Electronic Signatures for PDFs Explained
Printing a contract, signing it, scanning it back, and emailing it is a workflow from 2005. Today you can sign a PDF in your browser in 15 seconds — and in most jurisdictions, that signature is legally binding. Here's what you need to know.
Three ways to sign a PDF
- Draw with mouse or finger. The most common method. You sketch your signature on a touchpad or touchscreen.
- Upload a scan. If you have a scanned image of your real signature (with transparent background), upload it as a PNG.
- Type in cursive font. Quick for casual documents. Less commonly accepted for formal contracts.
Are these signatures legally valid?
This depends on your jurisdiction:
- EU (eIDAS regulation): Three tiers — Simple, Advanced, and Qualified. Drawn/typed signatures are Simple Electronic Signatures (SES) and are valid for most everyday business agreements.
- United States (ESIGN, UETA): Electronic signatures are legally equivalent to handwritten ones for most contracts.
- Turkey (5070 Sayılı Kanun): Simple electronic signatures are usable for many agreements; "Güvenli elektronik imza" (qualified) is required for some legal acts.
- UK, Canada, Australia, India: Electronic signatures are widely accepted with similar tiered models.
Important: Real estate transactions, wills, divorces, and certain government filings often require ink signatures or qualified digital signatures, regardless of country.
How to sign a PDF
- Open PDF7 Sign
- Drag your PDF (up to 100 MB)
- Choose a signature method (draw, upload, or type)
- Place the signature where it goes
- Add date and initials if needed
- Download the signed PDF
Multiple signatures on one document
For multi-party contracts, you can place several signatures on the same document. Each signer can use a different method. The PDF tracks who signed where.
Signing already-protected PDFs
If a PDF has editing restrictions, you'll need to remove them first with our PDF unlock tool (assuming you have the password). Otherwise the signature won't save.
What about qualified digital signatures?
For maximum legal weight (real estate, government, corporate), you need a qualified digital signature backed by a cryptographic certificate from a trust service provider. PDF7 handles standard electronic signatures — for QES, use a specialized provider.