requirements for writings and signatures in state law contexts, including contracts, notices, and consent forms.
• eIDAS Regulation (EU) 910/2014 (electronic identification and trust services):An EU regulation that provides a legal framework for electronic signatures within the EU. Middledoc's signatures qualify as “electronic signatures” under eIDAS Article 3(10). Note that Middledoc does not currently provide “qualified electronic signatures” (QES) under eIDAS, which require identity verification by a qualified trust service provider.
• Applicable state and international law: Many jurisdictions outside the US have enacted equivalent legislation recognizing electronic signatures. You are responsible for confirming that electronic signatures are legally valid for your specific document type and jurisdiction.

Important Limitations

Electronic signatures may not be legally valid for certain document types, which may include (depending on your jurisdiction):

• Wills, testamentary trusts, and codicils
• Adoption, divorce, and other family law matters requiring court approval
• Court orders and official court documents
• Notices of utility termination
• Documents governed by laws of states that have not adopted UETA or equivalent statutes
• Certain real property conveyance documents under specific state statutes

Consult a qualified attorney if you are uncertain whether electronic signatures are appropriate for your specific document type or jurisdiction. Middledoc does not provide legal advice.

2. Your Consent to Electronic Records and Signatures

By using the Middledoc e-signature feature, you consent to:

• Conducting transactions and signing documents electronically
• Receiving electronic copies of signed documents in lieu of paper originals
• Having your electronic signature recorded and embedded in the signed document along with an audit trail
• Receiving legally required notices and disclosures electronically rather than in paper form
• Electronic records being used as evidence of your agreement in legal and regulatory proceedings

This consent applies to all documents you sign through Middledoc unless you withdraw consent as described below.

3. How Electronic Signatures Work on Middledoc

When you sign a document through Middledoc, the following occurs:

3.1 Signature Capture

• You draw your signature using a touch screen, trackpad, or mouse on the Middledoc signature canvas
• Alternatively, you may type your name and select a signature font style
• Your signature image is captured and embedded in the PDF document at the designated signature field

3.2 Audit Trail Generation

Middledoc automatically records the following information at the moment of signing (collectively, the “Audit Trail”):

• Signer's full name (as provided)
• Signer's email address (as provided or on file)
• IP address of the device used to sign
• Date and time of signing (recorded in UTC)
• A cryptographic hash (SHA-256) of the document at the time of signing to detect any subsequent alterations
• Browser and device type (user agent string)

3.3 Embedding in Document

The signature image and Audit Trail metadata are embedded within the signed PDF document using pdf-lib. The signed document is stored on Middledoc's servers and made available for download by both the account holder (your professional service provider) and you (the signer) upon request.

4. Hardware and Software Requirements

To use the Middledoc e-signature feature, you need:

• Device: Any desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone capable of running a modern web browser
• Operating System: Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.14 or later, iOS 14 or later, Android 9 or later (or any OS supporting a supported browser version)
• Browser: Google Chrome (v90+), Mozilla Firefox (v88+), Apple Safari (v14+), Microsoft Edge (v90+), or any Chromium-based browser of equivalent version
• Internet connection: A stable broadband or mobile internet connection (minimum 1 Mbps recommended)
• JavaScript: Must be enabled in your browser
• PDF viewer: To view signed documents we recommend Adobe Acrobat Reader (free, available at adobe.com/acrobat/pdf-reader.html) or any PDF viewer capable of rendering embedded signature fields
• Input method: Mouse, trackpad, touch screen, or stylus for drawing signatures. Typed signatures are also supported.

These requirements may change. If they do, we will provide reasonable advance notice. If you are unable to meet these requirements, please contact your service provider to arrange an alternative signing method.

5. Accessing and Retaining Your Signed Documents

5.1 Electronic Access

Signed documents are available for download in PDF format from the Middledoc portal immediately after signing. You may download and save a copy for your records. We strongly recommend that you download and retain a copy of every document you sign.

5.2 Middledoc's Retention of Signed Documents

Middledoc retains e-signature Audit Trails for a minimum of 7 yearsfrom the date of signing to support the legal enforceability of signed documents. Signed PDF documents are retained for the duration of the account holder's account. See our Privacy Policy for full data retention details.

5.3 Your Responsibility

You are responsible for retaining your own copies of signed documents for your personal records. Middledoc's retention of signed documents is provided as a convenience and does not substitute for your own record-keeping obligations.

6. Requesting a Paper Copy

You have the right to receive a paper copy of any document you sign electronically through Middledoc. To request a paper copy:

1. Contact the professional service provider (accountant, attorney, HR professional, etc.) who sent you the document request through Middledoc, or
2. Contact Middledoc directly at [email protected] with the subject “Paper Copy Request” and identify the document by name and approximate signing date

There may be a reasonable fee to cover printing and postage costs for paper copies requested directly from Middledoc. Paper copy requests must be made within the applicable retention period for that document.

7. How to Withdraw Consent

You may withdraw your consent to use electronic signatures and records at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the validity of any electronic signatures or records created before the withdrawal.

To withdraw consent:

• Contact the service provider who sent you the document request and request paper-based processing, or
• Email Middledoc at [email protected] with the subject “Withdraw E-Signature Consent” and your name and email address

After withdrawal, Middledoc will no longer present you with electronic signature requests. Your service provider may be unable to process your documents through the Middledoc platform and may need to provide alternative arrangements.

8. Identity Verification

Middledoc does not independently verify the identity of signers beyond the email address provided. The party who created the document request (the account holder) is responsible for:

• Confirming that the signer is who they claim to be
• Using appropriate authentication measures where required by law or their professional obligations
• Ensuring that the person signing has the legal authority to sign the relevant document

If enhanced identity verification is required (such as identity document verification or knowledge-based authentication), the account holder must arrange this independently before or after the Middledoc signing process.

9. Contact for E-Signature Questions