Short answer: there's no single "signature registry". Your signature lives separately with your bank, your ID records and your employer. Change it in each place, starting with the bank.
Before you change it
- Finalise and practise the new signature first. Sign it 20 times a day for a week. Banks reject signatures that vary.
- Keep using the old one until each record is updated. Cheques and forms are checked against the signature on file.
- Make a list of where it's registered: bank accounts, PAN/tax ID, passport, demat/broking, insurance, employer, property papers.
Changing your signature in a bank
The process is similar at most banks in India and abroad:
- Visit your home branch (some banks also accept a request through net banking or a form).
- Fill the bank's signature change / specimen signature form and sign your new signature on it, usually several times.
- Bring photo ID (and sometimes address proof). Some banks also ask you to sign with your old signature, or ask for a declaration if you can't reproduce it.
- The bank verifies your identity and updates its records, usually within a few working days. Use a new cheque book after that.
Check your bank's website for its exact form; requirements differ slightly between banks.
Changing the signature on your PAN card (India)
Use the "change or correction in PAN data" request on the Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL portal, upload or submit your new signature, and pay the processing fee. A reprinted PAN card with the new signature is sent to you. Check the portal for the current fee and documents.
Passport, demat and other records
Passports usually carry the signature from your last application; you update it when you renew. Demat/broking accounts, insurance policies and employers each have their own change form. Update the ones you sign on most often first.
Do I need an affidavit to change my signature?
For most banks and records, no: identity proof and the institution's own form are enough. Some institutions ask for a notarised declaration or affidavit, especially if your new signature looks completely different or you can't sign the old one. Ask before you visit.
Not sure what your new signature should look like? Read how to make a good signature.