Definition
Wet Signature
The traditional kind of signature, made by hand with a pen on paper.
In Depth
The word "wet" comes from the ink itself, which was literally wet the moment it touched the page. For most of history this was the only way to make a document official. Electronic signatures now cover the vast majority of agreements, but some situations still insist on a wet signature.
The meaning of the term is the same in the US, UK and EU. What differs is when a wet signature is still legally required, and that varies not just by country but by document type. Wills, certain property deeds, and notarized documents are common examples where one region or another still demands ink on paper.
Sources
- What is a wet signature? (Adobe Acrobat for Business) - A wet signature is created when a person physically marks a document with their signature using ink or another material. Official Guidance adobe.com/acrobat/business/resources/wet-signature.html