Ever needed to collect signatures on your WordPress website? Maybe you’re running a small business that needs client approvals, managing event waivers, or handling digital contracts. Until now, collecting signatures online meant paying for expensive third-party tools like DocuSign or SignWell, then somehow integrating them with your website.
Not anymore.
Let’s walk through everything you need to know about using signature fields in WordPress, including how to create professional PDF documents with embedded signatures.
Please note that the Ninja Forms signature field does NOT meet full legal e-signature compliance standards (ESIGN Act, UETA, eIDAS) at this time. If you would like to use the field for this purpose in the future, please let us know!
What Is a Digital Signature Field?
A digital signature field is an interactive form element that allows visitors to sign documents directly on your website using their mouse, trackpad, or touch screen. Think of it like signing a credit card receipt at a store, except it happens entirely online.
The signature is captured as an image and can be embedded in form submissions, stored in your database, or included in PDF documents. Unlike traditional e-signature services that require separate accounts and monthly subscriptions, Ninja Forms’ signature field works directly within your WordPress forms.
Here’s what makes it powerful: you get the same professional signature collection capabilities you’d expect from standalone e-signature platforms, but it’s built right into the form builder you’re already using.
Why Use WordPress Forms for Digital Signatures?
You might be wondering why you’d use a form builder for signatures instead of dedicated signature software. The answer comes down to integration, cost, and control.
When you collect signatures through Ninja Forms, everything stays in your WordPress ecosystem. The signature data integrates seamlessly with your existing workflows. Want to send a signed PDF via email? Done. Need to save signatures to your CRM? Easy. Looking to create conditional logic based on whether someone signed? No problem.
Compare that to third-party signature tools where you’re paying $15-50 per month (or more), managing another account, and wrestling with API integrations just to connect it to your website. For many use cases, that’s overkill. If you’re already using WordPress forms to collect information, adding signature capture is a natural extension of what you’re already doing.
Plus, there’s the matter of user experience. When someone fills out a form on your site, having them redirected to an external signature service creates friction. They leave your website, sign something on another platform, then maybe come back. With signature fields built into your forms, the entire process happens in one seamless flow.
How to Add a Signature Field to Your WordPress Form
Adding signature collection to your WordPress forms is straightforward. Here’s how to set it up:
1. Install or Update Ninja Forms
If you’re already running Ninja Forms, make sure you’re on version 3.13.0 or higher. The Signature Field is included in the free version, so there’s no add-on to purchase. Simply update the plugin through your WordPress dashboard.
If you haven’t installed Ninja Forms yet, head to your WordPress admin area, navigate to Plugins > Add New, search for “Ninja Forms,” and click Install. Once activated, you’re ready to build forms with signature capabilities.
2. Create Your Form
Navigate to Ninja Forms > Add New in your WordPress dashboard. Give your form a name (something like “Client Agreement Form” or “Event Waiver”). This is where you’ll build the form that collects both information and signatures.
Start by adding the fields you need. For a client agreement, you might include fields for the client’s name, email, phone number, and the specific terms they’re agreeing to. For an event waiver, you’d include participant information, emergency contacts, and the waiver text itself.
The key is to collect all necessary information before the signature field. Think of the signature as the final action that confirms everything above it.
3. Add the Signature Field
In the form builder, look for the Signature Field in your field list. It appears alongside other field types like Text, Email, and Date. Drag the Signature Field into your form wherever you want the signature to appear (typically at the end, just before the submit button).
Click on the Signature Field to configure its settings. You can find a full breakdown of every setting in our signature field documentation!
The signature field supports both typed and/or drawn signatures.
4. Test Your Signature Form
Before publishing, test the form yourself. Open it in a preview or publish it on a test page. Fill out the fields, add your signature, and submit. Check that the email arrives correctly with the signature image visible. View the submission in your WordPress admin to confirm everything saved properly.
Once you’ve verified everything works, publish the form on whatever page needs signature collection.
Creating PDF Documents with Signatures
Here’s where things get really powerful. Collecting signatures in a form is useful, but many businesses need those signatures embedded in professional PDF documents.
Ninja Forms’ PDF Form Submissions add-on transforms your signed forms into downloadable, professionally formatted PDF documents. When someone submits a form with a signature, the add-on automatically generates a PDF that includes all the form data plus the signature image.
Setting Up PDF Generation
After installing the PDF Form Submissions add-on, navigate to your form’s Advanced settings and find the PDF Submissions settings. You can let the PDF generate to a default specification, or fully customize the header, body, footer, and more!
You can customize every aspect of the PDF: add your company logo, set fonts and colors, arrange fields in a logical layout, and position the signature exactly where it needs to appear. The template uses merge tags to pull in form data, so {field:signature} places the signature image in your PDF.
For a client agreement, you might structure the PDF with your company header at the top, the agreement terms in the middle, the client’s information below that, and their signature at the bottom alongside a date stamp. The add-on handles all the formatting and image embedding automatically.
Delivering PDFs to Clients
Once your PDF template is configured, you can automatically attach the PDF to email notifications. Just open the desired email action, expand the Advanced settings, and toggle on Attach PDF.
When someone signs your form, they immediately receive a professional PDF document with their signature embedded. This serves as their copy for their records.
You also receive a copy in your notification email, which you can save for your files. The PDF can be stored in WordPress, saved to cloud storage like Dropbox or Google Drive (with additional integrations), or forwarded to your document management system.
This creates a complete signature workflow without ever leaving WordPress: visitor fills out form, adds signature, submits, and everyone receives a properly formatted PDF.
Best Practices for Collecting Digital Signatures
To get the most out of signature fields, keep these best practices in mind.
Be clear about what users are signing. Don’t bury important terms in tiny text above the signature field. Use clear headers like “By signing below, you agree to the following terms” followed by an easy-to-read list.
Make the signature field visually prominent. Don’t hide it at the bottom of a long form where users might miss it. Use adequate spacing, a clear label, and instructions that make it obvious this is where they sign.
Include a date stamp. While the signature field captures who signed, you also want to record when they signed. Add a date field (or use Ninja Forms’ hidden field with a date merge tag) to timestamp submissions.
Provide immediate confirmation. After someone signs and submits, show a confirmation message that acknowledges their signature was received. Better yet, send them a confirmation email with a copy of what they signed (especially if you’re using PDF generation).
Store submissions securely. Signed forms often contain sensitive information. Make sure your WordPress installation is secure, keep backups, and consider where you’re storing submission data. If you’re dealing with highly sensitive documents (medical records, financial information), ensure your hosting environment meets relevant compliance standards.
Test on multiple devices. Signatures should work smoothly whether someone is using a desktop computer with a mouse, a laptop with a trackpad, or a mobile phone with a touchscreen. Test your forms on different devices to ensure a good signing experience everywhere.
Keep it simple. Don’t ask users to sign multiple times unless absolutely necessary. One signature field per form is usually sufficient.
Get started with digitally signed documents today!
Adding signature collection to your WordPress forms opens up possibilities that go far beyond basic contact forms.
The best part? It’s all included in Ninja Forms 3.13.0 and works seamlessly with your existing forms. If you’re already using Ninja Forms, update to the latest version and start adding signature fields today. If you’re new to Ninja Forms, download it now and see how easy professional signature collection can be.
And when you’re ready to generate professional PDF documents with embedded signatures, check out the PDF Form Submissions add-on to complete your signature workflow.
Got questions about implementing signature fields? Drop a comment below and we’ll help you get set up.
