No, customers do not need to sign credit card receipts anymore. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover lifted the requirement to capture a customer’s signature for in-person transactions back in April 2018.
Requiring customers to sign credit card receipts used to be the norm. But this slowly phased out over the years. And despite the fact that this hasn’t been required for 7+ years, many merchants are still confused and have questions about what’s actually needed.
This is especially true whenever you’re prompted to sign a credit card receipt as a customer. And what about restaurants? They always seem to make you sign receipts. These interactions make merchants question whether they’re doing the right thing for their own business.
Regardless of what brought you here, I’ll clear up any confusion you might have about what’s required when collecting customer signatures on credit card receipts.
Do Credit Card Receipts Need to be Signed?
No, credit card receipts do not need to be signed.
The requirement for customers to sign credit card receipts used to be enforced by the credit card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover), but this requirement was eliminated in 2018.
This wasn’t a sudden decision. Card networks had been phasing this out for years. By 2017, 80% of Mastercard transactions in North America no longer required signatures. And American Express stopped requiring signatures on US credit card transactions under $50 back in 2012.
So why is there still so much confusion about credit card receipt signature requirements today in 2025?
I think it’s a combination of different factors.
For one, many legacy POS systems weren’t immediately swapped out when the requirements were lifted—meaning customers were still prompted to sign receipts for several years after it was necessary to do so.
Some businesses still require signatures for certain types of credit card transactions. It’s still common practice in the restaurant industry, online orders picked up in person often require signatures, and even some hotels ask customers to sign credit card receipts.
So when a business owner encounters these types of scenarios in their personal life, it’s normal for them to question whether they’re following the right requirements with their own business. Customers wonder the same thing, why they’re sometimes asked to sign credit card receipts when it’s not required most of the time they buy stuff.
Why Signatures on Credit Card Receipts Went Away
New technology, like EMV chips and digital wallets, effectively made signatures on receipts obsolete.
Credit card receipt signatures used to be required as a way to authenticate the cardholder’s identity and protect against fraud by providing a record in dispute resolutions.
Merchants were supposed to compare the signature on the receipt to the signature on the back of the card as “proof” that the cardholder authorized the transaction and was physically present at the point of sale.
But this system had lots of flaws. Employees weren’t trained to properly compare signatures, and these could easily be forged.
Today’s fraud prevention tools are far more effective
- EMV chip technology generates unique transaction codes that can’t be reused, making it nearly impossible to clone cards.
- Tokenization replaces sensitive card data with unique tokens during digital wallet transactions.
- Address verification and other real-time authentication methods provide stronger fraud prevention than signatures ever did.
Once cardholders had updated chip cards and merchants had updated terminals with chip readers, signatures on receipts were no longer necessary.
What About Chargeback Protection?
This is the question that we often hear from merchants: “If I don’t collect signatures, am I more vulnerable to chargebacks?”
The answer is no. In fact, the opposite is true.
Signatures on receipts were never a particularly strong defense against chargebacks, even when they were required. If a customer disputes a charge and you provide a signed receipt to prove they authorized the charge, all the customer has to do is say the signature isn’t theirs.
Now what? You can’t actually prove the signature is theirs, and the card networks always side with the customer.
“Better safe than sorry” won’t necessarily help you
Even though signatures are no longer required, some business owners feel more comfortable having a signature on file.
But here’s what you need to understand: having a customer-signed credit card receipt won’t help you win a chargeback dispute.
Let me repeat that, because it’s important.
Signatures on receipts provide almost zero protection in a chargeback scenario. The card networks have been very clear about this. Modern payment technology (EMV chips, tokenization, and digital authentication) is what actually reduces your liability. Not a scribbled name on a piece of paper.
Why Some Merchants Still Collect Signatures on Credit Card Receipts
Even though signatures are no longer required by the card networks, some businesses choose to collect them anyway. Here are some legitimate reasons why:
- Restaurants — Signed receipts are often still collected for tip adjustments on restaurant bills. Eliminating this would require a complete overhaul of how tips are processed (although many tableside card readers and mobile POS devices have already started to phase out signed receipts for tips).
- High-Value Ticket Items — Jewelry stores, furniture stores, and contractors often use signatures to acknowledge receipt of goods or services, agree to a scope of work, or formalize a contract.
