How to validate digital signature in Form 16 online

The first thing that you should check after receiving a TDS certificate i.e. Form 16 from your employer is to make sure that the digital signatures on it are validated. It is important to validate the digital signature to check the authenticity of Form 16.

Archit Gupta, founder & CEO, Cleartax.com says, "People tend to ignore this, but a digital signature is just like a physical signature; a digital sign makes Form 16 a legal document. A digital signature can also be verified. Validating a digital signature ensures it is from a trusted source and has not been modified after signing. Therefore, it helps make sure that your Form 16 is authentic."

How to validate digital signatures in Form 16
Before you start to validate the signatures, ensure that you have opened the Form 16 PDF document using Adobe Reader software.

Follow the steps below to validate the digital signature in Form 16:
Step 1: The digital signature can be seen on the last page of the Form 16. Click on the digital signature image.

Step 2: A new window 'Signature Validation Status' will appear on your screen. Click on 'Signature Properties' button.

Step 3: Again a new window 'Signature Properties' will appear. Click on 'Show Signer's Certificate'.

Step 4: A certificate viewer window will appear. Click on Trust tab.

Step 5: In the trust tab, click on 'Add to Trust Identities' button. It will open 'Acrobat Security' Message Box.

Also read: How to file ITR? Here's the complete guide

Step 6: In the 'Acrobat Security' Message Box, click on 'OK' and it will open 'import contact settings'.

Step 7: In the 'Import Contact Settings' window, select the certificate as 'trusted root' and click on OK.

Step 8: Once 'ok' is clicked, you will be returned to the 'Certificate Viewer' window. Click 'OK'

Step 9: Once you have clicked OK, you will be returned to 'Signature Properties' window. Here click on 'Verify Certificate' or 'Validate Signature' button.

Once it is clicked, in the 'Signature Properties' window, you can see the signature will be shown as valid. Click on 'Close' and digital signature on your Form-16 will be validated.