Do signers need an account?
No. Signers open the link in the request email and sign in the browser. Here is what gets recorded, what makes it legally valid, and when an account is worth having.
No. Anyone can sign a document sent through Document eSign by opening the link in the request email. There is no account to create and nothing to install. An account is optional and mainly useful if you sign often or want everything sent to you in one place.
What you need to sign without an account
Two things: the request email and a current browser. The signing page works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge on desktop, iPhone, iPad and Android, with no plugins or downloads.
The link in the email is personal to you. When you open it, the consent page already shows "Signed in as" with your name and the address the sender used, because the sender entered them when creating the request. If the sender switched on identity verification, you will also enter a code sent to that email or a PIN they shared with you separately. See Verify your identity before signing.
What is recorded
Before the document opens, you agree to an Electronic record & signature disclosure. It sets out exactly what is captured when you sign, and it is the same list that appears in the audit certificate:
| Recorded | Why |
|---|---|
| Your name and email address | Identifies who signed. Taken from the sender's request. |
| Your IP address, browser and device | Shows where and how the document was opened and signed. |
| Date and time of every action | Viewing, consenting, verifying, signing, declining or forwarding, each timestamped. |
| Device locale, time zone and screen size | Supports the timestamps and shows the signing environment. |
| A tamper-evident fingerprint of the final PDF | Lets anyone later confirm the signed file has not been altered. |
The signature image itself, however you made it, is stamped onto the PDF along with any text you enter in fields. Files you upload into attachment slots are stored with the document for the sender.
What is not recorded: your password (there is none) and anything on your device beyond the details in the table.
All of it appears in the audit certificate emailed to every party once the document is complete, so anyone with the certificate can later verify what happened and when.
Why it is legally valid
The disclosure you accept says it plainly: your electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten one. That rests on two things the platform records for every signature. First, intent: you chose to sign, by drawing or typing your signature and clicking Finish signing. Second, consent: you agreed to conduct the transaction electronically on the consent page, and that agreement is timestamped. The audit certificate ties both to your identity and the document's fingerprint.
In the United States this is the framework of the ESIGN Act and UETA. In the EU and UK it is eIDAS and its UK equivalent. A small number of documents, such as wills in many jurisdictions, still require wet ink. For the detail, read Are electronic signatures legally binding? and The ESIGN Act and UETA explained.
Withdrawing consent
You can stop at any point before you finish. Use Decline to sign and tell the sender in your reason that you would prefer a paper copy. The request is cancelled and the sender is notified. Once you have clicked Finish signing, the signature stands, and any change has to be agreed with the sender as a new document.
When an account is worth having
You never need one to sign, but if the same address receives requests regularly, a free account adds:
- an Inbox listing every document waiting for you and every one you have completed, with downloads
- saved signatures and initials you can reuse instead of drawing them each time
- the ability to send your own documents for signature
The thank-you page after signing offers Create a free account. If you already have an account under the email the request was sent to, sign in first and the document also shows up in your inbox; the signing steps are identical either way. See Reuse a saved signature.
If something goes wrong
- The link asks you to sign in. Signing never requires it. You opened the sender's app link rather than your signing link. Go back to the request email and use the button there.
- The consent page shows someone else's name. The sender addressed the request to another person and the email was forwarded to you. Do not sign under their name. Ask the sender to send a request to your own address, or, if the menu offers it, use Forward to send it to your own address.
- You are worried about what the sender can see. Only the items in the table above. The sender never sees your password, because there is none, and the recorded IP address and device details are visible to them only in the audit certificate.
- You want a copy of what you agreed to. The disclosure text is reproduced on the last pages of the audit certificate emailed after completion. You can also reopen the disclosure link on the consent page before you continue.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to create an account to sign?
No. The request email contains a link that opens the document in your browser with your name and email already attached. You agree to the electronic record disclosure, fill your fields and finish. No password, no download. An account is optional and only adds conveniences such as saved signatures and an inbox.
What information is recorded when I sign?
Your name and email, your IP address, the date and time of every action you take on the document, your browser and device locale, time zone and screen size, and a tamper-evident fingerprint of the final PDF. All of it goes into the audit certificate that accompanies the signed document.
Is an electronic signature legally binding?
Yes, for nearly all business agreements in the US, EU and UK. Under the US ESIGN Act and UETA, and under eIDAS in the EU, an electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten one when the signer intends to sign and consents to doing it electronically. The audit certificate is what proves both.
Why does the sender need my email address?
The signing link is tied to your address. The request goes there, and so do any verification code and the completed copy. It is also part of the record of who signed. If your address changes before you sign, tell the sender so they can resend the request to the new one.
Can I sign on my phone?
Yes. The signing page works in current versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge on desktop, iPhone, iPad and Android. Drawing a signature with a finger works well on a touchscreen. You need a stable connection and access to the mailbox the request was sent to, nothing else.
Can I ask for a paper copy instead?
Yes, at any point. Reply to the email that delivered the request, or write to the sender. The standard electronic record disclosure says they will not charge you for a paper copy. You can also print the signed PDF yourself. If you would rather sign on paper, decline the electronic request and tell the sender why.
Keep going
How to sign a document you received
Open the link in the email, agree to sign electronically, fill each highlighted field, and click Sign now. No account needed.
ReadVerify your identity before signing
Some senders add a six-digit access PIN before the document opens. Where the PIN comes from, how many attempts you get, and what the 15-minute lock means.
ReadDownload your signed copy
Where to get the completed PDF and the audit certificate after you sign, from the thank-you page, the email, or by reopening your link.
ReadReuse a saved signature when signing
Signed in to Document eSign, the signature window opens on a Saved tab with your stored signatures and initials, and your default is already selected.
Read