How to Print Digital Signature Certificate

TL;DR

Use signNow to complete, eSign, and generate a downloadable signature certificate (audit trail) for any signed document. Fill the form online, send for signature, retrieve the completed PDF and the audit certificate, then open the certificate file and print from your browser or PDF viewer. signNow meets ESIGN and UETA standards, stores an immutable audit trail, and provides encryption and compliance controls required for regulated workflows.

What a Digital Signature Certificate Is

A digital signature certificate is a document that proves who signed an electronic file and when, similar to a paper signature page combined with a notarized receipt. In plain terms, it is an official record that includes signer identity, timestamps, IP or device details, and a tamper-evident audit trail. Using signNow, you can create, attach, and download this certificate after an eSignature event so you have a printable, legally recognized record that supports ESIGN and UETA requirements.

Legal Validity and Usage

Use signNow when closing remote sales contracts or collecting employee onboarding signatures at scale. The ESIGN Act and UETA accept electronic records and signatures if intent, consent, and record integrity are present, and signNow captures those elements in its audit trail and metadata.

Common Challenges When Printing Certificates

• Missing audit trail details can make printed certificates unusable in disputes and slow legal review.
• Incomplete signer identity verification increases the risk of signature challenges and invalidation in regulated industries.
• Unprotected PDF files may be altered after printing, undermining chain-of-custody and evidentiary value.
• Poorly formatted certificates can omit key metadata, causing delays for compliance or finance teams during audits.

Who Typically Needs a Signature Certificate

Organizations across real estate, healthcare, finance, and legal functions commonly require printable signature certificates to prove execution and preserve audit evidence.

• Real Estate teams needing signed leases and closing documents for property records.
• Healthcare providers collecting patient consent and retaining HIPAA-compliant records.
• Legal and finance departments maintaining contract evidence for audits and disputes.

User Roles and Examples

Brian Fitzgibbons

Brian is the COO at Optica Ventures LLC and uses signNow to streamline customer-facing paperwork. He reports the interface is simple for both team and customers, and the downloadable signature certificate helps the company keep verifiable paper records for investor and legal review.

Kodi-Marie Evans

Kodi-Marie is Director of NetSuite Operations at Xerox and integrates signNow with NetSuite to automate document workflows. The downloadable audit trail and certificate ensure transactions are recorded in ERP workflows and simplify compliance reporting for internal and external auditors.

Security and Compliance Facts

Encryption in Transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at Rest: AES-256

Certification Coverage: SOC 2 Type II

Privacy Standards: GDPR, CCPA

Regulated Compliance: HIPAA (BAA required)

eSignature Laws: ESIGN and UETA

Risks of Improper Certificate Handling

Invalid Evidence: Contract disputes

Regulatory Fines: Compliance penalties

Data Breach: Exposure of PII

Reputational Harm: Loss of trust

Operational Delay: Audit remediation

Lost Records: Missing chain-of-custody

Real-World Examples

These case summaries show how organizations use signNow to generate and print signature certificates for different workflows.

Case Study 1

Optica Ventures simplified customer signings with signNow mobile and web workflows

• quick interface for customers and staff
• faster turnaround and fewer in-person meetings

Resulting in improved customer experience and faster deal closures.

Case Study 2

Xerox integrated signNow into NetSuite to auto-store executed documents and audit records

• seamless ERP synchronization
• consistent storage and compliance-ready records

Leading to streamlined operations and reliable audit trails for finance and legal teams.

Step-by-Step: Print Signature Certificate

Follow these clear steps in signNow to complete, retrieve, and print an official signature certificate for any signed document.

• 01
  Upload Document: Open signNow, choose Upload, and select the PDF or document from your device or cloud storage.
• 02
  Prepare Fields: Drag signature, date, and text fields into the document and assign signer roles and order.
• 03
  Send for eSignature: Click Send, add signer emails and message, then send the signing request via signNow.
• 04
  Download Certificate: After completion, open the signed document, select View Audit Trail, then download or export the signature certificate as PDF.

Preparing Documents for Certificates

Properly preparing documents ensures the audit certificate contains complete metadata and is printable for records or legal use.

• Standardize Templates: Use saved templates to maintain consistent fields and metadata across similar documents.
• Require Identity: Enable email verification or additional authentication for critical signatures to capture identity evidence.
• Set Sign Order: Define sequential signer order so timestamps reflect the correct execution sequence.
• Attach Supporting Files: Include exhibits or attachments within the same envelope to ensure they appear in the certificate.

Key Features Related to Certificates

signNow provides multiple capabilities that produce comprehensive, printable signature certificates and make them practical for real workflows.

Audit Trails

Complete, tamper-evident audit trails record signer email, IP, timestamps, and event history so certificates document chain-of-custody for legal and compliance purposes.

