Signature, print name, date: what goes where
Nearly every form ends with the same small block of lines. They look obvious, yet forms get sent back because a name went on the signature line, a nickname was printed, or the date was left blank. Here's what each line wants, including the title and company lines, and how to fill them in on a PDF.
Already paying for SignDatePDF? Sign in
Sign your PDF, then put the date beside the signature or in the form's Date box: pick the day from a calendar or type it in the format the form asks for.
Loading editor...
Filling in the block, line by line
Zoom in on the PDF first so each entry lands squarely on its line.
1
Signature
Your usual signature, drawn or typed in a handwriting-style font, on the line marked Signature.
2
Print name
Your full name in clear letters, block capitals if the form says so. This line is for reading, not signing.
3
Date
The day you sign, in the format the form shows.
Updated 28 September 2026 · Written by Joe Farwick, who runs this site
Why forms ask for a printed name
A signature identifies you to people who know it; a printed name identifies you to everyone else. Whoever processes the form needs to match the signature to a person, and most signatures are unreadable. That's all the print-name line is for, so use clear, separate letters and, where the form asks for BLOCK CAPITALS, capitals only.
Print the name the document already uses for you. On a lease that's the tenant's name as written in the lease; on an official form it's normally your legal name as on your ID. Middle names are optional unless the form asks for your full name.
“Signature over printed name”
Some forms put the printed name directly under the signature line, labelled “Signature over printed name”. The idea is that you print your name first and then sign above it, so the two sit together. On a PDF, place the typed name on the lower line and your signature just above it, overlapping the line slightly if space is tight.
Signing for a company: By, Name, Title
Business contracts often use a block like “Acme Ltd — By: ______ Name: ______ Title: ______ Date: ______”. The company is the party; you sign as the person acting for it. Your signature goes after By, your printed name after Name, and your role, such as Director or Office Manager, after Title.
Leave Title and Company blank when you sign for yourself as a private person. Filling them in when you're not acting for a business can blur who is actually bound by the document.
Witness and second-signer lines
When a document has lines for a witness or a co-signer, each person completes their own set: their own signature, their own printed name and the date they sign. Never fill in someone else's name or date for them in advance, and don't sign on their line to save time.
Documents that genuinely require a witness have formal rules about it. For deeds in England and Wales, the Law Commission concluded that the witness must be physically present when the deed is signed, even if both of you sign electronically. Check such rules before signing a PDF; a signature image doesn't replace a witness who was supposed to watch you sign.
Making the lines in Word
If you're preparing the form yourself, Word can insert a proper signature line: on the Insert tab, choose Add a Signature Line, then fill in the suggested signer's name, title and email address. The same dialog has a checkbox, Show sign date in signature line, that makes the signing date appear with the signature. Microsoft notes that signing such a line adds both a visible signature and a digital signature, which is more than most everyday forms need, and a plain underscore line is fine for those.
Filling in the lines on a PDF
In the SignDatePDF editor, use your signature for the signature line, Add Text for your printed name and title, and Add Date for the date. Each item can be moved and resized, so line them up with the form's own print. If the PDF has fillable fields for the name and date, the editor lists them and you can type straight in.
Signature line questions
Can I type my signature?+
Yes. Type your name and pick one of the handwriting-style fonts, or draw it with a mouse or finger. Keep the printed name in plain type so the two are clearly different.
Should the printed name match my ID?+
Use your legal name unless the document names you differently, in which case match the document.
Do I print my name in capitals?+
Only if the form says BLOCK CAPITALS or shows a row of letter boxes. Otherwise clear normal writing is fine.
What does filling in the lines on a PDF cost?+
Filling in the signature, name and date lines and previewing the form is free in the editor. To save the signed form you need a plan: €2.99 monthly or €24.99 yearly. You can cancel anytime, and the plan stays active until the period you've paid for ends.
Mistakes that get forms returned
Signing on the name line
The print-name line exists because signatures are hard to read. A second signature there defeats its purpose.
Nicknames and initials
Print the name the document uses for you, usually your full legal name, not Bob or R. Smith.
Ambiguous dates
04/05 can be April 5 or 4 May. Follow the form's pattern or write the month as a word.
Title left empty
If you sign on behalf of a company, the title line shows your authority to do so.
Fill in the lines
Open the form above; it stays on your device while you sign, print your name and date it.
Choose PDF