Tramilisto

Digital signature on a PDF: which one you need

Putting your signature on a PDF isn't the same as signing it with a certificate. You can do the first here, and we explain when you'll be asked for the second.

1 · Document

2 · Your signature

3 · Optional text

4 · Place it and download

  1. Load the PDF and create your signature

    Draw it, type it in a handwriting font or upload a photo. You can also create your initials.

  2. Drag it into place

    Move it over the page and resize it from the corner. Add it to as many pages as you need.

  3. Download the signed PDF

    The signature is added on top of the original document. The text and page quality don't change.

Simple electronic signature. You place an image of your signature on the PDF. That's often enough for private documents between individuals and businesses, if the other party accepts it. It isn't a certificate-based digital signature, which many official procedures require. See the difference.
Everything runs in your browser. Your document and signature are never uploaded to any server.

How to put your signature on a PDF here

  1. Load the PDF and draw or type your signature.
  2. Place it on the page and download the document.
  3. If the procedure requires a certificate-based signature, use your digital certificate or the signing service the organisation tells you to use instead (explained below).

Drawn signature vs certificate-based signature

Drawn signature (what this tool does). An image of your signature placed on the PDF. Anyone sees it when they open the document, but the file contains nothing that proves who added it or that the document hasn't been changed since.

Certificate-based signature. Made with an electronic certificate linked to your identity, using signing software or the signing service of the organisation that asks for it. The PDF stores a cryptographic signature: if someone changes a single comma, the signature no longer verifies. In the EU, when it's a qualified signature made with a qualified certificate, it has the same legal effect as a handwritten one. In Spain the usual options are the FNMT certificate, the DNIe or Cl@ve Firma, often with the AutoFirma app.

The two can go together: some people add the image of their signature so it's visible and then sign the PDF with their certificate.

Private by design

Most online tools upload your files to their servers. Not here: everything is processed in your own browser and nothing is ever sent anywhere. That's why you can safely use it with your ID, passport, payslips, medical reports or contracts.

Which one do you need?

  • Government and official procedures (tax, social security, immigration, local councils): these often require you to sign through the organisation's own portal or with a digital certificate. A drawn signature usually isn't enough there.
  • Private documents (quotes, consent forms, agreements between individuals): a drawn signature is usually fine if the other party accepts it.
  • Important contracts (a mortgage, an employment contract with a large company): the sender will tell you which platform or certificate to sign with.

Government portals and other official procedures often require a certificate-based or qualified signature, made through their own system or with a digital certificate, rather than an image of your signature. In Spain, for instance, public bodies usually ask you to sign on their online portal (sede electrónica) with a digital certificate such as the FNMT one, the electronic ID card (DNIe) or Cl@ve Firma, and a drawn signature isn't accepted there. Each organisation decides what it accepts, so if you're asked for a signed document, check the instructions or ask first.

What the law says, in short

What you create here is a simple electronic signature: an image of your signature placed on the document. Many legal systems accept electronic signatures in general, but they also distinguish stronger types. In the European Union, for example, the eIDAS regulation (article 25) says an electronic signature can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic, but only a qualified electronic signature, made with a qualified certificate, has by law the same effect as a handwritten one.

In practice, a drawn signature works for many private documents (quotes, school consent forms, timesheets, agreements between individuals) when the other party accepts it. If there were ever a dispute, its value as evidence would depend on other proof, such as the emails you used to send the document. Rules vary by country and by document, and we can't guarantee it's valid in your particular case.

More about signing PDFs

Frequently asked questions

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. Everything is processed inside your browser. Your files never leave your device.

Is it free?

Yes. No sign-up, no watermark and no usage limits.

Is a digital signature the same as an electronic signature?

People often use them as synonyms. What matters is the type: simple (like a drawn signature), advanced, or qualified (made with a qualified certificate).

Can I sign a PDF with my digital certificate here?

No. This tool adds an image of your signature, not a certificate-based signature. For that you need signing software that uses your certificate, or the signing system of the organisation that asks for it.

Can I use it to sign an official or government procedure?

Usually not. Government portals often require a certificate-based or qualified signature made through their own system. Check the instructions for each procedure.

Can I combine the two?

Yes. You can add the image of your signature here so it's visible and then sign the resulting PDF with your certificate. Do it in that order: if you change the PDF after signing it with a certificate, that signature no longer verifies.

More tools