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Cashfree’s E-sign is an API-based solution that enables businesses to collect legally valid electronic signatures on documents. It allows customers to sign documents securely from anywhere and at any time without the need for physical presence or paperwork. Authentication is carried out using the customer’s Aadhaar identity. An OTP is sent to the Aadhaar holder’s registered mobile number, which is then used to authorise the e-signature. The solution also supports multiple signers on the same document, with signatures captured at defined pages and positions.

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Key benefits E-sign

  • Reliable and compliant: Built on secure, government-approved infrastructure (eMudhra and NSDL), ensuring full compliance with regulatory standards.
  • Multi-signature support: Capture multiple signatures on the same document and specify signature positions across pages.
  • Seamless geotagging: Optionally capture the live location of signers as they complete the E-sign journey.

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Use cases

E-sign supports a wide range of industries and business scenarios where legally valid electronic signatures are required:
SectorExample use cases
Banking and investmentCollect signatures on forms for opening new bank or investment accounts.
Lending and insuranceGet signatures on loan applications, policy documents, and agreements.
Human resourcesOnboard employees by collecting signatures on employment agreements and HR documents.
Real estateCollect signatures on lease and rental agreements.
LegalExecute contracts and vendor agreements with legally valid E-signatures.

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How E-sign works

The E-sign process involves three simple steps:
The E-sign flow in the Sandbox environment requires real Aadhaar numbers and real-time DigiLocker data. Mock or test Aadhaar details aren’t supported.
  1. Upload the document Upload the PDF document that requires a signature using the Upload Document for E-Sign API. This API call returns a unique document_id, which you will need in the following steps.
  2. Create the E-sign request Initiate the signature process using the Create E-sign Request API. In this request, provide:
    • The document_id from previous step.
    • Signer details, including name and email.
    • Signing details, such as the page number and position for each signature.
    Additional options:
    • Redirect address: A web address to which the signer is redirected after completing the e-sign journey.
    • Capture location: Set capture_location to true to geo-tag the signed document. If enabled, the signer will be prompted for location permission.
    • Link expiry: Set an expiry period (in days) for each signing link, up to a maximum of 15 days.
  3. Get the E-sign status You can track the signing request in two ways:
    • Webhooks: Set up webhooks to receive real-time status updates (for example, signed successfully or request failed).
    • Get E-Sign Status API: Use the Get E-Sign Status API to check the progress of a signing request at any time.
Common error scenarios and their solutions:
  • Document upload failed: Ensure the PDF is under 5MB and not password-protected
  • Invalid signer details: Verify email format and Aadhaar number validity
  • Signature timeout: Default expiry is 15 days; users must complete within this timeframe