The remediation contractor says the final deliverables are ready but I am the lead reviewer and the regulator's filing…
Open the PDF document you want to certify in Adobe Acrobat.
Go to the Tools pane and select Protect.
In the Protect toolbar, click Certify with Visible Signature or Certify with Invisible Signature depending on your preference.
Drag to draw the signature field on the page if prompted for a visible signature, or confirm placement for an invisible signature.
In the dialog that appears, select your digital ID from the list or add a new one if necessary.
Set the Permissions options to control what changes are allowed after certifying (e.g., no changes, form fill-in only, or comments only).
Optionally, enter a reason for certifying the document.
Click Sign to apply the certifying signature.
Save the PDF when prompted to complete the certification process.
Best practiceIf you need to allow others to fill forms or add comments after certification, choose the appropriate restriction option before signing.
After certifying a PDF, Acrobat will display a blue ribbon in the document’s toolbar to indicate the document is certified and show any allowed changes.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
Certifying a PDF is a special type of digital signature. You can only certify a PDF if it has no other signatures on it. When you certify a document, it means you are the first signer and you are confirming its content. A regular digital signature can be added to a document that already has other signatures.
You cannot certify a PDF that already has a signature because certification is meant to be the first and most authoritative signature. It declares that the document's content is approved and should not be changed. If there are other signatures, the document's initial state is already altered.
A digital ID is like your unique electronic fingerprint. It contains your private key, which creates your signature, and a public key, which allows others to verify it. You need a digital ID to certify a document because it proves your identity and ensures the document's authenticity and integrity, showing it truly came from you and hasn't been altered.
Yes, after you certify a PDF, other people can still add their own digital signatures. However, their signatures will be 'approval' signatures, not 'certification' signatures. Your certification remains the primary statement about the document's content, and any changes after your certification will be noted.