Overview

Agreement steps in guest checklists let you collect legally binding signatures from guests on waivers, house rules, rental agreements, and other documents. ArrivHQ supports two signature tiers, each with increasing levels of legal formality and compliance.

Every signed agreement creates an immutable record with a SHA-256 content hash, the signer's IP address, user agent, and a locked copy of the document -- giving you a defensible record if questions arise later.

How it works

Tier 1 -- Acknowledgment

The basic tier for house rules, parking rules, checkout instructions, and similar documents.

  1. Open your checklist in Setup > Checklists and add a step with type Agreement.
  2. Select Acknowledgment as the tier.
  3. Choose a document type from the dropdown (e.g., House Rules, Pet Policy, or Custom).
  4. Paste or type your agreement content in the text area. You can also use AI Import from PDF to extract text from an existing document.
  5. Save the step.

When a guest reaches this step:

  • They scroll through the full agreement text. The consent checkbox is disabled until they scroll to the bottom.
  • They check "I have read and understand the above."
  • They type their full legal name and click Accept and Sign.
  • A locked HTML copy is generated and stored securely.

Tier 2 -- E-Signature

The formal tier for rental agreements, liability waivers, damage responsibility documents, and fee authorizations. Tier 2 adds ESIGN Act compliance, section-by-section initials, and a locked PDF.

  1. Add an agreement step and select E-Signature as the tier.
  2. Choose the document type (e.g., Rental Agreement, Liability Waiver).
  3. Add agreement content -- paste text or use AI Import from PDF.
  4. Add initials sections. Each section includes a title and the specific text the guest must initial. You can add them manually or use AI Extract Sections to have AI break the document into logical sections automatically.
  5. Optionally toggle Send signed copy via email (this is always on for Tier 2).

When a guest reaches this step, they go through a three-phase process:

Phase 1 -- ESIGN Disclosure: The guest reads the Electronic Signature Disclosure (citing the federal ESIGN Act and UETA). They must scroll to the bottom and check "I consent to conduct this transaction electronically" before proceeding.

Phase 2 -- Review & Initial: The guest reads each section one at a time. For each section, they must scroll through the content and type their initials before moving to the next section. A progress indicator shows "Section 2 of 4."

Phase 3 -- Sign: The guest reviews a summary of the document and all sections they initialed, types their full legal name, and clicks Sign and Agree.

After signing:

  • A locked PDF is generated with a "SIGNED COPY -- DO NOT ALTER" watermark, including all section text, initials, signature block, and SHA-256 content hash.
  • A confirmation email is sent to the guest with the signed PDF attached.
  • An immutable record is stored with all signing metadata.

AI-powered setup

  • AI Import from PDF -- Upload a PDF (even a scanned image) and ArrivHQ extracts the text and creates page-by-page sections for initialing automatically.
  • AI Extract Sections -- Breaks your agreement into sections for initialing. You can review, edit, add, or remove sections before saving.

For Tier 2, uploading a PDF extracts text and creates sections in one step.

Limits & requirements

  • Tier 1 (Acknowledgment) is available on all plans.
  • Tier 2 (E-Signature) requires the Host plan or higher.
  • AI Import from PDF is available on all plans.
  • AI Extract Sections requires the Host plan or higher (uses the AI Concierge feature).
  • Agreement content is snapshotted when the checklist run is created -- later edits to the template do not affect in-progress runs.
  • Signed names must be 2 to 80 characters.
  • Section initials must be 1 to 10 characters and cannot be identical to the signed name.

FAQ

What's the difference between Acknowledgment and E-Signature? Acknowledgment (Tier 1) is a simple "I have read and agree" with a typed name. E-Signature (Tier 2) adds a formal ESIGN Act disclosure, section-by-section initials, a locked PDF artifact, and a confirmation email -- providing stronger legal standing for important documents like rental agreements and liability waivers.

Can I use a PDF I already have from my lawyer? Yes. Click AI Import from PDF when adding agreement content. ArrivHQ extracts the text from your PDF, even if it's a scanned image. For Tier 2, the extracted text is automatically broken into sections for initialing.

Where are signed copies stored? Signed copies are stored securely in ArrivHQ's encrypted storage. Hosts can access them from the reservation detail page. For Tier 2, guests also receive a copy via email.

Can a guest change their signature after signing? No. Signed records are immutable. The agreement content, signed name, IP address, timestamp, and content hash are locked at signing time and cannot be modified.

What legal standard does this meet? Tier 2 complies with the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq.) and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) as adopted by most states. The disclosure text informs guests of their rights, including the right to receive paper copies and to withdraw consent.