How to sign a consent form online
A consent form records that someone agreed to something specific, after being told what it involves: having their photo used, a chemical peel, a field trip, a research study. Signing one online is usually as good as on paper, and it's easier to keep a copy. Here's how to sign one well, and how to collect them from clients, guests or parents without a clipboard.
Updated November 9, 2026 · 3 min read
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The kinds of consent form
- Photo and media releasePermission to use someone's image or voice, where and for how long. See signing a photo release.
- Service and treatment consentSalons, med spas, tattoo studios and massage therapists: the risks, aftercare and what the client confirms before you start.
- Parental consentA parent or guardian agrees for a minor: trips, camps, sports. See getting a parent's signature.
- Research consentTaking part in a study. The ethics board that approved the study, called an IRB, approves the form, and the participant keeps a copy.
If you're signing one
- Read what you're agreeing to, not just the headings. Look for what happens, the risks, and anything you're giving up, such as a right to be paid for a photo.
- Treat separate checkboxes as separate decisions. Agreeing to a treatment doesn't mean you must agree to before-and-after photos. Leave a box unticked if the form allows it.
- Look for how to withdraw. A good form says how you change your mind later and who to tell.
- Signing for a child? Check the form names you as parent or guardian and asks for your relationship.
- Keep your copy. You'll get the signed PDF by email when everyone has signed. File it where you'll find it at the next appointment.
What makes a consent form hold up
The signature is the easy part. A consent is only as good as what the person was told: plain language about what will happen, the realistic risks, the alternatives, and that they can say no. One permission per checkbox, a date, and a copy for the signer cover the rest. Federal research rules spell this out: under 45 CFR 46.117, informed consent is documented with a written form approved by the IRB and signed, including in an electronic format, and a written copy goes to the person who signed.
Collect consent forms with SignMaster
- 1
Start from a template
Use your own form, or start from the library: salon client consent, med spa consent, tattoo consent or a photo release.
- 2
Make each permission its own field
A required checkbox for the consent itself, and optional ones for extras like photos. Show When can reveal a follow-up question only when someone ticks yes to an allergy or a medication.
- 3
Choose how people reach it
Send it by email before the appointment, so it's done before they arrive. For walk-ins, turn the template into a public link and print its QR code for the front desk. In the room, use Sign in person on your iPad.
- 4
Read every answer in one place
On paid plans the template's Responses table shows each person's answers side by side, with CSV export, so you can check today's clients before you start.
Each signer agrees to sign electronically before signing, and the signed PDF carries a certificate of completion with the time, email and IP address. Each person gets their own copy by email, which is the copy research rules and good practice both ask for.
Health information
SignMaster doesn't claim HIPAA compliance. If you're a HIPAA covered entity, decide with your compliance adviser which forms can go through it, and keep medical histories in your health record system. FDA-regulated clinical trials need a system validated for 21 CFR Part 11, which SignMaster doesn't claim either.
Questions? Answers.
Is an electronically signed consent form valid?
Generally, yes. Under the federal ESIGN Act a signature can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic, and the federal research rule expressly allows electronic signatures on consent forms. State rules still decide what the person must be told. See can you e-sign a medical consent form.
Can a parent sign a consent form for a child online?
Yes. Send it to the parent's email, or have them sign on your device. Make sure the form names the child and the parent's relationship to them.
Can someone withdraw consent after signing online?
Usually, yes, for things like photo use or treatment that hasn't happened yet. The form should say how. Withdrawing doesn't undo what already happened with their consent.
Can clients fill in consent forms before they arrive?
Yes. Send the form when they book, with a sign-by date of the appointment day, and reminders go out automatically until it's signed.