More and more company documents are created, signed and sent without ever being printed. That raises a common question: if you place an image of your company stamp on a PDF, is it valid? The short answer is that a digital stamp is widely accepted for everyday business documents, but it is usually a mark of identification rather than a legal signature on its own. This article gives general information, not legal advice.

What the law generally recognises

Since the 2017 amendments to the Companies Act, Singapore companies are no longer required to have a common seal, and a company stamp has never been a legal requirement — see is a company stamp mandatory. Separately, Singapore's Electronic Transactions Act recognises electronic records and electronic signatures for most transactions, with a small number of document types excluded.

A stamp image shows which company a document comes from. Whether a document is binding usually depends on who authorised it — typically shown by a signature of an authorised person — rather than on the stamp itself.

Where a digital stamp works well

  • Invoices, quotations and receipts sent as PDFs.
  • Delivery orders and purchase orders.
  • Letters and certificates issued by your company.
  • Internal approvals and forms.

For all of these, a transparent PNG of your stamp gives a clean, professional result. Our guide on where to use your company stamp lists more examples.

When you may need more than a stamp image

  • Documents that require an authorised signatory — add the signature and name of the person authorised to sign.
  • Government or regulatory forms — follow the form's own instructions exactly.
  • Counterparties who ask for a wet stamp — some banks, landlords and overseas partners still prefer a physical impression.
  • Deeds and formal instruments — these have their own execution rules; check with a qualified adviser.

Good practice for digital stamps

  • Pair the stamp with a signature or the name and title of the authorised person.
  • Send documents as PDFs, which are harder to alter than editable files.
  • Keep the stamp image file within your company — do not share the PNG freely, to reduce the risk of misuse.
  • Decide internally who may apply the stamp, digitally or physically.

The practical answer: have both

Most businesses use a digital stamp for documents sent by email and a physical stamp for paperwork signed in person. A single order gives you both: the physical stamp plus a transparent PNG and print-ready PDFs, as explained in what you receive when you order. Start with the free generator or order a physical stamp.