How to sign a PDF — and which method is actually accepted
How to sign a PDF — and which method is actually accepted
Most advice about signing PDFs answers the question "how do I get my name onto this page". The more useful question is how much evidence does this document need, because the answer determines the method.
The five methods, ranked by evidence
| Method | Effort | Identity verified? | Tamper-evident? | Audit trail? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typed name | Seconds | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Drawn signature image | A minute | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Print, sign, scan | Fifteen minutes | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Digital certificate signature | Setup required | ✅ (via certificate) | ✅ | Partial |
| E-signature platform | Minutes | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Note the third row. Print-and-scan feels the most official and carries no more evidence than a drawn signature — nobody verified who held the pen, there is no reliable timestamp, and nothing detects a later change. It also produces a large, often barely legible file. Use it when the recipient specifically requires wet ink, not because it seems safer.
Method 1 — a typed name
Type your name, often in a script font, into a signature field or a text box.
Use it for: internal forms, low-stakes acknowledgements, anything where the parties already know and trust each other.
Do not use it for: anything that could be disputed.
Method 2 — a drawn signature image
Draw your signature once, save it, and place it on documents.
- macOS Preview has a built-in signature tool — draw with the trackpad, or hold a signature up to the camera to capture it.
- iOS and iPadOS support Markup signing in Files and Mail.
- Most PDF applications include a signature stamp feature.
Use it for: ordinary business documents, rental paperwork, school forms.
Understand what it is: a picture of your signature pasted onto a page. Anyone with the image file can paste it onto anything, which is a reason to be careful where you store it.
Method 3 — print, sign, scan
Use it when: the recipient explicitly requires wet ink, or the document is one of the categories excluded from electronic signature legislation (below).
Otherwise avoid it. It is slower, produces a worse file, adds no evidence, and creates an oversized scan you then have to compress — see Getting a PDF under an upload size limit.
Method 4 — a digital certificate signature
A cryptographic signature that binds a certificate to the document. Any subsequent change breaks the signature and viewers report it.
Use it for: professional contexts where you already hold a certificate — some regulated professions issue them, and some organizations run their own.
The catch: obtaining and managing certificates is a real overhead, and recipients need software that validates them properly. For most people this is more machinery than the situation warrants.
Method 5 — an e-signature platform
You upload the document, place fields, and send it. Each signer verifies their identity, signs, and the platform produces a sealed final PDF plus a certificate of completion recording who signed, when, from where, and how they were verified.
Use it for: contracts, leases, consent forms, financial and professional agreements — anything where a dispute is conceivable.
What it adds over a drawn signature is the whole point: identity verification, a reliable timestamp, tamper-evidence, and a record you can produce later.
What Canadian law actually says
Canada's electronic commerce framework — PIPEDA Part 2 federally, and provincial legislation such as Ontario's Electronic Commerce Act — is broadly technology-neutral. It does not mandate a particular signing technology. An electronic signature is generally capable of satisfying a signature requirement.
Two consequences:
- A typed name can be legally valid. Validity is not the hard part.
- Evidence is the hard part. In a dispute the question is not "is an electronic signature allowed" but "can you prove this person signed this version of this document on this date". That is what the top two methods provide and the bottom three do not.
Documents commonly excluded
Electronic commerce legislation typically excludes certain categories, and these differ by province. Commonly excluded:
- wills and codicils
- powers of attorney over personal care or property
- negotiable instruments
- documents transferring land, and land-registration filings
- some trust instruments
For any of these, confirm the requirements in your province before relying on an electronic signature — and treat this as a case for professional advice rather than a search result. Requirements changed in several provinces during and after the pandemic, in some cases temporarily.
More detail: Are electronic signatures legal in Canada?
Choosing quickly
| Situation | Method |
|---|---|
| School permission slip | Typed or drawn |
| Job offer acceptance | Drawn, or e-signature platform |
| Rental lease | E-signature platform |
| Consent form for a professional | E-signature platform |
| Loan or financial agreement | E-signature platform |
| Anything the recipient says needs wet ink | Print, sign, scan |
| Will, power of attorney, land transfer | Get professional advice — likely excluded |
Before you sign anything
- Read the version you are signing, not an earlier draft.
- Check every field is complete — a signature on a document with blanks is a signature on whatever gets written there later.
- Keep your own copy of the signed version.
- Note the date you signed.
How my-id.ca helps
my-id.ca covers both ends of this. You can save a signature and initials for the everyday case, and reuse them on any PDF you fill.
For anything that needs evidence, my-id.ca includes electronic signatures in both directions: documents sent to you arrive in your Sign inbox, and documents you send out get recipients, placed fields, and a tracked signing process producing a sealed, tamper-evident PDF and a certificate of completion. Recipients need no account — they open an emailed link and verify with a one-time code. Signing something sent to you is always free.
Note that wills, codicils, powers of attorney and land-registration documents are not supported for signing, which reflects the exclusions above. See Sign documents electronically and Send a document for signature; plan limits are in What's free, and what Plus adds.
Next steps
- Are electronic signatures legal in Canada?
- Sign documents electronically
- Fill, sign, and share — end to end
- Save your signature and initials
Important: this is general information, not legal advice
This article is general information about working with documents — it is not legal advice, and my-id.ca does not provide legal or professional consultation. my-id.ca is not a government agency, law firm, lawyer, notary, or licensed advisor, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Adobe, Apple, Microsoft, or any government body.
The legal effect of an electronic signature depends on the document, the province, and the circumstances, and the rules change over time — including which document categories are excluded. Always confirm the requirements for your document and province, and for wills, powers of attorney, land transfers and similar instruments consult a licensed lawyer or notary rather than relying on this page. If anything in this guide differs from an official source, the official source is correct.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a typed name a valid signature on a PDF?
- For many everyday documents, yes — Canadian electronic commerce legislation is generally technology-neutral about what constitutes a signature. What varies is how much evidence it provides that you signed it. For anything contested, a typed name is the weakest option.
- Is printing, signing and scanning better than signing electronically?
- Usually not. It feels more official but carries no more evidence than a drawn signature — there is no identity verification, no timestamp, and no tamper-evidence. It also produces a large, often poorly legible scan. Use it when the recipient specifically requires wet ink.
- How do I sign a PDF on a Mac?
- Preview includes a signature tool that lets you draw with the trackpad or capture a signature held up to the camera, then place it on the page. It produces a drawn signature — legally usable for many purposes, with no verification or audit trail attached.
- What is the difference between an electronic signature and a digital signature?
- Electronic signature is the broad category — anything applied electronically to indicate agreement. A digital signature is a specific cryptographic technique that binds a certificate to the document so any later change is detectable. Good e-signature platforms use a digital signature to seal the finished document.
- What is a certificate of completion?
- A record produced by an e-signature platform listing who signed, when, from what address, and how each signer was verified. It is the evidence that matters if a signature is ever disputed, and it is what a drawn or scanned signature has no equivalent of.
- Are there documents that cannot be signed electronically?
- Yes. Canadian electronic commerce legislation excludes certain categories, commonly including wills and codicils, powers of attorney over personal care or property, negotiable instruments, and documents transferring land. Requirements differ by province — confirm before relying on an electronic signature for these.