How do I log into my digital signature?

Step 1: Install airSlate SignNow on Your Computer. To download airSlate SignNow on your computer, you can visit the. ... Step 2: Install Java on your computer. ... Step 3: Sender Email Configuration. ... Step 4: Sign any document. ... Step 5: Email signed documents.

How can you tell if a PDF is digitally signed?

View previous versions of a digitally signed document In the Signatures panel, select and expand the signature, and choose View Signed Version from the Option menu . The previous version opens in a new PDF, with the version information and the name of the signer in the title bar.

Electronic Signature
Features
Other
Check Electronic Signature Easily with SignNow

Check Electronic Signature with SignNow

Get rid of paper and automate digital document processing for higher efficiency and unlimited opportunities. Experience the perfect way of running your business with airSlate SignNow.

See how it works!Click here to sign a sample doc

Award-winning eSignature solution

What it Means to Check an Electronic Signature

Checking an electronic signature refers to the process of verifying that a digital signature applied to a document is authentic, intact, and legally binding under U.S. law. This includes validating signer identity using authentication methods, confirming the signature’s cryptographic integrity, and reviewing the associated audit trail. Effective checks ensure the document has not been altered after signing, meet ESIGN and UETA requirements for enforceability, and record metadata such as timestamps, IP addresses, and certificate details for future evidence and compliance needs.

Why Verify Electronic Signatures Matters

Verifying electronic signatures reduces legal risk, confirms consent, and preserves evidentiary records. Regular signature checks support compliance with ESIGN and UETA and help prevent disputes over authenticity and document integrity.

Common Challenges When Checking Electronic Signatures

Inconsistent signer authentication methods can complicate verification and later legal defensibility.
Missing or incomplete audit trails make it difficult to prove signature timing and integrity.
Proprietary file formats or poor exports can break cryptographic metadata needed for validation.
Cross-jurisdictional requirements add complexity when verifying signatures across state or international borders.

Typical Roles Responsible for Signature Verification

Contract Manager

A contract manager oversees signature workflows, verifies signer identity and completeness, and maintains executed agreement records. They coordinate with legal and procurement to confirm that signatures meet internal approval chains and that audit trails are stored for the required retention period.

Healthcare Compliance Officer

A healthcare compliance officer checks electronic signatures for HIPAA-sensitive documents, ensures appropriate authentication levels, documents consent, and enforces access controls. They verify that signature processes align with privacy policies and that signed records remain secure for audits.

Who Typically Checks Electronic Signatures

Legal, compliance, operations, and IT teams commonly review electronic signatures to confirm legitimacy and maintain records.

Legal counsel and contract managers who need enforceable agreement evidence.
Compliance and privacy officers verifying regulatory and retention requirements.
Operations staff ensuring completed workflows and auditability for audits.

Coordination between these roles helps build consistent verification processes and reduces downstream disputes.

Key Tools That Support Checking Electronic Signatures

Several features make signature checks reliable and scalable; these tools combine to provide verification, evidence, and ongoing governance.

Audit Trail

Comprehensive logs capture signer identity, timestamps, and IP addresses to provide clear evidence of when and how a signature was made, supporting legal defensibility and internal audits.

Document Hashing

Cryptographic hashing locks document content to a signature event so any post-signing change is detectable and verifiable during later checks or disputes.

Authentication Options

Multiple authentication modes — email, SMS one-time passcodes, government ID checks, and SSO — allow organizations to select an appropriate assurance level for each transaction.

Certificate Support

Support for digital certificates and public key infrastructure enables advanced signature verification and aligns with higher-assurance legal or industry requirements.

Tamper Seals

Document tamper-evident seals and locked PDFs prevent unnoticed changes to signed documents and make verification outcomes more reliable.

Exportable Evidence

Export generated audit records and signature metadata in standard formats for long-term storage and to support legal or compliance reviews.

be ready to get more

Choose a better solution

Integrations and Templates That Help with Signature Checks

Integrations and templates streamline checking workflows by embedding verification steps into familiar tools and repeatable documents.

Google Workspace

Integrates with Google Docs to send documents for signature directly, preserve revision history, and retain metadata that supports post-signature verification and record keeping.

CRM Connections

CRM integrations with platforms like Salesforce ensure signer data syncs to customer records, enabling identity cross-checks and consolidated audit logs for sales and legal teams.

