An electronic signature records a borrower's intent to sign an eligible mortgage document through an approved digital process.
An electronic signature is an electronic symbol, action, or process used with the intent to sign an eligible mortgage document. It may be a typed name, click, drawn signature, or another authenticated action inside an approved signing system.
Electronic signatures can speed delivery, reduce paper errors, and let borrowers review eligible documents before an appointment. The system usually records identity checks, timestamps, consent, document versions, and an audit trail rather than merely placing an image on a page.
Electronic delivery generally begins with consent to receive records electronically and confirmation that the borrower can access them. A borrower who cannot open, retain, or print the records should address that before relying on the portal.
Electronic signing does not mean every mortgage document is eligible. Lender, investor, title, state, county-recording, and notarization rules can require a Wet Signature for part of the package.
Borrowers may e-sign application disclosures, authorizations, revised forms, and eligible closing documents. Near Closing, the settlement team identifies which documents can be completed remotely and which require notarization or physical originals.
In an eMortgage, the promissory note is an Electronic Note (eNote) created, signed, transferred, and stored electronically. E-signing an ordinary disclosure does not turn the loan into an eMortgage.
| Term | Main idea | Borrower-facing difference |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic signature | Digital signing method for eligible documents | The borrower signs through an approved electronic process |
| Wet Signature | Handwritten ink signature on paper | The borrower signs a physical document |
| Hybrid Closing | Mixed electronic and in-person closing format | Some documents are electronic and others remain paper or notarized |
| Remote Online Notarization | Online notarization process | Notarization is completed through a separate approved digital workflow |
| Signing | Final execution step | The signing step may include electronic, paper, hybrid, or remote elements |
A borrower consents to electronic records, opens the lender’s secure portal, and e-signs several disclosures. At the closing appointment, the borrower signs the paper note and notarized security instrument in ink. The transaction is a Hybrid Closing, not a fully electronic mortgage.
Electronic signature differs from Wet Signature because it is associated with an electronic record through a digital process rather than written on a physical original.
It differs from Remote Online Notarization because notarization adds identity, presence, and notarial requirements. Not every electronic signature is notarized.
It also differs from Hybrid Closing. A hybrid closing is the broader mixed-format closing arrangement, while electronic signature describes one method used for eligible documents.
It also differs from Electronic Note (eNote). Electronic signature is the method used to sign; an electronic note is the digital mortgage note being signed.