Get started with the Signet service – Signet®

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Ohio DOT
Missouri DOT

Welcome to the Signet® service, a tool for prompt payment verification and compliance.

Use the Signet service to:

Record downward payments
Verify payments
Receive reminders when your payments are due or in danger of being late
See payment estimate details and payment history
Export contracts and payments

The details of using Signet will vary by state. For state-specific information, refer to the appropriate section.

FAQs

How do I make an account?

There is no need to make an account. The service will automatically create one for you the first time a payment is recorded to you. You will receive an email inviting you to finish creating your account. Follow the link in the email to complete the registration process.

Make sure you have the correct email address on file. Refer to your state's Account setup section for more information.

When will I get access to Signet?

You will automatically gain access to Signet the first time a payment is recorded to you. Click on the link in the notification email to view the contract.

What is the timeline for recording and verifying payments?

This image provides a timeline of the general payment countdown clock, but the number of days in the countdown clock varies by agency. Refer to your state's Notification timeline section for state-specific information.

Information for Ohio DOT users

Payment timeline

Prompt payment timelines are designated by the agency. The Signet service will automatically send reminder and notification emails to aid in your compliance.

The Ohio DOT has specified the following timeframe for prompt payment compliance:

Prime contractors must purchase the contract and make all downward payments within 10 days of receiving the initial agency payment.
Payees must verify a payment within 10 days of when the payment was recorded to them. If a payee has any downward payments to make, they also become a payor (see below).
Payors must make all downward payments within 10 days of when a payment was recorded to them.

Recording and verifying payments

Primes and payors must record all downward payments and payees must verify all payments within the 10-day timeframe given above.

Marking a payment complete

When a prime, payee, or payor has no more downward payments to make, they can mark the payment complete. This will end the countdown clock, cease all email notifications, and prevent the agency from receiving a late notification.

Payment estimates can be re-opened by recording a new payment.

Notification timeline

Automated emails will notify you when a payment is due, late, or in danger of being late. Each notification email will contain a link to go directly to the contract in Signet.

Here are the specific notification types and timelines for Ohio DOT users.

Prime notifications

The prime contractor on every contract will be the first user to receive notifications, starting the initial countdown clock. They are not required to verify the agency payment, but are required to record all downward payments within the specified timeframe.

For ODOT, the countdown clock specifies that primes must make downward payments within 10 days of the initial payment recorded to them by the agency.

Here are the email notifications primes will receive and when:

Initial payment recorded | Sent when the agency records the first payment to the prime. This notification:
- Begins the 10 day countdown clock
- Prompts the prime to record downward payments or mark the payment complete
Payment reminders | Sent when the prime hasn't recorded payments within the specified time frame. Primes receive emails at each of these points:
- Notification | 10 days before the deadline
- Reminder | 5 days before the deadline
- Reminder | 1 day before the deadline
- Late | 1 day past the deadline
- Late | 30 days past the deadline

Payee notifications

Payees are users who have payments recorded to them. They are required to verify all payments within the specified timeframe.

If a payee has downward payments to make, they will also receive the email notifications listed in the payor section below.

Here are the email notifications payees will receive and when:

Initial payment recorded | Sent when a payor records a payment to a payee. This notification:
- Begins a new 10 day countdown clock for this payment
- Prompts the payee to verify the payment and either record downward payments or mark the payment complete
Verification reminders | Sent when the payee hasn't taken action on the payment within the specified time frame. Payees receive emails at each of these points:
- Notification | 10 days before the deadline
- Reminder | 5 days before the deadline
- Reminder | 1 day before the deadline
- Late | 1 day past the deadline

Payor notifications

Payors are any user who must record downward payments. They are required to verify and record all payments within the specified timeframe.

Since payors are also payees, they receive all of the notifications outlined above in the Payee notifications section. Payors will also receive this additional notification email:

Unexpected verification | Sent when a payee has marked a payment as No or Yes, not as expected when verified. This notification:
- Displays comments left by the payee to explain why they marked the payment in an unexpected way

Information for Missouri DOT users