Cloud Storage

Connections with Dropbox and Google Drive provide centralized storage and consistent retention policies to keep verified signed documents accessible and preserved for audits.

Reusable Templates

Configurable templates standardize fields, required verifications, and signature placement so checks remain consistent across recurring transactions.

How Checking an Electronic Signature Works in Practice

Verification combines identity checks, cryptographic validation, and audit trail review performed before or after signing depending on the workflow.

Identity Check: Email, SMS, or knowledge-based checks
Cryptographic Verification: Compare signature to document hash
Audit Trail Review: Confirm timestamps and metadata
Compliance Mapping: Match process to ESIGN/UETA needs

Collect signatures

24x

faster

Reduce costs by

$30

per document

Save up to

40h

per employee / month

Step-by-Step: How to Complete a Check Electronic Signature

Follow these core steps to verify and record an electronic signature so the document remains legally defensible and auditable.

01

1. Identify signer: Confirm name and contact details
02

2. Authenticate: Apply chosen authentication method
03

3. Validate integrity: Check document hash and signatures
04

4. Record audit: Store timestamped audit entries

be ready to get more

Why choose airSlate SignNow

Free 7-day trial. Choose the plan you need and try it risk-free.
Honest pricing for full-featured plans. airSlate SignNow offers subscription plans with no overages or hidden fees at renewal.
Enterprise-grade security. airSlate SignNow helps you comply with global security standards.

Start free trial

Workflow Settings for Automated Signature Checking

Configure these workflow settings to automate verification steps and capture required evidence consistently across transactions.

Feature	Configuration
Authentication Level	Email or SMS OTP
Reminder Frequency	48 hours
Document Locking Policy	Lock on completion
Audit Retention Period	7 years
Automatic Evidence Export	Enabled daily

Platform Requirements for Checking Electronic Signatures

Ensure your verification tools run on supported platforms and meet organizational security standards before relying on them for legal records.

Supported Browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox
Mobile OS: iOS and Android
Network Requirements: Secure HTTPS/TLS

Confirm compatibility with common browsers and mobile OS versions, ensure TLS-secured connections, and check that integrated storage platforms meet your retention and backup policies.

Security Controls for Checking Electronic Signatures

Encryption at Rest: AES-256 encryption

Encryption in Transit: TLS 1.2+/HTTPS

Access Controls: Role-based access

Authentication: Multi-factor options

Audit Logging: Immutable audit trail

Certificate Management: X.509 certificates

Industry Examples of Checking Electronic Signatures

Practical examples show how electronic signature checks reduce risk across sectors and workflows.

Healthcare Consent Forms

A hospital uses identity verification and timestamped audit logs to confirm informed consent

Identity verification step required
Ensures signatures are tied to patient identity

Resulting in stronger compliance and defensible records for audits and legal reviews.

Real Estate Closings

A brokerage validates signer credentials and document hashes before closing

Document hash verification used
Prevents post-signing alterations

Leading to reliable closing packages and fewer title disputes for buyers and lenders.

Best Practices for Secure and Accurate Signature Checks

Adopting consistent practices reduces risk and improves the reliability of signature verification across teams and systems.

Define verification requirements per document type

Classify documents by legal or business risk and set minimum authentication and audit standards for each class, ensuring higher-risk documents require stronger verification.

Maintain immutable audit trails

Store complete, timestamped audit logs in a tamper-evident location, and ensure logs include signer metadata, IP addresses, and any authentication records needed for later examination.

Standardize templates and metadata capture

Use standardized templates that require key fields and metadata capture so every signed document includes the information necessary for efficient verification and record retrieval.

Review retention and legal requirements regularly

Align retention policies with regulatory obligations and business needs, and periodically audit processes to confirm compliant handling of signed records.

Connect airSlate SignNow to your apps

Check out airSlate SignNow integrations

Data accuracy, security, and compliance

airSlate SignNow is committed to protecting your sensitive information by complying with global industry-specific

Learn more about security

FAQs About Checking Electronic Signatures

Answers to common questions about verifying and validating electronic signatures, focused on U.S. legal and technical considerations.