Templates

Reusable document templates speed creation of standardized forms and ensure every signed file includes consistent metadata and fields required for a valid certificate.

Bulk Send

Bulk send capabilities allow sending identical documents to many recipients while producing individual certificates per signer for scalable record keeping.

Offline & Mobile

Mobile apps support offline signing and later synchronization; the resulting certificate includes device metadata to maintain evidentiary value.

Integrations and Advanced Options

Integration and advanced options help embed certificate generation into enterprise systems and automate archival, retrieval, and printing workflows.

API Access

Full REST API enables automated retrieval of signed PDFs and audit certificates for system-to-system archiving and printing.

CRM Integrations

Native connectors for Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics let sales teams attach certificates to account records automatically.

Cloud Storage

Integrations with Google Drive, Box, and AWS simplify long-term storage and on-demand printing of certificates.

Advanced Auth

Two-factor and phone verification for higher-assurance signatures and richer certificate identity data.

Conditional Fields

Dynamic fields ensure final documents include required sections and metadata before generating the certificate.

Payments & Forms

Collect payments and structured data during signing and include those records in the final certificate and audit trail.

Best Practices for Printable Certificates

Adopt these best practices to ensure printed signature certificates are complete, admissible, and compliant with internal policy and external regulations.

Capture Strong Signer Identity Evidence

Require signer authentication—email, SMS code, or knowledge-based verification—so the certificate includes verifiable identity details suitable for compliance and dispute resolution.

Keep Templates and Fields Consistent

Use standardized templates with fixed signature and date fields across similar agreements so every certificate contains the same metadata and is easy to audit.

Archive Certificates Securely

Store exported certificates in encrypted cloud storage with access controls and retention policies to meet legal hold and records management requirements.

Include Supporting Evidence

Attach related documents and communications in the same signNow envelope so the printed certificate references complete context for the signature event.

Typical Workflow Configuration

Below are recommended signNow settings to produce complete printable signature certificates and ensure reliable archiving.

Setting Name	Configuration
Signer Order	Sequential
Authentication Method	Email or SMS
Audit Trail Retention	Permanent
Storage Location	Encrypted Cloud
Certificate Format	PDF with metadata

Feature Comparison Snapshot

Quick availability comparison of key features that affect certificate generation and printing across leading eSignature providers.

Feature	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign
Bulk Send	yes, premium
Audit Trail
Advanced Signer Auth	2fa, phone	2fa	2fa
Envelope Cap	no cap	100 envelopes/yr	varies by plan

Pricing and Compliance Overview

Data as of 2026. Compare starting price, free trials, and key capabilities that influence the cost and availability of printable signature certificates.

	$8/user/mo	$8/user/mo	$13/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes, Business Premium	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit Trail	Yes, built-in	Yes, built-in	Yes, built-in	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes, BAA required	Yes, BAA required	Yes, BAA avail.	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

FAQs About Printing Certificates

Answers to common questions when retrieving, downloading, and printing a digital signature certificate from signNow.

• How do I access the signature certificate?
  Open the signed document in signNow, select View Audit Trail, and choose Export or Download Certificate. The certificate downloads as a PDF that contains signer metadata, timestamps, and event history for printing and archival.
• What if the certificate is missing metadata?
  Ensure the signing session used verified authentication and that the original envelope included all required signers and fields. If data is missing, review the envelope settings and audit events in signNow and reissue the request if necessary.
• Can I print the certificate for legal purposes?
  Yes. The certificate includes the audit trail and signature evidence recognized under ESIGN and UETA. Keep the printed certificate with the signed PDF and any attachments for compliance or dispute support.
• Why is the certificate different from the signed PDF?
  The certificate is a separate document that summarizes event details, signer identity proofs, and timestamps. The signed PDF shows document content and signature placements while the certificate captures execution metadata for provenance.
• How do I ensure certificates remain tamper-evident?
  Store certificates and signed PDFs in encrypted cloud storage with access controls and versioning. signNow’s audit trail is tamper-evident within the platform and records any post-signing activity.
• Who can download certificates in an organization?
  Administrators and envelope owners typically have access to download audit certificates. Configure user roles and permissions in signNow to limit or grant certificate access appropriately.

Audit Trail and Certificate Management

Manage, export, and print audit trails so certificates remain searchable, verifiable, and compliant with retention policies.

01

Locate Envelope:

Open Documents > Filters > Completed

02

Open Audit Trail:

Click View Audit Trail on the completed document

03

Export Certificate:

Select Export Certificate as PDF

04

Download Files:

Download signed PDF and certificate together

05

Archive Securely:

Move files to encrypted storage

06

Print When Needed:

Open PDF and use Print command