Fill in the signature block the right way
The signature block at the end of a contract shows who is bound and in what capacity. Signing in the wrong block, or signing personally when you meant to sign for your company, causes real problems. Here's how to read each line and fill it in — and what to check in the other side's block when you countersign.
Have a subscription? Sign in
Before you sign the block
- The party label and the name at the top of the block match the names in the contract's first paragraph, so you know it's yours.
- Signing as an individual: your signature on the line, your full name printed exactly as it's written at the top of the contract, and the date. No job title.
- Signing for a company: your signature on the "By:" line, your printed name on the Name line, your position (Director, Owner, Managing Member…) on the Title or "Its" line, and the date.
- You have authority to sign for the company. The other side is entitled to ask, and for large deals may want a board resolution or a power of attorney.
- Countersigning: their signature is in their block, with a printed name, a title if it's a company, and a date. If anything is missing, ask them to fix it instead of filling it in for them.
- Nothing else on the document changes, and the fully signed version goes to everyone.
Updated 27 October 2026 · Written by Joe Farwick, who runs this site
Anatomy of a signature block
Most contracts end with one block per party, side by side or one under the other. A typical company block looks like this: the party label ("CLIENT"), the company's name ("Northwind Ltd"), then "By: ____" for the signature, "Name: ____" for the signer's printed name, "Title: ____" or "Its: ____" for their position, and "Date: ____".
An individual's block is shorter — a signature line, the printed name and a date. Some blocks add a witness line; notarised documents have a separate notary section that only a notary fills in.
The party label and the name at the top are the parts people skip, and they're the most important: they tell you whose block it is. Match them against the names in the first paragraph of the contract before you put pen — or finger — to it.
Signing as an individual
If you are a party yourself — a tenant, a buyer, an employee, a freelancer without a company — sign on the line, print your full name exactly as it's written at the top of the contract, and date it. Don't add a job title; it can make it look as if you signed for someone else.
If you trade under a business name without having formed a company (a sole proprietor or sole trader), you are still signing as yourself: in law there's no distinction between the business and its owner. A block reading "Alex Smith, trading as Smith Design" is normal and binds you personally.
Signing for a company
"By" means "signed by this person on behalf of the company named above". Your signature goes on that line, and the Name and Title (or "Its") lines show that you signed as the company's representative, not as a party in your own right. Leave them blank and it's less obvious which you meant.
Only sign for a company if you have authority to. In England and Wales a contract can be made on a company's behalf by anyone acting under its authority, express or implied; a document is executed by the company itself under its common seal, by two authorised signatories (directors or the company secretary), or by one director whose signature is witnessed. In the US, the Uniform Commercial Code's rules for promissory notes and cheques show why the form matters: a representative whose signature doesn't unambiguously show the representative capacity can end up personally liable.
The other side is entitled to ask whether you're authorised. Expect it for large deals, and don't be offended if you're asked for a board resolution or a power of attorney.
When you're the countersigner
By the time a contract reaches you, the other block is already filled in. Look at it before you sign yours: is the signature in their block and not yours? Does the printed name match someone who could plausibly sign for them, with a title if it's a company? Is it dated?
If something is missing on their side — no title, no date, the wrong entity — ask them to fix it rather than filling it in for them. Writing in someone else's block, even helpfully, means the document no longer shows only what they put there.
Then complete your own block on the same document, change nothing else, and send the fully signed version to everyone.
Fixing common mistakes
Signed in the wrong block: say so straight away and ask for a clean copy to sign again, rather than crossing things out on a signed PDF.
Signed personally instead of for your company: ask for a corrected version in which your block shows the company name and your title, and sign that.
Forgot the date: tell the other side and add the actual date with their agreement. Never backdate a signature to make it look earlier than it was.
Open the contract the other party signed, place your countersignature and the date in your own block, and download the fully executed copy for every party.
Loading editor...
Signature block questions
What does “By” mean in a signature block?+
It marks the line where the person signing on behalf of a company or other organisation puts their signature.
What does “Its” mean under the signature?+
"Its" is followed by the signer's position in the organisation — "Its: CEO" — and does the same job as a Title line: it shows the capacity in which you signed.
What is an “authorized signatory”?+
A person who has authority to sign documents for an organisation, for example a director, an officer or an employee given that power in writing.
Do I need a witness?+
Most everyday contracts don't need one. Documents signed as deeds in England and Wales do — and the witness must be physically present, even when both use an electronic signature. If the block has a witness line, check whether it's required before leaving it empty.
Can I fill in my signature block on my phone?+
Yes — the signer runs in mobile browsers. Draw your signature with a finger, drop it on the By line, and type your name, title and date next to it.
What does it cost to complete my block here?+
Filling in and previewing your block costs nothing. To download the signed contract you need a subscription — €2.99 a month or €24.99 a year — which you can cancel at any time; it simply runs until the paid period ends.
Complete your block
Open the contract above — the other party's block stays exactly as they left it.
Choose the contract