How to View Digital Signature Certificate with signNow

TL;DR

View a digital signature certificate in signNow to confirm signer identity, certificate issuer, timestamp, and cryptographic details. Use the platform’s document viewer and audit trail to inspect certificate metadata, verify ESIGN/UETA compliance, and export evidence for records. This improves trust, supports HIPAA-compliant workflows when a BAA is in place, and helps legal, HR, and sales teams resolve disputes quickly.

What viewing a certificate means

Viewing a digital signature certificate is like looking at a signed ID card attached to a document that proves who signed it and when. In signNow the certificate shows the public key, issuer, and timestamp so you can verify the signature’s authenticity and integrity. The certificate is created by a certificate authority or the platform and is stored with the signed PDF and the audit trail. Seeing the certificate helps confirm identity, tamper evidence, and legal admissibility under ESIGN and UETA.

When and why to inspect certificates

Use certificate viewing when you need proof of signer identity or when reviewing disputed transactions. Use this feature/tool when closing remote sales contracts or collecting employee onboarding signatures at scale. Viewing certificates supports regulatory compliance and provides defensible evidence for audits and legal needs.

Who typically inspects certificates

Business users, auditors, and IT administrators examine certificates when retaining records or responding to disputes and audits.

• Legal teams reviewing contracts and litigations where signature proof is required.
• Compliance officers confirming audit records for HIPAA, SOC 2, or internal controls.
• Operations and HR staff verifying onboarding and policy acceptance signatures.

Typical user profiles

Legal Counsel

Corporate counsel and outside attorneys verify certificate metadata and audit trails to support enforceability and produce evidence during disputes or compliance reviews.

IT / Security

IT and security teams review cryptographic details, certificate chains, and storage policies to ensure signatures meet internal security standards and regulatory requirements.

Security and certification highlights

In-transit encryption: TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3

At-rest encryption: AES-256 encrypted storage

Audit and controls: SOC 2 Type II certified

International standard: ISO 27001 certified

Health data protection: HIPAA compliant, BAA required

Legal eSignature laws: ESIGN and UETA compliant

Risks of ignoring certificates

Invalid signatures: Potential contract unenforceability

Data breaches: Exposure of sensitive signer data

Regulatory fines: Penalties for noncompliance

Dispute escalation: Longer, costlier legal processes

Loss of evidence: Missing audit trail detail

Delayed transactions: Slower closings and approvals

Real-world examples

Concrete case examples show how certificate viewing supports different teams and document types.

Optica Ventures — COO perspective

Optica Ventures used signNow to verify signer certificates for investor agreements, ensuring each signature included a certified timestamp and issuer metadata

• The platform captured full audit trail entries and certificate chain data
• This provided quick verification during investor queries

Resulting in faster closing cycles and fewer follow-up confirmations from counterparties.

Xerox — NetSuite operations

Xerox integrated signNow with NetSuite to automatically attach certificate details to transactional records

• Integration preserved certificate metadata and signer identities alongside financial documents
• This ensured compliance with corporate retention policies and simplified audits

Leading to clearer records and reduced manual reconciliation for operations teams.

Basic steps to view a certificate

Follow these clear steps in signNow to open a signed document and inspect the attached digital signature certificate for identity and timestamp details.

• 01
  Open the signed document: Sign in, open the Documents tab, and click the completed file to load it in the viewer.
• 02
  Access signature details: Click the signature marker or signature panel to reveal certificate metadata and verification status.
• 03
  View certificate properties: Select the 'Certificate' or 'Signature Info' view to read issuer, serial number, and validity timestamps.
• 04
  Download evidence: Export the audit trail or save the signed PDF with certificates for offline review or legal records.

Viewing flow and methods

Different ways to access certificate information in signNow depend on whether you use the web app, mobile app, or API integrations.

• Web viewer: Open document in browser and click signature to view certificate summary.
• Mobile app: Open the signed file in app, tap signature, then view details and timestamps.
• Audit trail: Open Audit Trail to see signature events, IP, and certificate hashes.
• API retrieval: Use signNow API to fetch certificate metadata and digital evidence programmatically.

Core features that matter

When viewing digital signature certificates, key signNow features provide the evidence needed for verification, compliance, and recordkeeping across departments.

Certificate metadata

Displays issuer, serial number, algorithm, and validity period so administrators and legal teams can quickly validate cryptographic provenance and signer identity before accepting a document.

Audit trail

Captures signer events, timestamps, IP addresses, and certificate fingerprints to create a chronological, exportable record that supports dispute resolution and compliance audits.

Signature verification

Automated verification checks signature integrity and certificate validity status, flagging expired or revoked certificates to prevent acceptance of compromised signatures.

Exportable evidence

Allows download of the signed PDF with embedded certificate, and separate audit exports for legal teams to store within corporate records or submit during investigations.

Advanced certificate-related capabilities

Beyond basic viewing, signNow provides features that help organizations manage signer authentication, retention, and complex workflows requiring strong proof of identity.

Two-factor signer authentication

Enforce SMS or email codes to establish signer presence before attaching a certificate, adding an extra verification layer that improves trust and legal defensibility for high-risk documents.

Conditional signer flow

Create role-based or sequential signing orders so certificates are issued and recorded in logical order, helping legal teams track approvals across multiple stakeholders in complex transactions.

Bulk verification

When sending many agreements, use bulk send and batch certificate checks to ensure every returned document includes a valid certificate before automating downstream processing.

Kiosk and offline signing

Support on-site signing with kiosk mode and offline signing options, then sync certificates when back online, preserving timestamps and audit integrity for field operations.

