---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 7006"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "7006"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/7006"
units:
  - "Chapter 96 — Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce"
  - "Subchapter I — Electronic Records and Signatures in Commerce"
---

# §7006. Definitions


For purposes of this subchapter:

- (1) **Consumer—** The term “consumer” means an individual who obtains, through a [transaction](#13), products or services which are used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, and also means the legal representative of such an individual.
- (2) **Electronic—** The term “electronic” means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities.
- (3) **Electronic agent—** The term “electronic agent” means a computer program or an [electronic](#2) or other automated means used independently to initiate an action or respond to [electronic records](#4) or performances in whole or in part without review or action by an individual at the time of the action or response.
- (4) **Electronic record—** The term “electronic record” means a contract or other [record](#9) created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by [electronic](#2) means.
- (5) **Electronic signature—** The term “electronic signature” means an [electronic](#2) sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other [record](#9) and executed or adopted by a [person](#8) with the intent to sign the [record](#9).
- (6) **Federal regulatory agency—** The term “Federal regulatory agency” means an agency, as that term is defined in [section 552(f) of title 5](/usc/5/552.md?p=f).
- (7) **Information—** The term “information” means data, text, images, sounds, codes, computer programs, software, databases, or the like.
- (8) **Person—** The term “person” means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, governmental agency, public corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity.
- (9) **Record—** The term “record” means [information](#7) that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an [electronic](#2) or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.
- (10) **Requirement—** The term “requirement” includes a prohibition.
- (11) **Self-regulatory organization—** The term “self-regulatory organization” means an organization or entity that is not a [Federal regulatory agency](#6) or a [State](#12), but that is under the supervision of a [Federal regulatory agency](#6) and is authorized under Federal law to adopt and administer rules applicable to its members that are enforced by such organization or entity, by a [Federal regulatory agency](#6), or by another self-regulatory organization.
- (12) **State—** The term “State” includes the District of Columbia and the territories and possessions of the United States.
- (13) **Transaction—** The term “transaction” means an action or set of actions relating to the conduct of business, [consumer](#1), or commercial affairs between two or more [persons](#8), including any of the following types of conduct—
  - (A) the sale, lease, exchange, licensing, or other disposition of (i) personal property, including goods and intangibles, (ii) services, and (iii) any combination thereof; and
  - (B) the sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of any interest in real property, or any combination thereof.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–229, title I, § 106, June 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 472.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2000, with exceptions relating to record retention and certain loans, see section 107 of Pub. L. 106–229, set out as a note under section 7001 of this title.