Sign PDF
100% private — runs on your device, never uploaded. Works offline once loaded.
Add your handwritten signature to a PDF — draw it, pick the page and position, and download the signed document. Everything happens on your device, so your contract is never uploaded (unlike paid e-sign services).
Electronic signature, not digital certificate
It's worth knowing the difference between the two things people call 'signing a PDF.' A cryptographic digital signature uses a PKI certificate issued by a trusted authority to mathematically bind your identity to the exact bytes of the document — that's what notaries and some government e-filing systems require. What this tool creates is an electronic signature: your drawn or typed signature image is placed on the page, and the tool embeds supporting metadata — a consent confirmation, an ISO 8601 timestamp, and the signing method — into the PDF itself as evidence of intent.
That distinction matters because electronic signatures are what the vast majority of everyday business actually runs on. The US ESIGN Act and the EU's eIDAS regulation both recognise this kind of 'intent plus record' signature as legally binding for ordinary contracts — it's exactly what services like DocuSign and Adobe Sign produce for their standard (non-certified) tier.
Where a drawn signature is genuinely enough
Most day-to-day paperwork never needs a certificate authority involved.
- Freelance or consulting agreements before starting work
- NDAs signed ahead of a call with a new client or partner
- Rental or lease agreements between landlord and tenant
- Vendor quotes, purchase orders, and delivery acknowledgements
- School permission slips or waiver forms
When you need something stronger
A handful of high-stakes situations — mortgage closings in some jurisdictions, certain court filings, or corporate documents requiring a specific PKI certificate chain — call for a certified digital signature from an accredited provider rather than a drawn electronic one. If the receiving party or a regulator has explicitly asked for a 'digital signature' with certificate verification, check with them before relying on this instead.
A tip for a signature that looks natural
Draw your signature slowly and at a reasonable size on the canvas rather than a tiny scribble in the corner — the tool scales it to fit the placement box, and a signature drawn too small tends to come out blocky or pixelated once enlarged on the page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my document uploaded?
No — signing happens entirely in your browser and your PDF never leaves your device.
Is this signature legally binding?
Yes. Whiztools signs the PDF locally and embeds electronic signature metadata (consent confirmation, ISO timestamps, method parameters) compliant with the US ESIGN Act and European eIDAS regulations. For specific corporate files requiring custom PKI certificates, you may need enterprise signers, but this is legally sufficient for most everyday business contracts.
Is a signature made this way legally binding?
Yes, for the vast majority of everyday contracts — the tool embeds consent confirmation, an ISO timestamp, and method metadata compliant with the US ESIGN Act and EU eIDAS, which is what most business agreements rely on.
How is this different from a certified digital signature?
A certified digital signature uses a PKI certificate from an accredited authority to cryptographically bind your identity to the file; this tool creates an electronic signature (drawn image plus consent metadata), which covers ordinary contracts but not situations that specifically require certificate-based signing.
Can I add signatures for multiple people on the same document?
Yes — you can place a signature, download the result, and repeat the process to add another person's signature to the same or a fresh copy of the PDF.
Can I sign from my phone?
Yes, drawing with a finger or stylus on a touchscreen works the same way as drawing with a mouse on desktop.
Does the person receiving the signed PDF need special software to verify it?
No — any standard PDF viewer displays the signature and page content normally; no proprietary app or account is needed to open or read the signed file.
Can I type my name instead of drawing a signature?
The tool is built around drawing your signature by hand, since a hand-drawn mark is generally treated as stronger evidence of intent than typed text styled to look like a signature.
Advertisement