To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog: On November 17, 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a release adopting rule amendments to permit the use of electronic signatures in connection with electronic filings on EDGAR that are required to be signed. The new rules became effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register on December 4, 2020. Companies beginning to use electronic signatures in SEC filings should keep in mind the key points below. As we discussed in a previous article on the new electronic signature rules, the requirements for electronic signatures are set forth in Volume II of the EDGAR Filer Manual, and require that the signing process for the electronic signature satisfy the following criteria: