signatory

A signatory is a person or entity that signs a document to indicate consent, endorsement, or commitment. The term is commonly used for contracts, charters, treaties, and declarations, and it identifies the party that has formally affixed a signature to the instrument.

In international law, a signatory state or organization is one that has signed the instrument of agreement, signaling an intention to be bound or to pursue further steps such as ratification. Signing does not always create binding legal obligations; many treaties require ratification, accession, or another domestic step before the terms take legal effect. Some instruments provide for immediate effect upon signature and exchange of instruments, while others become active only after internal approval processes.

The distinction between a signatory and a party that has ratified or acceded to an agreement is important. A signatory may be committed to good faith negotiations and refrain from actions that would defeat the treaty’s object and purpose, but binding enforcement often depends on later ratification. In corporate use, a signatory is any party that has signed the contract or agreement and is bound by its terms once the instrument is duly executed and in force.

Etymology-wise, signatory derives from Latin signare, to sign. In practice, the term can describe individuals, organizations, or states that have signed a document, with the legal effect varying according to the instrument’s provisions and applicable law.