How to Get a Digital Signature Certificate and Use It with signNow

TL;DR

A digital signature certificate is a cryptographic credential used to verify signer identity and integrity. In the United States most business eSignatures rely on ESIGN/UETA-compliant workflows rather than country-specific DSCs. You can obtain a formal PKI-based certificate from an authorized certificate authority or use signNow to collect legally binding eSignatures, apply signer authentication, maintain audit trails, and securely store completed documents.

What a Digital Signature Certificate Is

A digital signature certificate is an electronic credential from a trusted issuer that links a signer to a cryptographic key, helping verify identity and prevent tampering. For most U.S. transactions, ESIGN and UETA make eSignatures legally binding without a separate PKI certificate, but some regulated workflows or international agreements may require a formal certificate. Using signNow, you can request eSignatures, enforce multi-factor authentication, capture audit trails and timestamps, and store signed files securely—delivering the same practical protections businesses need for most contracts and forms.

Who Commonly Needs a Certificate

Organizations across real estate, healthcare, and finance commonly require strong signer identity and auditability for regulatory, closing, and payment workflows.

• Real Estate teams closing leases, applications, and purchase agreements remotely and quickly.
• Healthcare providers collecting HIPAA-sensitive consents and patient intake forms online reliably.
• Financial services and banks verifying approvals, invoices, and tax documentation with clear audit trails.

Representative User Profiles

IT Administrator

An IT admin configures SSO, manages API keys, and enforces security policies across accounts. They evaluate encryption protocols, set access permissions, and integrate signNow with enterprise systems to ensure compliant signing workflows and centralized logs for auditing and incident response.

Legal Counsel

A legal team reviews signer authentication levels, retention policies, and audit trail sufficiency for contracts. They advise on when a PKI-based digital certificate is necessary versus ESIGN/UETA-compliant eSignatures and document standards to support enforceability.

Security Certifications and Controls

Transit Encryption: TLS 1.2 / TLS 1.3

Storage Encryption: AES-256 at rest

Access Controls: SSO and 2FA support

Regulatory Certifications: SOC 2 Type II available

Healthcare Compliance: HIPAA compliant, BAA required

International Standards: ISO 27001 and eIDAS SES

Legal Validity and When to Use It

ESIGN and UETA generally make electronic signatures legally valid in the United States; a PKI-based digital signature certificate is only required in specific regulatory or cross-border cases. Use signNow when closing remote sales contracts or collecting employee onboarding signatures at scale, and when you need reliable audit trails, multi-factor signer verification, or HIPAA-protected forms.

Real-World Customer Examples

These case summaries show how organizations used signNow to digitize signature workflows, integrate with enterprise systems, and meet compliance needs.

Optica Ventures (COO)

The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team and customers.

• Provides a clean mobile and web signing flow.
• Speeds customer agreement turnaround and reduces errors.

Resulting in faster closings and improved customer satisfaction with fewer follow-ups.

Xerox (NetSuite Director)

airSlate SignNow integrates with our NetSuite environment for document routing and signature capture.

• Integration automates document generation and assigns signers in order.
• This reduces manual handoffs and preserves audit records automatically.

Leading to faster revenue recognition and lower operational overhead for large-scale contract processes.

Simple Steps to Get a Certificate

Follow these practical steps to obtain a PKI certificate if needed and to implement eSignature workflows with signNow for most U.S. use cases.

• 01
  Identify Requirement: Confirm whether a PKI certificate is legally required for your transaction.
• 02
  Choose Issuer: Select an authorized certificate authority and review validation steps.
• 03
  Complete Verification: Submit identity documents and follow CA validation instructions precisely.
• 04
  Integrate with signNow: Upload certificate or set authentication, then send documents for eSign.

How signNow Handles Signing

This sequence explains how documents move from preparation to a completed, auditable record when you use signNow for electronic signing.

• Upload Document: Add PDF or Word file to your signNow account.
• Add Fields: Drag signature and form fields where signers must act.
• Authenticate Signers: Require email, access code, or two-factor verification.
• Complete and Store: Collect signatures, generate audit trail, and archive securely.

Core Features for Certificate-Based Workflows

signNow offers practical functions that support identity verification and document integrity even when a formal certificate is used or required by policy.

Audit Trails

Comprehensive, time-stamped logs capture signer identity, IP address, action times and device details to support compliance and evidentiary needs.

Signer Authentication

Multiple verification options including email, SMS codes, and two-factor authentication help confirm signer identity before allowing signature capture.

