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View An I-9 Form

Use a View An I 9 Form template to make your document workflow more streamlined.

What View An I-9 Form is and how it works

View An I-9 Form is the U.S. Employment Eligibility Verification record employers use to document an employee’s identity and authorization to work. The employee completes Section 1, and the employer or authorized representative completes Section 2 after examining acceptable documents. signNow lets an employer upload the Form I-9 PDF, detect and assign fillable fields, send sections to the responsible participants, collect electronic signatures, and preserve an audit trail. Employers remain responsible for following USCIS procedures, examining documents, and retaining the record under 8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A).

Who uses Form I-9 workflows

Human resources

Human resources teams use Form I-9 to collect employee identity and employment-authorization information, coordinate Section 1 and Section 2 responsibilities, and preserve completed records for an inspection. signNow assigns fields to employees, preparers, and authorized representatives while retaining the signing history with the document.

Remote employers

Employers hiring remote workers use Form I-9 workflows to gather Section 1 information electronically and route document review to an authorized representative. signNow supports email delivery, mobile completion, and audit-trail storage, but employers must still follow USCIS verification rules and inspect required documents properly.

How to complete Form I-9 online

Complete Form I-9 in signNow by preparing the official document, assigning employee and employer fields, collecting signatures, and retaining the audit record.

  • Upload the form: Upload the official Form I-9 PDF to signNow and let the editor detect fillable fields.
  • Assign fields: Review employee and preparer fields, then assign each required field to the correct person.
  • Send for completion: Send Section 1 to the employee and coordinate Section 2 completion with the authorized representative.
  • Archive records: Store the completed Form I-9 and signNow audit trail according to USCIS retention requirements.

How the Form I-9 audit trail works

A signNow audit trail documents who handled each Form I-9 section, when actions occurred, and how the completed electronic record can be retrieved.

01

Authenticate signer:

The audit trail records the email-based signer attribution for the employee, preparer, or authorized representative.
02

Capture timestamps:

Each signing and field-completion action receives a recorded timestamp in the document history.
03

Preserve document:

The completed PDF and associated transaction history preserve the signed Form I-9 record.
04

Log activity:

signNow records delivery, access, completion, and signing events for review.
05

Retrieve records:

Authorized users can retrieve the completed Form I-9 and its audit evidence.
06

Export evidence:

Export the audit trail with the final document for controlled retention.

Key signNow features for Form I-9

signNow connects Form I-9 field assignment, electronic signing, audit evidence, mobile completion, and controlled storage in one hiring workflow.

Field placement

Upload the official Form I-9 PDF and place employee, preparer, and authorized-representative fields without rebuilding the document from scratch.

Role assignment

Route Section 1 and Section 2 assignments to the people responsible for each certification, reducing mistaken signer responsibilities during hiring.

Audit trail

Capture timestamps, signer events, delivery details, and document history in a signNow audit trail retained with the completed electronic record.

Mobile completion

Complete assigned Form I-9 fields from a desktop or signNow mobile app, supporting distributed hiring and authorized representatives.

Reusable templates

Use templates for recurring onboarding workflows while preserving the exact Form I-9 structure, instructions, and assigned responsibilities.

Secure storage

Store completed Form I-9 files with encryption controls and exportable records for retention, inspection preparation, and internal review.

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Integrations for Form I-9 workflows

Connect Form I-9 workflows with HR, ERP, storage, and productivity systems to route hiring records, preserve completed documents, and reduce duplicate data entry.

Salesforce
Procore
Zapier
Microsoft Teams
Hub spot
Box
Microsoft

Recommended Form I-9 workflow setup

Configure Form I-9 workflows around employee identity, employer verification, audit evidence, and the federal retention rule under 8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A).

SettingRecommendation
Authentication methodEmail link with SMS OTP
Signature typeElectronic signature with intent
Audit trailExport with completed Form I-9
Document retentionThree years after hire or one year after termination
EncryptionTLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Platform requirements for Form I-9

Complete Form I-9 through signNow using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge on Windows or macOS. signNow mobile apps support completion on iOS and Android devices, allowing employees and authorized representatives to review assigned fields away from a desktop.

  • Browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • Operating systems Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
  • Mobile access signNow mobile apps available

For controlled hiring programs, configure managed Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android devices, role-based access, and organizational signNow provisioning. Confirm that the selected plan provides the required authentication, storage, API, or SSO controls before deploying Form I-9 workflows across locations.

Form I-9 processing timeline

Form I-9 timing depends on employee completion, employer document inspection, and the federal retention rule rather than a single filing deadline.

