How to sign a contract: options and checks
Contracts.tools has no signing feature: you download the final draft, and each person signs it outside the site. Here are the usual ways to sign and the checks to make before anyone does.
Options
Two ways to sign outside the site
Sign on paper, then scan or photograph
Print the final version, have each person sign by hand, then keep a scan or a clear photo of every signed page. It suits people in the same room or on a video call, if everyone can print. Check that each page can be read before you save the file.
Use an electronic signature service
The service sends the file to each signer and returns a signed copy. The file is held on that service’s servers, not on this site or on your device, so read its privacy terms before you upload a contract with personal or confidential details.
Whether a signature made either way is accepted depends on the law where you are and on the kind of contract. This page does not decide which way is accepted; ask a lawyer where you work before relying on one.
Checks
Before anyone signs
- 01
Send every party the same final file, with its name and version number, so nobody signs an older draft.
- 02
Fill in every blank. Square brackets mark what is still open, and the completeness check on the generator lists the sections that have gaps.
- 03
Check that names, addresses, amounts and dates match everywhere they appear, including the signature blocks and any notice clause.
- 04
If a version came back with changes, compare it with the one you sent in the comparison tool. Both texts are read in your browser.
- 05
Go through the clause checklist and ask the questions it lists before you sign.
- 06
Keep the signed file together with the draft it came from, in one place that every party can find.
- 07
Write down how each person signed (on paper, by scan, or through a service) and the date they signed.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Can I sign a contract on this site?
No. There is no signing feature here. The draft is built in your browser, and you can download it as PDF or Word or copy the text. Signing happens outside the site, as described above.
Does a signature made electronically count?
This page does not say. Whether a signature made electronically is accepted depends on the law where you are and on the kind of contract. Ask a lawyer where you work before relying on one.
Should I use a signature service or sign on paper?
It depends on your situation: whether everyone can print, how many people sign, and whether you want a service to hold the file. Read the service’s privacy terms before you upload a contract to it.
Is this legal advice?
No. Contracts.tools gives you an editable draft written in plain language and explains common clauses. It does not know your situation or the law where you live, and laws vary by country and state. Have the draft reviewed, ideally by a lawyer where you work, before anyone signs it.