In our modern world, we have become more used to "signing" documents by clicking checkboxes or typing our names.
But when it comes to vehicle titles and other related documents in the United States, signature requirements are more specific.
Acceptable: wet ink
Original, wet-ink signed documents are acceptable.
(If there is any doubt, clerks are taught to lick their thumb and try to smudge a small piece of the signature. If it smudges, it's ink; if it doesn't, it's a copy.)
Not acceptable: image of a wet ink signature
A photo, scan, or image of a wet-ink signed document is not acceptable.
Acceptable for non-title documents: electronic signatures that conform to UETA requirements
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) is a law that has been enacted by (almost) all US states, which states the requirements for acceptable electronic signatures. These requirements are:
Intent to sign,
Consent to do business electronically,
Association of signature with the record, and
Record retention.
Platforms like Docusign and PandaDoc meet all UETA requirements.
Vehicle titles are special pieces of paper, which by definition, cannot be signed electronically.
If you are unable to physically sign your vehicle's title (for example, if you're in a different location than the title when you buy or sell the vehicle), you can authorize another party to sign the title on your behalf via a power of attorney document.
Not acceptable: electronic signatures that do not conform to UETA requirements
While you can "sign" your name using a number of PDF tools (e.g. Adobe and Preview), these tools do not meet two UETA requirements: capturing an associated record that reflects the process by which the signature was created, and retaining a complete and accurate copy of the signed electronic record.
Therefore, signatures using most PDF tools are NOT accepted.