Guide
How to Sign a Document Without Printing
You don't need to print a document to sign it. Electronic signatures are the paperless alternative.
Steps
- 1
Receive or create your document digitally
- 2
Send for electronic signature via Signbee API
- 3
Both parties sign on screen — no printing needed
- 4
Signed PDF delivered by email
- 5
Store digitally — no paper filing required
Try it with curl
curl -X POST https://signb.ee/api/send \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"content": "# Your Document\n\nContent here...",
"senderName": "Your Name",
"senderEmail": "you@email.com",
"recipientName": "Recipient",
"recipientEmail": "recipient@email.com"
}'Legal validity
Electronic signatures are legally binding under the ESIGN Act (US), eIDAS Regulation (EU), and Electronic Communications Act (UK). Every Signbee document includes a SHA-256 tamper-proof certificate.
More details
The print-sign-scan workflow is obsolete. It wastes time (20+ minutes per document), wastes paper, requires a printer and scanner, and produces a lower-quality legal record than electronic signing.
The old way: Receive document → print → sign with pen → scan → email back → hope it's legible The new way: Receive signing link → review → sign on screen → done (under 60 seconds)
Beyond convenience, going paperless provides: - Stronger legal evidence (audit trail vs. scanned image) - Instant delivery (no postal delays) - Searchable archives (digital PDFs vs. filing cabinets) - Environmental impact (average office worker uses 10,000 sheets/year) - Cost savings (printer ink, paper, postage, storage)
For organisations transitioning to paperless: start with low-risk, high-volume documents (internal NDAs, vendor agreements, HR forms) before moving to customer-facing contracts. This builds confidence in the electronic process.
Frequently asked questions
Is signing without printing legally valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures have the same legal standing as handwritten signatures under ESIGN (US), eIDAS (EU), and ECA (UK). The SHA-256 audit trail actually provides stronger evidence than a scanned paper signature.
What if the other party insists on a paper signature?
You can send them the signing link — most people prefer the convenience of signing on their phone. If they insist on paper, they can print the PDF, sign it, and scan it back, but this defeats the purpose.
Related resources
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