01
Open your PDF
Choose it from Mail or Files.
Usually fine on your phone vs. usually not
General information about US federal law, not legal advice. States and the sender can add their own rules.
| Usually fine to sign electronically | Left out of the ESIGN Act |
|---|---|
| Leases and rental applications | Wills, codicils and testamentary trusts |
| Job offers, NDAs, contractor agreements | Adoption, divorce and other family-law papers (state law) |
| School permission slips and forms | Court orders and official court filings |
| W-9s and similar business forms | Utility shut-off notices |
| Estimates, change orders, sign-offs | Foreclosure or eviction notices for your home |
| Bank and insurance forms, when they accept PDFs | Health or life insurance cancellation notices |
The left-out list is from 15 U.S.C. § 7003 (linked below). Those papers often still need ink or the court's own system.
Signed on the phone and ready to send: no printer, no scanner.
Open your PDF. Add your signature. Send it back.Not sure? Ask in one line
Most offices answer yes the same day. Then you have it in writing. Send this: "Is it OK if I sign this electronically and send the PDF back, or do you need ink on paper?"
When they say yes: skip all three steps
1
Open the form on your iPhone
Open the PDF from the email or Files in a signing app.
2
Sign and fill
Add your signature, the date, and anything else the form asks for.
3
Send it back
Export and reply to their email. No printer, no scanner, no photo of a crooked page.
When they say ink
Print it once (a library or print shop works), sign in pen, then scan it with your phone's camera instead of a scanner. Our page for when you have no printer covers that. If they need a notary, ask whether they accept an online notary in your state.
Signed on your phone but they say they see a blank line? That's a viewer problem with its own fix: can't sign a PDF on iPhone. For the full signing steps, see sign a PDF without printing.
They said electronic is fine
Sign it on your phone
Open the PDF, sign, and send back a clean, flattened file.
Skip the printerFirst export free, then $59.99 once (US). No account.
FAQ
Why do they tell me to print, sign, and scan?+
Often it's an old habit or an old form. Many offices accept an electronic signature if you ask.
Is an electronic signature legal in the US?+
For most documents, yes. The ESIGN Act says a signature can't lose its legal effect just because it's electronic. It leaves out a short list, such as wills and court papers.
Can I just take a photo of the signed page?+
Sign the PDF on your phone instead. If it has to be ink, scan it with your camera rather than taking a photo. Scans are straight and readable.