Document Security

Encrypted storage and configurable access controls protect signed files while supporting retention policies and secure sharing with stakeholders.

Bulk and API

Bulk send capabilities and APIs allow scalable signature collection and automation for large-volume processes and system integrations.

Advanced Controls and Integration Options

For organizations that require stronger identity assurance or system connectivity, signNow provides advanced features and broad integrations to fit enterprise needs.

SSO Integration

Single sign-on reduces password management overhead and ties signNow access to corporate identity providers for centralized control.

Conditional Fields

Show or hide fields based on previous responses to create dynamic forms that guide signers through complex documents accurately.

Advanced Authentication

Require phone verification, knowledge-based checks, or external certificate-based authentication for higher-assurance workflows.

API Access

Full REST API support enables automated document generation, send-for-signature actions, and retrieval of signed documents programmatically.

Cloud Integrations

Connectors for Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace and Box allow native workflows and automatic document storage in existing systems.

Payments and Forms

Collect payments, route forms, and use reusable templates to streamline transactional agreements that require signature and payment together.

Recommended Workflow Settings

These example settings show typical configurations for secure and efficient signing workflows using signNow in an enterprise environment.

Setting Name	Default Configuration
Reminder Frequency	48 hours
Authentication Method	Email + SMS code
Template Library	Centralized templates
Bulk Send Limit	Unlimited
Archive Location	Encrypted cloud

Pricing and Feature Comparison (Data as of 2026)

Compare starting prices and key capabilities relevant to certificate-style signing and compliance, presented for signNow and common competitors.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$8/user/mo	$13/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Free trial avail.	Free trial avail.	Free trial avail.	Free trial avail.
Bulk Send	Yes, Business Premium	Yes, select plans	Yes, select plans	Yes, select plans	Yes, select plans
Audit Trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, full audit trail
HIPAA Compliant	Yes, BAA required	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	No envelope cap	No envelope cap	No envelope cap

FAQs About How to Get a Digital Signature Certificate

Common questions about when to obtain a PKI certificate, how signNow supports authentication, and how to resolve common issues during signing and verification.

• Do I need a PKI certificate for U.S. contracts?
  Most U.S. business agreements are enforceable under ESIGN/UETA without a PKI certificate. Only specific regulatory, cross-border, or high-assurance scenarios require a formal certificate; legal counsel should confirm requirements for your industry.
• How do I obtain a certificate from an authority?
  Purchase or apply through an accredited certificate authority, complete identity verification steps they require, and retrieve the certificate for use in workflows that specifically call for PKI-based signatures.
• How does signNow authenticate signers?
  signNow supports email verification, SMS codes, two-factor authentication, and conditional signer verification. Site License customers can enable stronger authentication and SSO for enterprise-grade identity controls.
• What if a signer cannot access email?
  Use alternative authentication such as SMS code or in-person signing with kiosk mode where available; plan contingency steps like phone verification to preserve chain-of-custody and audit logs.
• How are signed documents stored and audited?
  Signed files are stored encrypted with AES-256 and include a time-stamped audit trail that records signer actions, IP addresses, and authentication events to support compliance and dispute resolution.
• Who should I contact for compliance questions?
  Consult your internal legal or compliance team; signNow enterprise support and SOC 2 / HIPAA documentation can assist in meeting audit and regulatory requirements.

Best Practices for Certificate and eSignature Use

Adopt practical controls that balance legal assurance, signer convenience, and operational efficiency when implementing certificate-based or ESIGN-compliant electronic signatures.

Choose the appropriate assurance level

Map business processes to authentication controls: email-only for low-risk forms, SMS or 2FA for medium risk, and PKI-based certificates for legally mandated high-assurance scenarios.

Keep thorough audit trails

Ensure every signed document captures timestamps, IP addresses, and authentication events to support compliance, audits, and potential legal disputes with clear evidentiary records.

Standardize templates and fields

Use centralized templates to reduce signer errors, lock critical clauses from edits, and apply conditional fields to streamline multi-party signing with consistent data capture.

Review retention and access policies

Define document retention periods, secure archival locations, and role-based access to balance legal preservation requirements and privacy regulations like CCPA and GDPR.

Device and Platform Requirements

signNow runs on modern web browsers and native mobile apps, supporting desktop, tablet, and smartphone signing workflows across typical enterprise environments.

• Web Browsers: Chrome, Edge, Safari supported
• Mobile Apps: iOS and Android apps
• API Access: REST API endpoints

For PKI certificate use, ensure your chosen CA provides compatible certificate formats and your IT team configures client or server-side handling appropriately for integration.