Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Execution definition

What does Execution mean? Execution describes how a party gives legal effect to a document—typically a contract or deed—by signing it (and, for some bodies, sealing it) and, for deeds, ensuring any required attestation and delivery/formalities are met. It is a practical term; the governing rules are set by legislation and case law in each jurisdiction. England & Wales and Northern Ireland: simple contracts are usually executed by signature, including by electronic signature if the signer intends to authenticate and has authority. Deeds require signature by an individual in the physical presence of a witness who attests the signature; companies execute under Companies...

Virtual execution of deeds, contracts and guarantees in England and Wales: practical options, Mercury implications, witnessing, and HM Land Registry requirements

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Practice notes

This Practice Note offers practical direction on correctly executing documents when one or more parties to a contract are not physically together, often referred to as virtual signing or a virtual closing.

The Law Society has brought together established materials covering:

Execution of documents by virtual means,
use of electronic signatures,
its ‘Tips on how to operate in practice’ concerning virtual execution and the use of e‑signatures,
and Q&A on using electronic signatures and completing virtual executions, including ‘Our position on the use of virtual execution and e‑signature during the coronavirus (COVID‑19) pandemic’.

We have assembled a comprehensive, interactive collection to help users identify and navigate the concepts and common issues involved in executing documents, including by virtual means. Each section or phase contains practical guidance, precedent clauses and Q&As relevant to that stage. For more information, see: Execution collection.

Mercury Tax Case

This guidance aligns with the Law Society’s position issued on 16 February 2010 in Response to the decision in the Mercury Tax case, which examined the effectiveness of pre‑signed signature pages...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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