Guide
How to get a contract signed online
Short answer
Upload the contract to an e-signature service, add a signature, date and name box for each party, enter their emails and send. Each person opens the link, verifies their email and signs in the browser, and everyone receives the completed PDF with a certificate showing who signed and when. With Sign PDF this takes a few minutes and costs from $5 a month.
Updated 25 October 2026
Step by step
- 1
Finish the contract
Fill in names, dates, fees and terms so the signer only needs to sign.
- 2
Upload it
Drop the PDF or Word file into Sign PDF. We convert it and place the signature, initials, date and name boxes.
- 3
Check every box
Drag, delete or add fields, and confirm each is assigned to the right party.
- 4
Add signers
Enter each party's name and email. Add yourself if you also sign.
- 5
Set options and send
Add a message, expiry date, and on the Full plan a signing order and reminders. Click send.
- 6
Track progress
See who has opened and signed. Send a reminder or void and resend if needed.
- 7
Keep the sealed copy
Store the completed PDF with its certificate. Check any copy later at signpdf.ai/verify.
Before you send: get the contract ready
Most delays come from the document, not the signing. Fill in the blanks you are responsible for before sending: the parties' full legal names, addresses, the start date, the fee and the payment terms. A contract that says 'Fee: ____' invites a phone call.
Check the signature block names the right people. If a company is signing, it should say who signs on its behalf ('Signed for and on behalf of Acme Ltd by its Director'). Decide whether you need witnesses. Most commercial contracts do not; deeds in England and Wales, and some powers of attorney, do.
Upload and check the signature boxes
Sign PDF accepts PDF, Word, Pages, OpenDocument, RTF, Excel, PowerPoint and photos of a printed page, and converts them to PDF. We read the wording around each blank line and place signature, initials, date and name boxes, assigning each to a role such as Client, Contractor, Landlord or Witness.
Look through every page. Drag any box that is slightly off, delete ones you do not want, and add extra fields such as company name or job title. You can also type instructions into the assistant: 'client initials every page' or 'add a date under each signature'. Undo is there if you change your mind.
Send it and follow it through
Enter each signer's name and email. You can sign yourself first, add a personal message, and on the Full plan set a signing order and automatic reminders. Set an expiry date if the offer lapses.
Each signer gets an email, enters a six-digit code we send to that address, agrees to sign electronically, and signs by drawing, typing or uploading an image. If they disagree with something, they can decline and give a reason, which you see straight away. If something is wrong on your side, void the document and send a corrected one.
What you get at the end
When the last person signs, every field is written into the PDF and a certificate of completion is added as the final pages. It lists, for each signer, their name, email, IP address, approximate location, browser and device, and the UTC times they confirmed their code, agreed to sign electronically, opened and signed. It also shows the SHA-256 fingerprint of the original document and an audit trail in which each entry is chained by hash to the one before.
The whole file is then sealed with a digital signature carrying a DigiCert timestamp. If anyone edits the contract afterwards, PDF readers flag the seal as broken. Everyone gets the same copy by email.
Contracts that should not be signed this way
Electronic signatures are valid for ordinary commercial contracts in the US, UK, EU and UAE. Some documents still need wet ink, a witness in the room or a notary: wills, certain property transfers, and anything a court or registry requires in original form. We do not offer notarisation or ID checks. For high-value or unusual agreements, ask a lawyer. None of this is legal advice.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to get a contract signed online?
Sending takes a few minutes. Signing takes each person a minute or two once they open the email. Most delays come from people not opening it, which reminders help with.
Does the other party need an account?
No. With Sign PDF, signers only need access to their email to receive the six-digit code. They sign in any browser, on phone or computer.
Is a contract signed online legally binding?
In most countries, yes, for ordinary contracts, under laws such as the US ESIGN Act, EU eIDAS and the UK Electronic Communications Act 2000. Some documents are excluded. This is not legal advice.
What if the other party wants changes?
They can decline with a reason. You then edit the contract, upload the new version and send it again. Signers cannot edit the text themselves.
How much does it cost?
Sign PDF is $5 a month for two documents or $10 a month for unlimited, with any number of signers per document. A document counts once it is sent.
Upload a document and watch the boxes land
See every signature, initial and date box placed before you sign up. Sending starts at $5 a month, monthly, cancel any time.
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