Wet signature
A wet signature is a signature written by hand, in ink, on a physical piece of paper.
Updated October 13, 2026 · 1 min read
When you still need one
For most contracts an electronic signature works just as well. Ink is still the rule where e-signature laws don't reach or another rule asks for it:
- Wills, codicils and testamentary trusts, which the ESIGN Act and UETA exclude.
- Documents that must be notarized in person, unless your state allows remote online notarization.
- Paper vehicle titles and some DMV forms.
- Anything a court, agency or the other party specifically says must be signed in ink.
Paper, the SignMaster way
Some signers just prefer paper. When you turn on Allow print and sign in an envelope's settings, a signer can print the document, sign it in ink, and upload a scan or photo of every page. The pages are added to the signed PDF, and the certificate of completion records that they signed on paper, with a SHA-256 fingerprint of the upload.
Questions? Answers.
Is a scanned signature a wet signature?
No. A scan or photo of an ink signature is an electronic copy of it. Whether a copy is accepted depends on who's asking: some recipients require the original paper.
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 7003, ESIGN Act exceptions (govinfo) · govinfo.gov
- Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (1999), final text (Uniform Law Commission) · uniformlaws.org