Now You See It, Now You Don't: Why the Type of Ink Is Paramount for Important Documents
Written by Beth Hathoot
Edited & Updated 10/2026
What happens when a signature disappears from an important document? Beth Hathoot explores the surprising risks of erasable ink pens, including how heat can make writing vanish from the page. Learn why Notary Signing Agents should pay attention to the pens used during loan signings and other important document transactions.
As Notaries and Signing Agents, we all know that it's best to sign important documents using permanent ink. We've visited this topic before in an article discussing whether it's actually unlawful to sign a document in pencil—or even crayon!
If you missed that discussion, check out our related article, 'Is a Signature Made with Pencil Valid?'
But What About Erasable Ink?
Arizona Premier Title previously shared information from a National Escrow Administration training event titled "I Wanna Know", where erasable ink was a hot topic. Erasable ink pens have been around for more than 4-decades, and some are not easily distinguishable from ordinary pens.
PaperMate first introduced the Eraser Mate erasable ink pen to the public in 1979. It was fun, but didn't work very well. Unlike traditional pen ink, the erasable ink was mixed with rubber cement, and this caused the ink to lay on top of the paper. Then it could just be rubbed off with the 'eraser' on the tip of the pen. But if some of the ink actually absorbed into the paper, well, it didn't erase completely.
Nearly three decades later, Pilot debuted its FriXion erasable pens in 2006. These worked differently than the early PaperMate pens. These worked by friction to produce heat and render the ink invisible on the paper and not actually erasing the writing. It actually just changes the color of the ink on the page.
Since then, numerous other companies have developed their own version of these pens including; Uline - Uni-ball - Marco - Vanstek - Volcanics and others.
The really neat part is that, with Pilot's FriXion ink, this color change can actually be reversed! The ink becomes colorless at approximately 140°F (60°C), but the writing may reappear when cooled below approximately 14°F (−10°C). Of course, no one wants to put their loan documents or other important papers in a freezer just to read them!
Fun and magical. But never practical.
Arizona Premiere Title wants to remind all Notary Signing Agents that these types of pens/ink should never be used on a loan signing package or other real estate documents. Just think of what would happen to all those signed documents traveling from Michigan to sunny Arizona! If those documents were exposed to enough heat during transportation or storage, the signatures could become invisible. It might look like the signing never happened!
So, How Would an NSA Know if a Signer Is Using an Erasable Ink Pen?
There are so many different brands for sale nowadays that you may not immediately recognize a pen containing erasable ink, apart from familiar names like FriXion. Signers very often want to use their own pens, so it's important to pay attention to the writing instruments being used. If you're unsure whether a pen contains erasable ink, check the manufacturer's labeling or simply offer a pen you know contains permanent, non-erasable ink. You could try to check the ink by having the signer print something on a scrap piece of paper, then you can just rub the ink with your finger (produce heat or friction) to see if the ink remains visible.
Or better yet—we always recommend that you supply the pens to be used during a signing. Make sure you choose a good-quality, smudge-resistant, archival-quality ink pen. And, of course, make sure it doesn't contain erasable ink.
Sources & References
Written by Beth Hathoot for Notary Stars
Originally Published: 05/23/2024
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