Retention and export rules

Configure document retention policies and automated exports so certificates and audit trails are archived according to legal or industry requirements.

API evidence retrieval

Programmatically pull certificates, audit logs, and signed files via API to integrate evidence into ERPs, CRMs, or litigation support systems for centralized records.

Audit trail and certificate checklist

Use this checklist to confirm a signature certificate and related audit data are complete and trustworthy before final acceptance or archival.

01

Check certificate issuer:

Verify the certificate authority or issuer matches expected trusted providers.

02

Validate timestamps:

Confirm the signature timestamp and document timestamp are consistent and within expected signing windows.

03

Confirm signer identity:

Match signer name and email against internal records or identity documents.

04

Review audit events:

Inspect IP addresses, device types, and sequence of signing events for anomalies.

05

Confirm cryptographic status:

Ensure the certificate is not expired, revoked, or reported untrusted.

06

Export and store:

Download signed PDF and audit log, then save to secure archive or integrated storage.

FAQs About viewing certificates

Common questions about viewing and verifying digital signature certificates in signNow, with explanations of expected behavior and troubleshooting steps.

• Why can’t I see certificate details for a signature?
  Some signatures are simple eSignatures that do not include a certificate-based digital signature. Check the signature type and whether it was created using a certificate authority. If you expected a certificate, confirm the sender used a certificate-enabled signing workflow or a Site License plan that supports qualified electronic signatures.
• What does an invalid certificate status mean?
  An invalid status indicates certificate expiration, revocation, or a broken trust chain. Verify the certificate issuer, check date validity, and consult your security team. For documents requiring legal proof, export the audit trail and preserve the signed PDF immediately to prevent loss of forensic evidence.
• How do I get the audit trail and certificate export?
  Open the completed document, choose Audit Trail or Document Actions, then select Export to download the signed PDF and CSV audit log. These exports include certificate fingerprints, timestamps, and signer metadata useful for legal or compliance archives.
• Can I verify certificates programmatically?
  Yes. Use signNow’s API to retrieve signature metadata, certificate details, and audit events. Developers can automate verification checks, integrate evidence into ERPs, and trigger retention rules based on certificate attributes or signer authentication levels.
• Who do I contact about suspicious certificates?
  If a certificate appears tampered, expired, or mismatched, notify your internal security or legal team and preserve exports immediately. For platform-specific concerns, contact signNow support and provide the document ID and exported audit trail for investigation.
• Does viewing certificates affect document validity?
  Viewing certificate data is read-only and does not alter the signed PDF or its cryptographic evidence. Exported copies preserve the certificate and audit trail; always archive originals for admissibility and chain-of-custody needs.

Where you can view certificates

Access signNow certificate views from the web app, mobile apps, or via API depending on your workflow and preferences.

• Web browsers supported: Chrome, Edge, Firefox
• Mobile platforms: iOS and Android apps
• API access: REST API for programmatic retrieval

Use the web app for full certificate details, mobile apps for on-the-go verification, and APIs to integrate certificate data into record systems or automated compliance checks.

Recommended workflow settings

Configure these signNow workflow settings to ensure certificates and audit trails are consistently captured and archived across processes.

Primary Workflow Feature and Setting Name	Default configuration values for workflow items
Reminder Frequency before due date	48 hours; recurring twice
Signer Authentication method enforcement	Email plus optional SMS code
Audit Trail export schedule	Export on completion automatically
Document retention and storage policy	Archive signed PDF for seven years
Bulk send verification step	Require certificate check before processing

Feature comparison snapshot

Quick comparison of certificate and related capabilities across signNow, DocuSign, and Adobe Sign to help technical evaluators and buyers.

Feature Comparison Across Three eSignature Vendors	signNow (Recommended)	DocuSign	Adobe Sign
Bulk send availability	yes, premium plan	yes, higher plans	yes, enterprise plans
Audit trail present	yes, full audit trail	yes, full audit trail	yes, full audit trail
Advanced signer authentication	yes, 2fa and sms	yes, multiple auth options	yes, two-step auth
Envelope cap policy	no envelope cap	100 envelopes/year	varies by plan

Pricing and plan comparison (data date: 2026)

Compare starting price and key plan facts for signNow and leading competitors. Prices are billed annually where indicated and are concise for quick evaluation.

	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 no card	Yes, trial avail.	Yes, trial avail.	Yes, trial avail.	Yes, trial avail.
Bulk Send	Yes, Business Premium	Yes, higher plans	Yes, enterprise plans	Yes, available	Yes, available
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/year	No envelope cap	No envelope cap	No envelope cap

Best practices for certificate review

Follow these practices to ensure certificate inspections are reliable, auditable, and aligned with legal and security requirements.

Standardize certificate review procedures

Create documented steps for reviewing certificate issuer, validity dates, signature timestamps, and audit log entries. Assign responsibility to legal or compliance staff to approve certificate exceptions and retain exported evidence for audits and dispute resolution.

Integrate checks into workflows

Automate certificate retrieval via API and include verification gates in contract and HR workflows. Use bulk verification for mass sends and ensure signed files with certificates are archived to central storage immediately after completion.

Train stakeholders on evidence handling

Provide role-specific training for legal, HR, and operations on how to export signed PDFs, capture audit trails, and preserve certificate metadata. Emphasize chain-of-custody and immutability for legal admissibility.

Use stronger auth for sensitive documents

Require two-factor authentication, identity verification, or qualified signature options for healthcare, finance, and high-value agreements, and ensure BAAs or additional contractual protections are in place where required.