> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.stackingdao.com/stackingdao/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.stackingdao.com/stackingdao/the-stacking-dao-app/signer-onboarding.md).

# Signer Onboarding

The Stacking DAO protocol delegates stake to onboarded signers in the ecosystem (see Signer Delegations & Analytics). Running a signer on the Stacks network is permissionless. Anyone can run the software and participate in signing. The onboarding process for a new signer on Stacking DAO, however, is permissioned in order to prevent malicious actors.

To onboard as a signer, you may get in touch by filling out this contact form or through X (@StackingDAO or @philiphacks).

The steps to onboard are as follows:

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## Intro call and SLA

After a short intro call with the Stacking DAO team, we formalise the agreement with a simple SLA, which has details on required uptime and rewards processing.
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## We deploy your on-chain contracts

Under the current PoX-5 architecture you no longer run a separate delegation pool, and you are no longer set as a "pool owner." Instead, Stacking DAO deploys two contracts dedicated to you:

* a **signer-manager** — the contract that PoX-5 recognises as your signer, and
* a **staker** — which pulls STX from the Stacking DAO reserve and stacks it behind your signer-manager.

Stacking DAO deploys and controls these contracts; you do not deploy or manage anything on-chain.
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## One-time signer-key grant (the only signature we need from you)

To authorise Stacking DAO's signer-manager to use your signer key, you provide a single **signer-key grant** — one SIP-018 signature, produced with the same key you sign Stacks blocks with, over your signer-manager's identity. You generate it once (through our UI or a script of your own) and send us the resulting output, which contains four values:

* `signerKey` - your public signer key (33 bytes)
* `signerManager` - the signer-manager contract we deployed for you (e.g. `SP4SZE494VC2YC5JYG7AYFQ44F5Q4PYV7DVMDPBG.signer-manager-<you>-v1`)
* `authId` - the auth-id used when signing
* `signerSignature` - the signature (65 bytes)

We submit this once, on-chain, via `register-self` on your signer-manager, which records the grant in PoX-5. That is the entire on-chain interaction required from your side.

Unlike the previous model, **there is no per-cycle signature.** Once the grant is in place it is permanent, and Stacking DAO can stack through your signer every PoX cycle with no further action from you.
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## Ongoing delegation and rewards

Each PoX cycle, based on the net inflow the protocol sees and a queuing system, Stacking DAO allocates stake to your signer and aggregate-commits it into PoX. Your signer signs blocks as normal. Bitcoin rewards accrue to the Stacking DAO reward address, and your agreed commission is paid out to you.
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