How DocuSign's Certificate of Completion works and why it proves the date and the signature

The Certificate of Completion is the document DocuSign issues at the end of every envelope. It gathers the envelope identifier, the signers, the times of sending, viewing and signing, the IP addresses and the event history (audit trail). In disputes over electronic contracts, it is the piece that turns a "visual" signature into a verifiable one.

This guide explains what the certificate contains, what the law requires of an electronic signature, how the burden of proof works when authenticity is challenged, and how to obtain the document.

1. Direct answer

An electronically signed contract proves itself only to the extent that its signature record can be checked. The final PDF shows the text and the visual signature marks. The certificate shows the trail: who received the envelope, on what date and time (with time zone), from which IP address, with which authentication method, and whether the content was altered after signing. Without the trail, the date and authorship rest only on the word of whoever filed the document.

2. Anatomy of the certificate

Although the layout varies by platform and version, the useful minimum content is:

1. Envelope identifier: a unique alphanumeric code linking the certificate to the document. It is the first item to check.
2. Document data: title, page count and hash (cryptographic digest) of the file.
3. Sender and signers: name, e-mail, role in the flow (signs, receives a copy) and signing order.
4. Time-stamped events: creation, sending, delivery, viewing, signing, completion. Each event has its own time, and the times of different signatures may differ.
5. IP address and authentication method: access by e-mail, SMS code, ID document, digital certificate.
6. Final status: "Completed" when everyone has signed.

The hash makes it possible to verify integrity: if the file is changed afterwards, the digest changes. That is what gives the certificate technical value beyond the graphic signature.

3. What the law says about electronic signatures

• Freedom of form (Civil Code, art. 107): the validity of a declaration of intent does not depend on a special form, unless the law requires one. Temporary-work contracts and contracts between companies may be signed electronically.
• Provisional Measure 2.200-2/2001: creates the ICP-Brasil and, in art. 10, §2, admits other means of proving authorship and integrity, provided they are accepted by the parties or by the person against whom the document is used.
• Law 14.063/2020 (art. 4): defines three types of electronic signature. The simple one identifies the signer and attaches data to them. The advanced one uses certificates not issued by ICP-Brasil or other means that identify the signer with a high level of confidence and detect alterations. The qualified one uses an ICP-Brasil certificate.
• Code of Civil Procedure, art. 411: considers a document authentic when authorship is identified by certification under the law, or when the party against whom it was produced does not challenge it.

The practical consequence: a simple or advanced signature is valid, but if it is challenged, the dispute shifts to the evidence, and that is where the certificate matters.

4. Burden of proof when the signature is challenged

When a party challenges the authenticity of a private document, the Code allocates the burden as follows:

• Art. 428: a private document loses its evidentiary force when its authenticity is challenged, until its veracity is proven.
• Art. 429, II: where authenticity is challenged, the burden of proof falls on the party that produced the document.

In other words: whoever files the contract must be able to show that the signature is authentic. The certificate is the most direct means. If it is not presented, the party that filed the document may be called upon to explain why, and the judge assesses all the evidence together (art. 371).

5. How to obtain the certificate

A party to the envelope (sender or signer) can download the certificate from the platform account or from the link received by e-mail. Third parties have no access through this route.

Through the LGPD (Brazil's data protection law): the signer can ask the platform and the sender for access to their envelope data (LGPD, art. 18, I and II), with an answer within 15 days (art. 19, II). See the step-by-step in the post on how to request e-signature records under the LGPD.

By court order: access logs of internet applications are protected by the Marco Civil da Internet (Law 12.965/2014, arts. 10 and 15), and the interested party may ask the judge to order their disclosure (art. 22). Platforms usually state that delivery to third parties depends on that order.

6. Model request to the sender (for signers)

Subject: Request for access to personal data – Envelope [code] Under arts. 18, I and II, and 19, II, of Law 13.709/2018, I request the Certificate of Completion and the event history of envelope [code], signed on [date], including dates, times and IP addresses of the events relating to me. I request an answer within the statutory 15 days.

Keep the protocol number and the date of sending.

7. Common mistakes

• Confusing envelopes: one case can have several envelopes (contract, amendments, termination). Each has its own code and its own certificate. Always check the code.
• Accepting the PDF as sufficient proof: the visual signature mark proves neither date nor authorship.
• Ignoring time zones: the certificate records times with a time zone, and the difference can change the date.
• Assuming "completed" is the signing date: completion is the date of the last signer. Each signature has its own date.
• Waiting to ask: access records may be discarded after the retention period.

8. Verification checklist

• Does the envelope code on the certificate match the one on the document?
• Are the sending and signing dates consistent with the period the contract governs?
• Do all the necessary signers appear and do they have authority?
• Does each amendment have its own certificate?
• Does the document hash match the filed file?
• Is any event out of order (signing before sending, for example)?

9. In the Pernod Ricard, Michael Page and Page Interim case

Instrument ID c28562b was filed by Pernod Ricard in case no. 1000293-10.2026.5.02.0050 as the contract of the temporary-work regime. The document is an RPO (recruitment) contract, signed by Michael Page International and Page Personnel, not by Page Interim, the claimant's employer. Of the four instruments filed, the three amendments came with DocuSign's Certificate of Completion; ID c28562b did not come with the certificate of Envelope 8B6491BE, and none of the amendments covers the period from 19/02 to 03/04/2025.

The claimant challenges the instrument (a declaratory action on ID c28562b, filed on 14/10/2026) and is seeking the envelope records: he requested them from DocuSign itself, and the 10th Federal Criminal Court of São Paulo converted proceeding no. 5005483-74.2026.4.03.6181, whose object is that instrument, into a police inquiry. On 13/10/2026, the Federal Prosecutor's Office stated it did not oppose the claimant's access to the case file, as a victim.

10. Frequently asked questions

Does every contract signed through DocuSign have a certificate? Yes. A completed envelope generates the certificate, which the sender can download.

Does the certificate prove the content is true? No. It proves authorship, date and integrity of the signature, not the truthfulness of the contract's statements.

Who can request the certificate? Signers and the sender. Third parties generally depend on a court order.

Is a simple electronic signature valid in court? It is valid, and any dispute is resolved by evidence of authorship and integrity.

How long does the platform keep the records? The Marco Civil sets six months as the minimum for application providers. Many platforms keep them longer.

Know your rights: Temporary work: rights, deadlines and rules (2026) · Labor rights guide