
I-9 Form (2013 2026)
Get a I 9 Form 2013 template with airSlate SignNow and complete it in a few simple clicks.
What I-9 Form is and how it works
I-9 Form verifies an employee’s identity and authorization to work in the United States; it is completed by the employee and reviewed by the employer or authorized representative. Section 1 records employee information and attestations, while Section 2 records the employer’s examination of acceptable documents. The employer must complete Section 2 within three business days of the employee’s first day of employment for pay. Under 8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A), retain the form for three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later.
Business types that use I-9 Form
Form I-9 becomes easier to coordinate when employee completion, employer review, authorized representatives, and retention are managed in one controlled workflow.
A small business with recurring hires can use a controlled I-9 Form template, assign employee and employer fields, and retain completed records under 8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A) without routing paper between offices. A staffing or construction enterprise can coordinate distributed onboarding through signNow templates, mobile apps, and audit trails while authorized representatives complete their assigned portions and administrators monitor document status. A national employer can connect signNow with HR or enterprise systems, use role-based access, and preserve searchable completion evidence while applying the same federal Form I-9 retention calculation across locations.
These tasks are executed by both individual contributors and centralized administrators depending on organizational policy and required controls.
Key features for I-9 Form
signNow connects field preparation, assigned signing, audit evidence, and controlled storage for the employee and employer portions of Form I-9.
Field detection
Upload the I-9 Form, let signNow detect fillable areas, and assign employee, employer, preparer, or translator fields before sending the document to the correct participants.
Role assignment
Route Section 1 and Section 2 to the responsible people with separate assigned fields, reducing the risk that one participant completes another party’s certification.
Electronic signing
Capture typed, drawn, or uploaded signatures with signing timestamps and document history, creating an electronic record connected to the completed I-9 Form.
Audit trail
Preserve the completed form with signNow’s audit trail, including signing activity and document history that can support internal review and organized record retrieval.
Mobile completion
Use signNow mobile apps for onboarding away from a desk, while maintaining assigned fields and authentication controls for the employee and employer workflow.
Secure retention
Apply access controls and encryption to sensitive identity information, while retaining the final I-9 Form according to the federal rule rather than a generic platform period.
How I-9 Form works in signNow
A controlled signNow workflow separates preparation, employee completion, employer review, and record storage for Form I-9.
Upload form: Upload the I-9 Form PDF to signNow. Assign fields: Auto-detect fields, then assign Section 1 and Section 2 responsibilities. Send workflow: Send invitations or a controlled signing link. Archive record: Store the signed form with its audit trail.
Complete I-9 Form in signNow
Follow this sequence to prepare the form, route assigned fields, and preserve the completed I-9 Form with its audit evidence.
Upload form:
Upload the I-9 Form PDF to signNow. Assign roles:
Review auto-detected fields and assign each role. Send requests:
Send Section 1 and Section 2 requests. Complete record:
Review, sign, and save the completed record.
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Mobile options for I-9 Form
Complete I-9 Form workflows using signNow mobile apps on iOS 15 or later and Android 10 or later, with TLS 1.2 or later protecting connections.
Mobile apps iOS 15 or later and Android 10 or later Document capture Camera capture supports identity-document images Offline signing Offline signing is available in the signNow mobile app
Mobile workflows can help employees and authorized representatives complete assigned fields away from a desk. Confirm your organization’s document-review procedure separately, because signNow provides signing and audit evidence rather than determining employment eligibility or replacing Form I-9 verification duties.
I-9 Form completion timeline
The key statutory timing point is the employer’s Section 2 deadline: within three business days of the employee’s first paid workday.
Prepare the document
Deliver to signers
Complete required sections
Archive the record
Find and fill out the correct i 9 form
airSlate SignNow helps you fill in and sign documents in minutes, error-free. Choose the correct version of the editable PDF form from the list and get started filling it out.
| Versions | Form popularity | Fillable & printable |
|---|---|---|
| *2013 USCIS Releases New Form I-9 [2013-03-12] 2013 | 4.8 Satisfied (5898 Votes) |
I-9 Form retention schedule
Form I-9 retention is calculated from the employee’s hire and termination dates, using the later date required by federal regulation.
Three years after hire
One year after termination
Later of the dates
During the retention period
Employer record policy
I-9 Form compliance risks
Paperwork violation
Inspection exposure
Record deficiency
Technical error
I-9 Form workflow pricing comparison
The verified signNow figures below use annual billing; competitor prices and features are marked Not verified where the supplied data does not confirm them.
| Features | signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | Dropbox Sign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $8/user/month annually | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Free trial | 7 days, no credit card | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Bulk send | Business Premium included | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Audit trail | Included in Business plan | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| HIPAA compliance | Available with BAA requirement | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
I-9 Form privacy and disclosure pitfalls
Sending a completed I-9 Form through unrestricted email can expose identity and employment-authorization information to unintended recipients. Assigning Section 2 to the employee instead of the employer or authorized representative can compromise the required attestation workflow. Failing to capture electronic consent and preserve a reproducible record can weaken evidence supporting an electronic signature under ESIGN. Leaving former administrators with access to stored forms can expose sensitive employee records beyond their employment-verification duties.
Recommended I-9 Form workflow setup
Configure separate roles, authentication, audit evidence, encryption, and retention around the employee and employer portions of Form I-9.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication method | Email link with SMS verification |
| Signature type | Typed or drawn electronic signature |
| Audit trail | Capture timestamps and document history |
| Document retention | Three years after hire or one year after termination, later date |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2 or 1.3 and AES-256 encryption |
Key performance indicators that demonstrate SignNow's proven track record.
Troubleshooting I-9 Form workflows
Resolve field assignment, retention, authentication, and delivery issues without changing the employer’s Form I-9 compliance responsibilities.
Use a signNow template with separate employee and employer fields. The Business plan includes templates, legally binding eSignatures, and audit trails. Complete Section 1 by the employee and Section 2 by the employer or authorized representative, following USCIS instructions and avoiding unauthorized document demands.
Form I-9 retention is not a signNow-specific setting. Under 8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A), retain the form for three years after the employee’s hire date or one year after termination, whichever is later. Configure archival controls to preserve the completed form and audit trail for that period.
The Business plan costs $8 per user per month when billed annually and includes 100 signature invites per user per year. Business Premium costs $15 per user per month annually and adds bulk send, which can help with repeated onboarding workflows.
signNow records an audit trail with signing activity, timestamps, and document history. Its ESIGN and UETA compliance supports electronic-signature enforceability, but the employer remains responsible for accurate Form I-9 completion and eligibility verification under USCIS requirements.
Use SMS authentication or another available signer-authentication control when identity assurance requires more than an email link. Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication, while Site License can add SSO and other enterprise controls. Authentication does not replace the employer’s Form I-9 review obligations.
If a signer cannot open the invitation, verify the email address, resend the request, and check whether organizational filters block signNow messages. A shareable signing link can provide another delivery route, but restrict access and confirm the intended signer before sending.
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