Public Entity

Use a Public Entity 2017 template to make your document workflow more streamlined.

What Public Entity is and does

Public Entity is a document used by or involving a governmental organization, agency, or other public body; its exact purpose and required fields depend on the issuing authority. In signNow, upload the document, review auto-detected fillable fields, assign signer and approval roles, send it for electronic signature, and retain the completed copy with its audit trail. ESIGN and UETA generally recognize electronic signatures when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are established. State law and the responsible agency’s filing rules still control the document’s final use.

Public agencies

Government offices, public authorities, and contractors use Public Entity for agreements, approvals, procurement records, and interagency paperwork requiring identifiable signers and preserved evidence.

External partners

Organizations working with public bodies use Public Entity for contracts, consent forms, invoices, and compliance records requiring controlled electronic signatures and audit trails.

Organizations that use Public Entity

Public Entity supports public-sector teams and private organizations that exchange controlled documents with government bodies.

A municipal procurement office can route Public Entity contracts through designated reviewers, collect signatures in sequence, and retain the completed agreement with its audit trail.
A state agency records team can use reusable Public Entity templates, controlled signer roles, and delegated sending while preserving consistent evidence for public-records administration.
A government contractor can prepare Public Entity proposals, statements of work, and approvals remotely, then connect completed records to the organization’s storage or ERP system.

Field detection

Upload the Public Entity PDF and review signNow’s detected fields before assigning signers or adding missing fields.

Signer routing

Assign Public Entity roles and signing order so agency reviewers and external parties receive the correct requests.

Audit trail

Capture signer actions, timestamps, and completion evidence in an audit trail linked to the signed document.

Remote signing

Use email delivery, mobile apps, or configured authentication to support remote Public Entity execution.

Record retention

Retain the signed Public Entity file with its audit trail and access controls for later review.

Integrations

Connect completed Public Entity records with supported systems such as Microsoft 365, NetSuite, Box, or Google Drive.

How Public Entity works in signNow

signNow turns a Public Entity file into a controlled signing workflow from upload through evidence-backed retention.

Upload: Upload the Public Entity PDF
Prepare: Review detected fields and signer roles
Send: Send the assigned signing request
Retain: Store the signed file and audit trail

be ready to get more

Get legally-binding signatures now!

Start free trial

Request a call

Best ROI. Our customers achieve an average 7x ROI within the first six months.
Scales with your use cases. From SMBs to mid-market, airSlate SignNow delivers results for businesses of all sizes.
Intuitive UI and API. Sign and send documents from your apps in minutes.

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	Email verification with SMS authentication
Signature type	Electronic signature with signer intent
Audit trail	Capture and export completion evidence
Document retention	Apply the governing agency schedule
Encryption and provisioning	AES-256 storage with administrator controls

Authenticate signer:

Confirm the signer through email delivery or configured authentication before accepting the Public Entity signature.

Capture timestamps:

Record the signing event time and each workflow action in the audit trail.

Hash document:

Associate the completed Public Entity record with its audit evidence and document history.

Seal record:

Preserve the completed record against unnoticed changes through the signed workflow evidence.

Check history:

Review signer actions, field completion, and delivery events before closing the transaction.

Export evidence:

Export the audit trail with the signed Public Entity file for controlled retention.

Find and fill out the correct public entity

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
2007 CA SC-104C [2007-07-01] 2017	4.8 Satisfied (3112 Votes)
2007 CA SC-104C [2007-07-01] 2007	4.7 Satisfied (1365 Votes)

Security for Public Entity records

Transport encryption:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Stored data:

AES-256 at rest

Assurance report:

SOC 2 Type II certified

Security management:

ISO 27001 certified

Electronic signatures:

ESIGN and UETA compliant

Health information:

HIPAA compliant with BAA

Integrations for Public Entity workflows

Connect Public Entity workflows with CRM, ERP, collaboration, and storage systems used to route approvals, preserve records, and retrieve completed documents.

Best practices for Public Entity records

Reliable Public Entity records depend on authority checks, controlled access, complete evidence, and a retention schedule matched to the record’s legal purpose.

Confirm the responsible public authority

Identify the agency, department, or contracting party responsible for Public Entity before selecting fields and signer roles. Confirm whether the recipient requires a specific template, approval sequence, notarization, or submission method instead of assuming electronic execution alone satisfies every rule.

Preserve the signed record package

Keep the completed Public Entity PDF, certificate of completion, and audit trail together in a controlled repository. Restrict editing access, record the retention decision, and preserve a reproducible copy that can be produced during an audit or dispute.

Map retention to the record type

Apply the retention rule that matches the record’s subject, not merely its electronic format. Federal tax records generally require three years from filing under IRC §6501(a), while state public-records schedules may require longer periods.

Export audit evidence with the document

Use signNow’s audit trail to preserve signer identity, timestamps, actions, and completion evidence. Export the audit trail with Public Entity and test retrieval before closing the workflow or transferring records to archival storage.

Retention periods for Public Entity

Retention depends on what Public Entity documents, who maintains them, and which federal, state, or contract rule governs the underlying record.

3 years from filing

IRC §6501(a) generally governs federal tax assessment records.

6 years for major understatement

IRC §6501(a) extends the period when income is understated by 25% or more.

Indefinite for fraud cases

IRC §6501(a) provides no limitation period for fraud or an unfiled return.

State schedule period

State public-records schedules may prescribe longer periods for agency records.

Contract-specific retention period

A government contract may impose a separate retention term; verify the awarding authority’s schedule.

Legal standing for Public Entity

Public Entity may be admissible as an electronic business record when the parties demonstrate intent, consent, signer attribution, and reliable retention and reproduction. ESIGN, 15 U.S.C. chapter 96, and applicable UETA rules support electronic signatures, but wills, codicils, testamentary trusts, court orders, and official court filings remain excluded.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Challenges when completing Public Entity

Public Entity may contain sensitive organizational, financial, or contact information that requires controlled access before signing.
Missing signer roles or approval order can delay execution when a public agency requires sequential review.
A completed document may lack evidentiary value if consent, signer attribution, or the audit trail is not preserved.
State-specific filing, notarization, or records-retention rules may apply even when the signature process is electronic.

Public Entity troubleshooting questions

Resolve field-detection, signer-authentication, consent, compliance, and plan-limit questions before sending Public Entity for signature.

If the Public Entity template contains no detected fields, upload a clearer PDF and review signNow’s auto-detected fields before adding signature, date, or text fields manually. Field placement should match the document’s actual signer roles and required approvals.

Business includes legally binding eSignatures, templates, audit trails, and mobile apps at $8/user/month when billed annually. Business Premium is $15/user/month annually and adds bulk send and kiosk mode for larger Public Entity workflows.

For a consumer-facing Public Entity transaction, provide the electronic-record disclosure required by ESIGN, 15 U.S.C. §7001(c). The signer must be able to access the record and understand how to withdraw electronic consent or request paper records.

Use signer authentication appropriate to the document’s risk. signNow supports email delivery and optional SMS authentication; Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication. Preserve the resulting audit trail with the completed Public Entity record.

A Public Entity record may contain protected health information only within a suitable HIPAA workflow. signNow identifies HIPAA compliance as requiring a business associate agreement, so confirm the BAA before processing PHI.

The Business plan includes 100 signature invites per user annually, with overage fees. Business Premium adds bulk send, while Site License pricing is $1.50 per signature invite for usage-based deployment.

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating

BE READY TO GET MORE

Get this form now!

If you believe that this page should be taken down, please follow our DMCA take-down process.