How do I confirm a signature is legally valid?
Confirm the signer’s intent and consent, ensure the signature process meets ESIGN and UETA criteria, and retain an audit trail with timestamps and signer authentication evidence to support enforceability in U.S. jurisdictions.
What evidence should an audit trail include?
An effective audit trail includes signer identity details, authentication method used, timestamps for each action, IP addresses, document hashes, and any certificate information necessary to demonstrate integrity and timing of the signature event.
Can electronic signatures meet HIPAA requirements?
Yes when implemented with appropriate administrative, physical, and technical safeguards. Use secure storage, access controls, encryption, and authentication processes to ensure protected health information remains confidential and auditable.
What if a document appears altered after signing?
Use the stored document hash and audit records to check for tampering. If the hash differs from the original, treat the document as altered and follow legal or internal incident response procedures to resolve potential disputes.
Which authentication methods are recommended?
Choose authentication based on transaction risk: email or SMS OTP for low risk, multi-factor authentication or ID verification for higher-risk or regulated documents, and certificate-based methods for the highest assurance.
How long should I retain signed documents?
Retention depends on legal, regulatory, and business requirements. Typical retention ranges from three to seven years for many contracts, but healthcare, financial records, and tax documents may require longer retention periods.

Quick Comparison: Checking Electronic Signatures Across Vendors

This comparison focuses on core verification capabilities and legal support across major eSignature providers for U.S. use cases.

Feature	signNow (Featured)	DocuSign	Adobe Acrobat Sign
ESIGN/UETA Support
Audit Trail Detail	Comprehensive	Comprehensive	Comprehensive
API Verification Options
Bulk Send Capabilities	Bulk Send	Bulk Send	Bulk Send

be ready to get more

Get legally-binding signatures now!

Start your free trial

Document Retention and Backup Considerations

Define retention dates and backup schedules to preserve verified signatures and supporting evidence in line with legal and business needs.

Short-term retention policy:

1–3 years for transactional records

Standard retention window:

3–7 years for general contracts

Long-term retention cases:

7+ years for regulated documents

Backup frequency:

Daily encrypted backups

Backup storage location:

Offsite or cloud with redundancy

Risks of Failing to Check Electronic Signatures

Invalid Signatures: Contract disputes

Noncompliance: Regulatory fines

Data Exposure: Privacy breaches

Operational Delays: Workflow rework

Evidentiary Weakness: Court challenges

Reputational Harm: Client trust loss

Pricing and Plan Features for Signature Verification Tools

Plan structures vary by vendor; compare billing model, API availability, and compliance options when evaluating costs for signature checking needs.

Plan	signNow (Featured)	DocuSign	Adobe Acrobat Sign	PandaDoc	Dropbox Sign
Billing model	Per-user subscription with multiple tiers	Per-user subscription with tiered plans	Per-user subscription and enterprise licensing	Per-user subscription with teams focus	Per-user subscription and business tiers
Free trial	Free trial available for new accounts	Free trial available	Free trial available	Free trial available	Free trial available
API access	Available on paid tiers with usage limits	Available with paid plans	Available with paid plans	Available with Business plans	Available with paid tiers
Bulk send	Included on select plans	Offered as feature on higher tiers	Included in business plans	Included on growth plans	Included on business tiers
Enterprise support	Dedicated enterprise options and SLAs	Dedicated account support	Enterprise packages and support	Custom enterprise plans	Enterprise sales and support

Simplify complicated workflows

Generate, perform, and maintain workflows of any complexness, electronically from virtually anywhere. Scalable eSignature features allow you to share documents with the right people in the correct order and set up roles for each signee. Perform document workflows faster and simpler than ever before.

Automate document managing

Improve complex signing processes with airSlate SignNowï¿½s effective capabilities to improve your company. Control your automated signature workflows to ensure they're running at peak functionality with quick notices and alerts.

Enhance in team collaboration

Join teams together in a protected, shared workspace. Handle paperwork, use form templates and notices to produce more effective cross-organization communication. Free your employees from having to spend time on repeating activities so that they can focus on valuable, business-critical activities.

Integrate into your existing framework

Manage your projects with best-in-class integration. Assemble Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint all in one business thread. Link up your software to a single environment for countless opportunities and more efficiency.

Remain compliant with industry-leading data protection

Feel confident knowing that your data is protected by the most up-to-date in encryption security. airSlate SignNow is GDPR and eIDAS compliant and gives you visibility into your eSigning procedure with court-admissible audit trails. Configure user access permissions and rights to regulate who has access to what.

be ready to get more

Get legally-binding signatures now!

Start free trial