"Electronic signature" covers everything from typing your name in a box to cryptographic certificates issued by government-accredited authorities. These are wildly different things that happen to share a name. Understanding the tiers helps you pick the right one; and avoid both over-engineering a permission slip and under-signing a property deed.
One caveat up front: this is general background, not legal advice. Requirements vary by country and by document type, and for anything high-stakes you should confirm what the receiving party accepts.
Typed names and signature images
Typing a name, drawing on a touchscreen, and placing a handwritten-signature image on a document are common forms of electronic signing. U.S. laws such as ESIGN and UETA address these signatures, as does the EU's eIDAS regulation. Requirements still depend on the document and jurisdiction.
A typed name does not by itself demonstrate who entered it. The surrounding context, such as an email thread, account history, and later actions by both parties, may provide that evidence. Simple signatures are commonly used for permission slips, freelance agreements, internal approvals, and many other routine documents.
Signatures with an audit record
Commercial signing platforms may verify an email address and record timestamps or IP addresses. They attach that activity record to the signed document, which can help identify the signer later.
Certificate-based digital signatures
A certificate-based digital signature seals the PDF cryptographically. A PDF reader can verify the certificate and flag changes made after signing. These signatures appear in some government, cross-border, and regulated workflows. Under eIDAS, a qualified electronic signature requires a certificate from an approved provider.
Check the document requirement
- Everyday documents; consent forms, small contracts, invoices, offer acknowledgments: a simple signature is standard practice.
- Business contracts where disputes are conceivable: a platform with an audit trail or a simple signature exchanged over a well-documented email thread.
- Documents where the receiving institution names a requirement; deeds, court filings, notarized documents, some government forms: ask them; the answer may be a qualified certificate or even ink.
Signing a PDF in your browser
The PDF signing tool places a typed signature or signature image onto a page. Move and resize it before downloading the signed copy. Use a transparent PNG if the signature image has a white background; the transparency guide explains the format details.