How to Sign a PDF Document Digitally: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

 The present world being digital-centric, the process of electronic signing of documents has become an integral part of doing business, legal, and other tasks. Whether it's submitting government documents, contracts, filing tax returns, or approving any business agreement, the digital signing of PDF documents ensures the process becomes faster, more secure, and convenient. An electronic signature has equal validity under the Indian IT Act, 2000, and carries more authenticity than a physical signature.

The article below will be a gradual tutorial on how to sign any PDF document digitally, as well as an indication of the tools used, the processes involved, and some additional tips that might be useful.


What is a Digital Signature?

A DSC, on the other hand, is a digital form of your handwritten signature. It checks your identity as the sender and ensures that, after signing, no element of the document has been altered or tampered with. The authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation in digital signatures are warranted through the use of cryptography.

A DSC, normally kept in a secure medium like a USB token, therefore, ePass, ProxKey, Watch data, etc., is issued by Certifying Authorities, which include eMudhra, Capricorn, VSign, authorized bythe  Controller of Certifying Authorities, Government of India.

Why Sign a PDF Digitally?

Digitally signing a document is safer and faster. Here are the key benefits:

1.  Legally Valid

Digital signatures are recognized under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, making them valid for all official, legal, and commercial purposes.

2. Tamper-Proof Security

PDFs signed with DSC cannot be altered without detection. Any modification invalidates the signature instantly.

3.  Saves Time & Cost

No printing, scanning, or couriering of documents. Everything is processed online.

4.  Widely Accepted

All government based portal and corporate platforms accept the digital signature document.

Requirements for Digitally Signing a PDF

To sign a PDF document using DSC, you must have this written below 

  • A legal Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)

  • A USB Token (ePass, ProxKey, etc.) that stores your DSC

  • A computer with Windows/macOS

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader DC or a DSC utility tool such as eMclick, ePass 2003 SDK, etc.

  • Token drivers are installed on your system


How to Sign a PDF Document online: A Step-by-Step Process

Here is the most widely used method to sign the PDF document using the Official Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is the best available software utilized for verifying and signing processes of documents using digital technology.

Step 1: Visit the Adobe website

  • Download Acrobat Reader DC

  • Install and open it on your system

  • This tool supports all types of DSC signatures, including Class 2, Class 3, and DGFT.

Step 2: Connect Your USB Token

Insert the USB Token into your system’s USB port.

Make sure:

  • Token drivers (ePass, ProxKey, Watchdata) are already installed

  • The token is detected by your computer

  • You know your token PIN

Once connected, your DSC certificate will be available for signing.

Step 3: Open the PDF File You Want to Sign

  1. Open Adobe Acrobat Reader File, then Open and  Select your PDF.

  2. After opening the file, it is pertinent to check whether it has a password that prevents editing.

Step 4: Accessing the Digital Signature Tool

Follow these steps below 

  1. Go to Tools

  2. Select Certificates

  1. Click Digitally Sign

Step 5: Draw the Signature Area

Then, you need to drag your mouse and highlight the rectangular portion from the PDF file where you want your signature to be.

Thus, this is where your digital signature box will be located.

Step 6: Choose your digital certificate. 

The pop-up window that appears will display all available certificates from your DSC on your USB token.

Choose the certificate you would like to use.

You will see:

  • Your name

  • Issuing Certifying Authority (CA)

  • Validity period

Click Continue.

Step 7: Enter Token PIN

You will be asked for the PIN of your USB token.

The DSC uses the PIN for securing and protecting the DSC against unauthorized use.

Enter your PIN and click OK.

Step 8: Apply the Digital Signature

After your PIN has been confirmed, Acrobat will embed your digital signature.

After that You can save the document.

Choose:

  • File Name

  • Location

  • Click Save

Your PDF is now successfully digitally signed!

Alternative Methods to Sign a PDF Digitally

While Adobe Reader is the most popular, there are other methods available, too:

1. DSC Signer Utilities

Certifying Authorities like eMudhra, Capricorn, VSign, and Sify provide their own signer utilities.

You simply:

  • Install the CA utility

  • Load the PDF

  • Select certificate

  • Sign the document

These tools are useful for MCA, GST, and Income Tax filings.

2. Online PDF Signing Tools

Platforms like:

  • eMudhra eSign

  • NSDL eSign

  • DigiLocker eSign

These allow Aadhaar-based signing (not USB token-based), but are widely used for internal, low-risk, or simple approvals.

3. Signing on Government Portals

Some government websites support direct DSC signing:

  • MCA21 (Company filings)

  • GST Portal

  • Income Tax Portal

  • e-Tendering portals

The procedure involves selecting the DSC on the portal and signing instantly.

Steps for Verifying a Digitally Signed PDF Document

Here are some tips on how to check the correctness of pdf signed document

  1. Open the pdf of the document in Adobe Reader

  2. Click the Signature Panel

  3. Check the certificate validity (Trusted/Valid)

  4. View signer details

  5. Ensure “Signature is LTV enabled”

Verification ensures the document has not been changed after signing.

Common Issues While Signing PDFs & Solutions

1. Token Not Detected

  • Reinstall drivers

  • Try a different USB port

  • Restart the system

2. Certificate Not Showing

  • The token may have expired

  • PIN may be locked

  • USB token not initialized

3. Acrobat Reader Not Allowing Sign

  • The document may be secured

  • Enable JavaScript in Acrobat

  • Update Acrobat to the latest version

Conclusion

Digitally signing a PDF file has become the need of the hour in documentation. This process ensures security, authenticity, and legal approval without the need to print or physically sign a document. By following the procedure that has been given in the steps above, namely installing Acrobat, binding your USB token, choosing your DSC, and using your signature, anyone can digitally sign a PDF file in a few minutes. 

Whether you are a businessman, a government job candidate, or an individual dealing with official papers, learning how to use digital signatures will make your process quicker and more efficient.

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