Wet Signature vs Electronic Signature: What’s the Difference?
What is a wet signature?
A wet signature is a handwritten mark made with ink on a physical document to show approval or intent. The signer applies it directly to the paper record.
The signed paper becomes the original record. A wet signature may still be requested when a law, regulator, or counterparty requires handwritten form or an original document.
¿Cuándo deberías usar una firma manuscrita?
Original-paper filings required by applicable rules
Agreements where the receiving party requests an ink-signed original
Certain estate, property, family-law, or notarized documents, depending on jurisdiction
Offline situations where the signers cannot use an electronic workflow
¿Qué es una firma electrónica?
An electronic signature is an electronic symbol or process that a person uses with the intent to sign a record. It can be a typed name, a drawn mark, a scanned signature image, or a consent action in an eSignature platform.
Electronic signatures are a broad category. A workflow may also add identity checks, audit trails, tamper evidence, or a certificate-based digital signature, but those controls are not inherent to every electronic signature.
When should you use an electronic signature?
Contratos Business y acuerdos de servicio
Purchase orders, approvals, and invoices
Documentos de empleo y RR. HH.
Consent forms and other remote signing workflows
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre las firmas manuscritas y las electrónicas?
An electronic signature is the broad category, while a digital signature is a cryptographic technique that can support an electronic-signature process. This page compares signing on paper with signing electronically; the linked guide explains the technical distinction.
Firmas manuscritas
A handwritten mark made with ink on a physical document. Verification relies on the paper original and the surrounding signing process.
Firmas Electrónicas
An electronic symbol or process used to show intent to sign an electronic record.
Examples include typed names, scanned signatures, drawn marks, and consent actions within an eSignature workflow.
Are electronic signatures more secure than wet signatures?
Sign.Plus supports controlled access and provides a certificate of completion that records signing events such as signer details, timestamps, IP addresses, and devices. These records can make an electronic workflow easier to trace and verify than a standalone paper signature.
¿Por qué las empresas están cambiando de firmas manuscritas a firmas electrónicas?
- Procesos que consumen mucho tiempo
- Riesgo de pérdida y daño
- Errores humanos
- Costos
- Tiempo de respuesta prolongado
- Gasto ambiental
- Riesgos de seguridad
- Faster signing workflows
- Centralized electronic records
- Remote access from web and mobile apps
- Lower printing and mailing costs
- Automated status tracking
- Less paper use
- Configurable security controls and audit evidence
¿Quieres firmar documentos electrónicamente o enviar documentos para firma?
Comience la prueba gratuita ahora y disfrute de todos los beneficios.
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