SEC to Permit Electronic Signatures

Summary

This First Analysis article discusses the amendments (available here) to Regulation S-T adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 17, 2020 to permit the use of electronic signatures in signature authentication documents that are required to be signed under Regulation S-T. As part of its modernization efforts, the SEC has adopted amendments to allow for electronic signature of documents filed with the SEC via EDGAR. The SEC has also revised rules and forms under the Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Investment Company Act of 1940 to allow the use of electronic signatures for other filings that contain typed, rather than manual, signatures.