Wet Signature vs Electronic Signature: What’s the Difference?

Wet signatures use ink on paper, while electronic signatures let a person show their intent to sign an electronic document. The right method depends on the document type, signing workflow, and applicable law.
Qu'est-ce qu'une signature manuscrite ?

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.

Quand devez-vous utiliser une signature manuscrite ?

  • 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

Qu'est-ce qu'une signature électronique ?

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?

  • Contrats Business et accords de service

  • Purchase orders, approvals, and invoices

  • Documents relatifs à l'emploi et aux RH

  • Consent forms and other remote signing workflows

Quelle est la différence entre les signatures manuscrites et électroniques ?

In the United States, laws such as the ESIGN Act and UETA generally prevent a signature from being denied legal effect solely because it is electronic, subject to their scope and exceptions. The EU’s eIDAS and Switzerland’s ZertES establish their own electronic-signature frameworks and assurance levels. Requirements depend on the jurisdiction, document, and signing process.

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.

Signatures manuscrites

A handwritten mark made with ink on a physical document. Verification relies on the paper original and the surrounding signing process.

Signatures électroniques

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?

Neither method is automatically more secure in every situation. Wet signatures depend on physical-document controls. Electronic-signature workflows can add access controls, identity verification, tamper evidence, and audit trails, with the assurance level determined by the platform and configuration.

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.
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image de marque en arrière-plan sign.plus

Pourquoi les entreprises délaissent-elles les signatures manuscrites au profit des signatures électroniques ?

‍Businesses often replace wet-ink workflows when paper creates challenges such as:
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  • Processus chronophages
  • Risque de perte et de dommages
  • Erreurs humaines
  • Coûts
  • Délais d'exécution longs
  • Dépenses environnementales
  • Risques de sécurité
Using an eSignature platform such as Sign.Plus can offer:
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  • 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

Vous souhaitez signer électroniquement des documents ou envoyer des documents pour signature ?

Démarrez l'essai gratuit maintenant et profitez de tous les avantages.

Foire aux questions

Quel est l'autre nom des signatures manuscrites ?
Flèche
“Wet signature” is also commonly called a handwritten, ink, physical, or traditional signature.
Can a scanned wet signature be used electronically?
Flèche
A wet signature can be scanned with a tool such as Scan.Plus and inserted into an electronic document. It may serve as an electronic signature when the signer adopts it with the intent to sign, but the image alone does not provide certificate-based verification or tamper evidence.
Une signature électronique doit-elle correspondre à une signature manuscrite ?
Flèche
No. An electronic signature does not generally need to look like the signer’s handwritten signature. What matters is the signer’s intent and the requirements of the signing process. You can create or draw one with our eSignature generator tool.

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