Modifying a Digitally Signed PDF

[jasonr43796413]

Hello, we currently received uploaded PDF documents at my job that we in turn stamp with a date received stamp and save them.  A new law will require that documents submitted to us be digitally signed.  As I understand it, the documents will then be locked for editing.  I know I can use the "Print to Microsoft PDF" and it will basically strip the locked property of the document, allowing us to then stamp it.  My manager wanted me to check if there's another way to accomplish stamping a document that's been digitally signed and locked?  I guess we could always print the document and then scan it back to PDF.  To further complicate matters, we sometimes have to insert a page of our own into the documents we receive.  Thank you.

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

No, digitally signing cannot be worked around and keep the signing. That's really the whole point of it, the reason that it has legal standing. Imagine if people could use stamps to hide or change parts of contracts. You mnust modify your workflow.

[jasonr43796413]

Thanks I appreciate it.   We also have to Bates all of the pages so I think we'll need to Print to Microsoft PDF to allow us that ability.  

[Test Screen Name]

I would have your legal team check your proposals. Since digital signatures are, you say, legally required for submissions, you may be in breach if you do not preserve the signatures every step of the way. Bear in mind the signature stamp on the page, which you might preserve, may seem superficially to be the signature, and preserved on rescanning or print to PDF, it has no legal status. 

[Joel_Geraci]

If you are able to add signature fields to the document prior to them being submitted, you can use Acrobat Security to set the file up such that it can be signed as well as commented on like adding a stamp and bates number as text annotations.