A Developer's Guide to Digitally Signing PDFs with C#

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Signing;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;

// Create a new PDF from an HTML string for demonstration.
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Signed Document</h1><p>This document has been digitally signed.</p>");

// Load the certificate from a .pfx file with its password.
// The X509KeyStorageFlags.Exportable flag is crucial for allowing the private key to be used in the signing process.
var cert = new X509Certificate2("IronSoftware.pfx", "123456", X509KeyStorageFlags.Exportable);

// Create a PdfSignature object using the loaded certificate.
var signature = new PdfSignature(cert);

// Apply the signature to the PDF document.
pdf.Sign(signature);

// Save the securely signed PDF document.
pdf.SaveAs("Signed.pdf");

Imports IronPdf
Imports IronPdf.Signing
Imports System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates

' Create a new PDF from an HTML string for demonstration.
Private renderer = New ChromePdfRenderer()
Private pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Signed Document</h1><p>This document has been digitally signed.</p>")

' Load the certificate from a .pfx file with its password.
' The X509KeyStorageFlags.Exportable flag is crucial for allowing the private key to be used in the signing process.
Private cert = New X509Certificate2("IronSoftware.pfx", "123456", X509KeyStorageFlags.Exportable)

' Create a PdfSignature object using the loaded certificate.
Private signature = New PdfSignature(cert)

' Apply the signature to the PDF document.
pdf.Sign(signature)

' Save the securely signed PDF document.
pdf.SaveAs("Signed.pdf")

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Signing;
using IronSoftware.Drawing;
using System;

// Load an existing PDF document to be signed.
var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("invoice.pdf");

// Create a PdfSignature object directly from the certificate file and password.
var signature = new PdfSignature("IronSoftware.pfx", "123456");

// Add detailed metadata to the signature for a comprehensive audit trail.
signature.SignatureDate = DateTime.Now;
signature.SigningContact = "legal@ironsoftware.com";
signature.SigningLocation = "Chicago, USA";
signature.SigningReason = "Contractual Agreement";

// Add a secure timestamp from a trusted Time Stamp Authority (TSA).
// This provides cryptographic proof of the signing time.
signature.TimeStampUrl = new Uri("[http://timestamp.digicert.com](http://timestamp.digicert.com)");
signature.TimestampHashAlgorithm = TimestampHashAlgorithms.SHA256;

// Apply a visual appearance to the signature. (More on this in the next section)
signature.SignatureImage = new PdfSignatureImage("assets/visual-signature.png", 0, new Rectangle(350, 750, 200, 100));

// Sign the PDF document with the configured signature object.
pdf.Sign(signature);

// Save the final, signed PDF document.
pdf.SaveAs("DetailedSignature.pdf");

Imports IronPdf
Imports IronPdf.Signing
Imports IronSoftware.Drawing
Imports System

' Load an existing PDF document to be signed.
Private pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("invoice.pdf")

' Create a PdfSignature object directly from the certificate file and password.
Private signature = New PdfSignature("IronSoftware.pfx", "123456")

' Add detailed metadata to the signature for a comprehensive audit trail.
signature.SignatureDate = DateTime.Now
signature.SigningContact = "legal@ironsoftware.com"
signature.SigningLocation = "Chicago, USA"
signature.SigningReason = "Contractual Agreement"

' Add a secure timestamp from a trusted Time Stamp Authority (TSA).
' This provides cryptographic proof of the signing time.
signature.TimeStampUrl = New Uri("[http://timestamp.digicert.com](http://timestamp.digicert.com)")
signature.TimestampHashAlgorithm = TimestampHashAlgorithms.SHA256

' Apply a visual appearance to the signature. (More on this in the next section)
signature.SignatureImage = New PdfSignatureImage("assets/visual-signature.png", 0, New Rectangle(350, 750, 200, 100))

' Sign the PDF document with the configured signature object.
pdf.Sign(signature)

' Save the final, signed PDF document.
pdf.SaveAs("DetailedSignature.pdf")

using IronPdf.Signing;

// Load a PDF file with change tracking enabled.
var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("annual_census.pdf", ChangeTrackingModes.EnableChangeTracking);

// Placeholder for edits: You might add text, fill forms, or add annotations here.
// For example: pdf.Annotations.Add(new TextAnnotation(...));

// Sign the current state of the document using SignWithFile for convenience.
// We set permissions to allow further signatures and form filling.
pdf.SignWithFile(
    "assets/IronSignature.p12", 
    "password", 
    SignaturePermissions.AdditionalSignaturesAndFormFillingAllowed);

// Save the current state as a distinct revision within the PDF's history.
PdfDocument pdfWithRevision = pdf.SaveAsRevision();

// Save the final PDF with its full revision history to a new file.
pdfWithRevision.SaveAs("annual_census_signed.pdf");

Imports IronPdf.Signing

' Load a PDF file with change tracking enabled.
Private pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("annual_census.pdf", ChangeTrackingModes.EnableChangeTracking)

' Placeholder for edits: You might add text, fill forms, or add annotations here.
' For example: pdf.Annotations.Add(new TextAnnotation(...));

' Sign the current state of the document using SignWithFile for convenience.
' We set permissions to allow further signatures and form filling.
pdf.SignWithFile("assets/IronSignature.p12", "password", SignaturePermissions.AdditionalSignaturesAndFormFillingAllowed)

' Save the current state as a distinct revision within the PDF's history.
Dim pdfWithRevision As PdfDocument = pdf.SaveAsRevision()

' Save the final PDF with its full revision history to a new file.
pdfWithRevision.SaveAs("annual_census_signed.pdf")

// Load a PDF with a complex signature history.
var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("multi_signed_report.pdf");

// Verify all signatures across all revisions.
bool allSignaturesValid = pdf.VerifySignatures();
Console.WriteLine($"All signatures are valid: {allSignaturesValid}");

// Roll back to the first revision (index 0).
if (pdf.RevisionCount > 1)
{
    PdfDocument firstRevision = pdf.GetRevision(0);
    firstRevision.SaveAs("report_first_revision.pdf");
}

// Create a completely unsigned version of the document.
pdf.RemoveSignatures();
pdf.SaveAs("report_unsigned.pdf");

' Load a PDF with a complex signature history.
Dim pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("multi_signed_report.pdf")

' Verify all signatures across all revisions.
Dim allSignaturesValid As Boolean = pdf.VerifySignatures()
Console.WriteLine($"All signatures are valid: {allSignaturesValid}")

' Roll back to the first revision (index 0).
If pdf.RevisionCount And gt; 1 Then
	Dim firstRevision As PdfDocument = pdf.GetRevision(0)
	firstRevision.SaveAs("report_first_revision.pdf")
End If

' Create a completely unsigned version of the document.
pdf.RemoveSignatures()
pdf.SaveAs("report_unsigned.pdf")