How to require an access code before someone can sign
A signing link in an email works like a key: whoever has the email can open the document. Usually that's fine. For a contract with pay, bank details or a taxpayer number, or when you worry an inbox is shared, an access code adds a second lock. The document won't open until the right code is entered. Here's how to choose the kind of code and set it up.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
Two kinds of code
| Code you share | Emailed code | |
|---|---|---|
| Who creates it | You, or Generate makes one | SignMaster, each time the signer opens the link |
| How it reaches them | You tell them by phone, text or in person | A 6-digit code in a separate email |
| What it proves | The person also has the code you gave them, through another channel | The person can read that inbox right now |
| Best for | Sensitive deals where email alone isn't enough | Stopping a forwarded or leftover link from being used |
A code you share is the stronger of the two, because someone who gets into the signer's email still doesn't have it. An emailed code is the easier one, since there's nothing for you to pass on. Either way, the signer's screens explain what to do, in their language.
Add a code to an envelope
- 1
Go to Message & settings
Prepare the envelope as usual, then open the Message & settings step and find Private notes & access codes. Each signer has their own row.
- 2
Choose the kind of code
Next to Require a code to open, pick Code you share or Emailed code for that signer. Leave No code for anyone who doesn't need one.
- 3
Set the shared code
For a code you share, type 4 to 10 letters or numbers, or click Generate, then Save code. Use Copy code to paste it into a text message to the signer.
- 4
Tell the signer to expect it
Add a private note for that signer with Add a private note, such as "I'll text you the code", so the request doesn't look strange. Never put a shared code in the same email as the link.
- 5
Send it
Click Send for signature. With an emailed code, the signer opens the link, SignMaster emails them a code that works once and expires after a few minutes, and they type it in to open the document.
Templates, bulk sends and changes
- Templates: open Sending defaults on the template's page and set the code type under Notes & access codes per role, so every envelope from it starts locked.
- Bulk sends: a role set to Code you share gets its own code column in the blank CSV, so every row can have a different code. You still pass each one on yourself.
- Lost or wrong code: click Correct on the envelope and change the code. The signer gets a new link and the old one stops working.
- The record: code checks are part of the envelope's activity history and its certificate of completion, alongside the signature itself.
Access codes are on every plan, including Free. For a public link, where you don't know who's coming, the similar lock is Confirm email with a code, which is on by default and checks each visitor's email before they sign.
Questions? Answers.
What is an access code on an e-signature?
A code the signer must enter before the document opens. It adds a check on top of the emailed link, so having the email alone isn't enough to sign.
Does the emailed code expire?
Yes. It works once and only for a few minutes. If it runs out, the signer asks for a new one from the same screen.
Can I require a code for one signer but not another?
Yes. Codes are set per signer, so a customer can have one while your own countersignature doesn't.
Is an access code the same as identity verification?
No. A code shows the signer has the email or the code you gave them. It doesn't check a government ID. For that, you'd collect an ID photo and review it yourself.