Overview

ArrivHQ's e-signature system lets you collect legally binding guest agreements -- from simple house rule acknowledgments to full ESIGN Act-compliant rental agreement signatures. Every signed document is hashed, timestamped, and stored as an immutable record that holds up in court.

E-signatures are built into the guest checklist system. You add an agreement step to any checklist, choose your signing tier, and guests sign as part of their pre-arrival or check-in flow. No third-party signing service required.

Want a visual walkthrough? See our blog post: E-Signatures Deep Dive: Legal Defensibility for Your Rental Agreements

How it works

ArrivHQ offers two signature tiers, each designed for a different level of legal weight:

Tier 1 -- Acknowledgment

Best for house rules, parking policies, checkout instructions, and pet policies.

  1. Guest reads the full agreement in a scrollable container.
  2. A consent checkbox is enabled once the guest scrolls to the bottom.
  3. Guest checks "I have read and understand the above" and types their full name.
  4. Clicks Accept and Sign.
  5. ArrivHQ creates an immutable record with SHA-256 content hash, IP address, and user agent.
  6. A locked HTML copy is stored in your account.

Tier 2 -- E-Signature

Best for rental agreements, liability waivers, damage responsibility agreements, and fee authorizations.

  1. Guest reviews an ESIGN Act disclosure and consents to electronic signing.
  2. The agreement is presented section by section -- each section has its own scroll gate.
  3. Guest enters initials for each section.
  4. Guest reviews a summary of all sections, types their full legal name, and clicks Sign and Agree.
  5. ArrivHQ creates an immutable record with all captured metadata.
  6. A locked, watermarked PDF is generated and stored.
  7. Guest receives a confirmation email with the signed PDF attached.

In this section

Limits & requirements

  • Tier 1 (Acknowledgment) is available on all plans.
  • Tier 2 (E-Signature) requires the Host plan or higher.
  • AI-powered PDF import is available on all plans.
  • AI section extraction requires the Host plan or higher (uses the AI Concierge feature).
  • Signed copies are stored indefinitely in your account.
  • Maximum agreement content length: 50,000 characters.
  • Signed name must be 2--80 characters.
  • Section initials must be 1--10 characters.

FAQ

What is the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2?

Tier 1 is a simple acknowledgment -- the guest reads and confirms they understand the content. Tier 2 adds ESIGN Act compliance, section-by-section initials, a locked PDF with watermark, and a confirmation email. Use Tier 1 for house rules and policies, Tier 2 for rental agreements and liability waivers.

Do I need a separate e-signature service like DocuSign?

No. ArrivHQ handles the entire signing flow, from document presentation through locked artifact storage. The system is designed to meet federal ESIGN Act requirements without any third-party integration.

Can guests sign on their phone?

Yes. The signing flow is fully responsive and works on any device. Section-by-section scrolling and initials input are optimized for mobile screens.

What happens if I edit an agreement after a guest has signed it?

Existing signed copies are never affected by edits. Each signed record stores the exact text the guest saw at signing time, along with a SHA-256 content hash. Edits to the agreement only apply to future signers.

Are signed copies admissible in court?

ArrivHQ's e-signature system is designed to comply with the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. section 7001) and UETA. Each signed record captures the signer's name, IP address, user agent, timestamp, and a content hash of the exact agreement text -- the same metadata courts expect to see in electronic signature disputes.