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Participant
December 5, 2022
Answered

How to insert a signature field that requires a certificate to sign

  • December 5, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 42080 views

Hello! I am creating a PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro and want to be able to insert a signature field that you must use a certificate to sign. The "digital signature field" allows candidates to draw a signature in, which we can't allow. I've seen a ton of government forms that do this (attached an example of a publically available government form that does this), but I haven't been able to recreate it myself.

 

I also know that under the Certificates tool you can insert a certificate signature somewhere on the PDF, but I would like it to be mandated as well as the default setting when someone clicks on the signature box.

 

Quick note, in order for the example I uploaded to reflect the intended behavior, you have to view it in Adobe, not a browser!

Correct answer Austin36034497jjgg

I found a solution!  It appears that the certificate option is not a default option in my case possibly because I  converted a word document to a PDF.  The signature form field would not allow a certificate signature, just a normal field that behaved just like a normal text box really.  I have a different pdf from a bank which does allow me to create signatrue form fields with a certifcate.   It's in the same place on the left bar as the other signature form field with my converted word doc, except that it produce a form field with a certificate.   The only workaround I found was I had to click on the small tool bar to the left, its like a shortcut bar with only about 4 options on it that are symbols.  I clicked on the "..." at the bottom, and it gave me the option to "customize tool bar".  I selected that option.  Then I scrolled down to "prepare a form", opened up its options, and there was the option to add "Digital signature" which was the same title as the digital signature i already had that wasn't working but the symbol was like the digital signature from the bank PDF that was working.  So i clicked the "+" to add it to the toolbar and it works!  When i click on it as a user, not an editor, it pops up a box asking me to add a certicate signature with a time stamp, just like I wanted. 

2 replies

JR Boulay
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 13, 2024

Things have changed in the last two years, you must use a "Digital Signature" field instead of a "Signature" field:

 

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
JR Boulay
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 5, 2022

You must use a digital signature form field:

 

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
Participant
March 12, 2024

The suggestion does not work.   It instead provides a text box where someone can simply type in their signature.  It does NOT create a certifate with a time stamp.  I also cannot find how to do this on my forms. 

Bernd Alheit
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 12, 2024

You must add a signature form field.