01

Prepare the document

Prepare the official USCIS Form I-9 PDF and assign Section 1 and Section 2 fields.
02

Deliver to signers

Send assigned fields by email or signing link to the employee and authorized representative.
03

Complete signer actions

Complete Section 1 by the first day of employment and coordinate document inspection promptly.
04

Archive the record

Finalize signatures, export the audit trail, and apply 8 CFR §274a.2 retention timing.

Form I-9 retention schedule

Use the later of the two federal Form I-9 retention triggers and preserve the completed form with its audit evidence until that date.

01

Three years after hire

Keep under 8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A), whichever date is later.
02

One year after termination

Keep under 8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A), whichever date is later.
03

Active employment record

Retain while employment continues and the later date has not arrived.
04

Inspection or legal hold

Preserve during an authorized inspection, investigation, or litigation hold.
05

Post-retention disposition

Destroy only after the applicable federal retention date and internal review.

Form I-9 retention and recordkeeping

Retain Form I-9 records using the federal employment-verification rule, preserve the audit evidence, and control access throughout the record lifecycle.

Calculate the Form I-9 retention date

Apply the USCIS retention rule to every completed Form I-9: keep it for three years after the employee’s hire date or one year after termination, whichever is later. Record the controlling date and review it before authorized destruction.

Export the audit trail with each form

Export the completed Form I-9 together with its signNow audit trail after signing. Keep the PDF, certificate of completion, timestamps, signer events, and delivery history together so the retained record explains how the electronic transaction occurred.

Restrict access to authorized personnel

Limit Form I-9 access to personnel with a business need, use role-based signNow permissions, and separate employee completion from employer verification. Avoid placing completed forms in broadly accessible shared folders or ordinary hiring email threads.

Archive and destroy records securely

Use encrypted storage and a documented destruction process after the applicable retention period expires. signNow provides TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit and AES-256 at rest; your organization still controls retention schedules, access reviews, and lawful deletion.

Risks of mishandling Form I-9

Paperwork violations

$288–$2,861 per form

Incomplete certification

Missing Section 1 information

Untimely verification

Late Section 2 inspection

Recordkeeping failure

Wrong retention period

Form I-9 signer security controls

Signer identity:

Email link attribution

Two-factor authentication:

Optional SMS OTP

Event timestamps:

Timestamped signing events

Audit history:

Document history retained

Transport encryption:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Storage encryption:

AES-256 at rest

Form I-9 privacy and disclosure pitfalls

  • Collecting Section 1 and Section 2 from the wrong people can create an inaccurate certification trail and weaken the employer’s Form I-9 record.
  • Sending completed Form I-9 files through unrestricted email or shared folders can expose identity and employment-authorization information to unauthorized viewers.
  • Failing to capture electronic consent and signer attribution can make it harder to demonstrate who completed each Form I-9 section.
  • Deleting a Form I-9 before the later federal retention date can leave the employer unable to produce the required employment-verification record.

Form I-9 eSignature pricing comparison

For Form I-9 workflows, signNow pricing and plan details are verified below; competitor pricing and capabilities are marked Not verified where the available source provides no confirmation.

FeaturessignNowDocuSignAdobe SignPandaDocDropbox Sign
Starting price$8/user/month, Business, annual billingNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verified
Free trial7 days, no credit cardNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verified
Bulk sendBusiness Premium, $15 annuallyNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verified
Audit trailIncluded with Business planNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verified
HIPAA complianceCompliant; BAA requiredNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verifiedNot verified

Form I-9 troubleshooting and compliance questions

Resolve Form I-9 workflow problems by separating signer duties, applying USCIS retention rules, and matching signNow plan capabilities to hiring volume.

signNow’s Business plan includes templates, audit trails, and mobile apps at $8 per user per month when billed annually. If your workflow needs bulk sending, Business Premium costs $15 per user per month annually and adds bulk send and kiosk mode.

Form I-9 records include sensitive identity and employment-authorization information. signNow supports TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit and AES-256 at rest, while access policies, user permissions, and USCIS retention obligations remain the employer’s responsibility.

An employee completes Section 1, while the employer or authorized representative completes Section 2 after inspecting acceptable documents. Reassign fields in signNow rather than allowing one person to certify both sections improperly.

The retention rule is three years after the employee’s hire date or one year after termination, whichever is later, under 8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A). signNow can store the completed file and audit trail, but your organization must apply the rule.

A signNow electronic signature can support an electronic record under ESIGN and applicable state law, but it does not replace the employer’s duty to examine original, acceptable documents or follow USCIS Form I-9 procedures.

Business and Business Premium include 100 signature invites per user per year, with overage fees applying. The Site License uses $1.50 per signature invite and supports unlimited users for organizations processing at least 1,000 documents annually.

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