Signing documents on behalf of a company

When a document needs to be signed for or on behalf of your , it is important you understand how and by whom it should be signed. This section will help you understand who can sign different types of documents for your and how to ensure they are properly authorised. It also explains what you should do if you find documents have not been signed correctly.

Who can sign documents for a company

  1. 1.Who can sign documents for my company?
  2. 2.Does an agreement have to be signed?
  3. 3.Does an agreement have to be in writing?

Difference between deeds and other documents

  1. 4.What is the difference between a deed and other documents?
  2. 5.When does my company need to sign a document as a deed?

Deciding who signs company documents

  1. 6.Who decides which person can sign documents to be entered into by my company?

How to sign different types of document for a company

  1. 7.How do I sign documents on behalf of my company other than deeds?
  2. 8.How do I execute deeds for my company?
  3. 9.How can I execute a deed using my company seal?
  4. 10.Can a contract or deed be signed by different individuals in separate counterparts?
  5. 11.How does my company execute a power of attorney?
  6. 12.How does my company execute a guarantee?

Witnessing of signatures

  1. 13.When do I need to have a signature witnessed on my company's agreements?
  2. 14.How do I have a signature witnessed on company contracts or deeds?

Changes to company documents

  1. 15.Can I alter a company document before signing it?
  2. 16.Can I alter a company document after signing it?

Dealing with incorrectly signed documents

  1. 17.Is a document still valid if not properly signed or executed on behalf of my company?
  2. 18.Do I have to include my company's name when I sign a document on its behalf?
  3. 19.Can my company be bound by a document that is not signed in its name?
  4. 20.What happens if a document which is not a deed has not been properly signed or executed?
  5. 21.What happens if a deed has not been properly executed?

Board minutes authorising signature of a company document

Use these minutes during a board meeting to approve a particular contract or agreement and authorise a specified person to sign it on behalf of your company. By using these template minutes to authorise signature of a company document, you make sure the proper process is followed and that all the necessary people agree on who is authorised to sign what documents. Note that it may not be practical to approve all agreements individually like this – it is possible to delegate power to sign documents on behalf of your company more informally, eg by including it as a term in an individual’s employment contract.
£20 + VAT

Sole director resolution authorising signature of a company document

If your company has only one director, use this template resolution to authorise signature of a company document. By using this template resolution, you ensure that you follow the correct legal process to authorise certain people to sign documents. This reduces the risk of legal disputes later on, and ensures that everyone is comfortable with who is authorised to sign company documents. Legally, the person chosen to sign documents on behalf of your company does not have to be its sole director, but you may find that people dealing with your company expect it for important matters.
£20 + VAT
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