- Hotels, Rental Cars, and Pharmacies — These types of businesses may require signatures as part of their overall approval process for products or services being provided.
In these cases, the signature serves a business function beyond just authorizing a credit card transaction. Signed receipts are not required for the card authorization aspect.
Should Your Business Stop Collecting Signatures on Receipts?
If you’re currently collecting signatures on card receipts and wondering if you should continue, the answer largely depends on your specific business needs. Use the scenarios below as a general rule of thumb to help you decide.
You should probably keep collecting signatures if:
- Your industry relies on signed receipts for operational reasons (like restaurants with tip adjustments).
- You need signatures for contractual purposes.
- You want a signed receipt on file for part of a specific business process beyond payment authorization.
When you can safely eliminate signature captures:
- You have modern payment terminals with EMV chip readers and contactless payment capabilities.
- Your processor can easily disable signature prompts on POS devices.
- You want to speed up the checkout process and reduce friction for your customers.
Keep in mind that eliminating signatures won’t negatively impact your chargeback protection. As long as you’re following proper payment acceptance procedures and obtaining proper authorization, you’ll be in good shape.
How to stop collecting signatures on credit card receipts
If you determine that you no longer need to have customers sign receipts, here’s what you can do to stop it:
- Contact your processor to verify that your current equipment is EMV-compliant.
- Disable the prompt on your POS system that’s printing signatures on receipts.
- Train your staff to stop asking for signatures and make sure they understand how to explain why signatures are no longer required if customers ask.
- Tighten your dispute playbook to help you fight against chargebacks (clear return/refund policies, proof of delivery, etc.).
Again, the vast majority of businesses can safely stop collecting signatures on credit card receipts. This is no longer necessary thanks to modern payment technology.
Credit Card Receipt Compliance You Still Need to Follow (With or Without Signatures)
Signatures aside, there are still several things that businesses need to keep in mind to stay compliant with credit card receipts.
FACTA truncation is a federal requirement that applies to all electronically printed receipts. You need to omit the expiration date and show no more than the last five digits of the card.
You’ll also need to follow PCI compliance requirements, like not storing sensitive authentication data and protecting any cardholder data that you retain.
If you’re adding a surcharge fee to credit card transactions, you need to make sure the surcharge fee is itemized as a separate line on all receipts in accordance with the FTC’s junk fees law. Taxes and tips also need to have their own line items.
The Bottom Line
Card networks eliminated signature requirements on receipts back in 2018 because payment technology evolved beyond that point. Signatures weren’t preventing fraud, and modern authentication methods do a far better job protecting both merchants and cardholders.
As a merchant, you’re free to continue collecting signatures if you feel it makes sense for your business operations.
But don’t do so thinking it will help you fight fraud or chargebacks. That’s no longer the case.
Unless you fall into one of the few scenarios where signatures make sense, you can safely stop doing this altogether. Eliminating signed receipts can speed up your checkout process, improve the customer experience, and reduce the number of touchpoints required at the point of sale.
FAQs For Merchants
Do I still need to keep copies of signed credit card receipts?
There’s no card network requirement to retain signed receipts since signatures are no longer needed for authorization. However, you should still keep transaction records and receipts for account purposes and potential dispute resolution. Check with your accountant about what records need to be kept for tax reporting purposes.
My terminal still prints a signature line. Should I cross it out?
You don’t need to cross out the signature line on receipts. If your terminal prints a signature line but you no longer want to collect signatures, contact your processor to see if they can disable the prompt through your POS settings. Otherwise, you can simply ignore it and hand customers receipts without asking them to sign anything.
We’re a restaurant. What about tips?
Restaurants still commonly use signed receipts for tip adjustments since customers add the tip after service. This is a business process requirement, and not a card network authorization requirement. Many modern tableside payment devices and mobile POS systems now let customers add tips digitally without needing a signature on printed receipts.
Do local laws require signatures on credit card receipts?
No state or local laws in the US require signatures on credit card receipts. Some industries may have specific signature requirements, but this is rare. Visa’s rule defers to local laws (if they exist), and you can always check with your attorney or acquiring bank to see if you operate in a regulated niche that requires signatures.
Will skipping signatures increase chargebacks?
No, eliminating signatures on receipts will not increase your chargeback risk. Signatures never really provided any meaningful chargeback protection, and that’s ultimately why the card networks removed this requirement.