Rules around changing my signature

[OGR4M]

I know this isn’t about finance - I couldn’t figure out which section to put it in... but I write cheques occasionally, so I’m close, right?

Anyway, I’ve had my ‘current’ signature since I was a teenager, and since then it has descended into a scrawl which looks like I’m testing if a pen works!

I would like to change my signature, which will tie in nicely for my driving licence renewal in a month or so, and my understanding is that I’m essentially free to do so - but am I likely to come across any issues if I do?

For instance, if I sign the licence renewal with a signature that doesn’t match, will it get denied - and my passport has my original, will that need to be changed?

Appealing to the PH fountain of knowledge, as my google-fu is coming up with conflicting information.

Thanks, all!

[Jimmy Recard]

I did essentially what you're talking about and I haven't had a problem so far. I can never remember which bank/organisation has which signature so I have to guess each time. I really should just do it properly and change each of them to the more recent one that I can sign correctly more reliably

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

My boss at work has two (or more sometimes) signatures. He's constantly in a pickle as he's never sure which organisation has which.

[xx99xx]

I have a public signature and a private one. The public one is used for my job where I sign stuff which then ends up on the internet. I was advised to do this for security reasons. It helps that I have both as jpegs (stored securely) so I just copy and paste them in.

Your situation, I guess you'd have to change it with all banks but I don't think anyone else bothers checking signatures.

[Robertj21a]

I doubt that many check signatures at all these days (even banks) - unless there's already a query/problem. Obviously any shop assistant or bank cashier may just check it when a card is presented to them but even then they are fairly used to varying signatures. If it's significantly different it would be a good idea to give the updated version to your own bank to update their records.
As long as you have other evidence of ID then you should be ok.

[xx99xx]

I think it was Barclaycard, a few years ago they wrote to me to say my signature they held on my file needed updating. I think they do this every 10 years. I had to sign the letter and send it back to them.

I don't write cheques any more but I've never had any queries over my signature which can look different every time I write it.

[romeogolf]

When closing a bank account which I had opened many, many years previously I was told my signature didn't match and I had to show photo ID.

That's likely all that will happen with your own change, a secondary ID check.

[The_Doc]

xx99xx said:

I have a public signature and a private one. The public one is used for my job where I sign stuff which then ends up on the internet. I was advised to do this for security reasons. It helps that I have both as jpegs (stored securely) so I just copy and paste them in.
.

Ditto, but my jpegs have watermarks, so that I can see if they've been pinched somehow and used against me. My secretary has one of them on a two-key-shortcut in MS Word. I do about 50 letters a week, and ironically they're digitally signed and released too! Even an off-white background to them helps.

I have 2 public/work scrawls, and a real one.