What is an s-signature?
An s-signature is a legal way to sign an electronic document using a typed signer’s name instead of an actual signature. The signer types their name on the signature line of a document between two forward slashes (for example, /Jimmy Doe/). In the case of conformed signatures, which are another type of s-signature, the signer puts an “s” between two forward slash marks in front of their typed name (for example, /s/ Jimmy Doe). In fact, the s-signature name took its name from the conformed signature style.
Why use s-signatures?
Flexibility
Convenience
Depending on where and how you are doing business, the option of an s-signature may help you conduct business more quickly by speeding up the signing process. For example, when you’re e-filing a patent application, you can quickly use a form-fill app to add a digital signature from any keyboard. This is just one of many possible examples of when an s-signature might work better than a wet signature.
Adobe Acrobat Sign
S-signatures help you sign electronic documents just by typing.
Keep contracts moving with these typed signatures. Or bypass s-signatures with Adobe Acrobat Sign, which makes it easy to add a handwritten signature to any doc.
Ensure your s-signature is valid.
While s-signatures are relatively easy to add to an electronic document, the signatory (the person signing) must follow certain signature requirements:.
- Sign only using letters, Arabic numerals, or a combination of both in your s-signature.
- Use the appropriate spacing between words.
- Include any other necessary punctuation (commas, periods, hyphens).
Remember, the signature must be between forward slashes to make it valid. You must add an s-signature for yourself. Another party cannot add it.
Regulations
The rules around e-signature validity vary from country to country and region to region.
For example, there are many laws that cover the validity of e-signatures in the United States. The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) in 1999 and the US Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce (ESIGN) Act in 2000 both set regulatory guidelines on electronic signatures, but every state has not adopted these.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and many other government agencies accept s-signatures for electronic filing. The Manual of Patent Examining Procedures (MPEP) 501 and 502 also covers regulations on s-signatures for patents.
Add s-signatures with Adobe Fill & Sign.
If you need to add an s-signature to an electronic document while working on your desktop, it’s a fast and easy workflow.
01. Open your form in Adobe Acrobat Sign.
02. In the sidebar menu, select Edit PDF. Or, in the top menu, select the Edit Text & Images icon, which looks like a pen on a piece of paper.
03. Whether the form is digital or scanned, Adobe Acrobat Optical Character Recognition will identify forms on the field and make all text editable.
04. Click the form where you need to add an s-signature and type it in.
05. Select Add Text and choose any space on the form to enter your s-signature for any unrecognized signature fields.
If you want to add an s-signature to a document on a mobile device, you can use the Adobe Fill & Sign app.
Create your own handwritten e-signature.
In instances where a handwritten-looking digital signature is an option, you have a few simple choices to capture your original signature. From scanning a physical signature to using a touchscreen to write your own signature on any electronic document, Adobe Acrobat Sign makes it as quick and hassle-free to sign your name as it would be to type it between two forward slash marks.
