Before purchasing SSL certificate you should get ready with technical details and corporate documents, if needed. Depending on a certificate type, it may confirm either a domain name or domain name and company profile. The procedure of certificate issue differs for different types of certisicates.
Certificate with domain only confirmation
Domain Validation SSL Certificate only confirm a domain for which it is issued, so the enrollment procedure for this type of certificate is simplified. Before certificate issuing you should choose a email which will be an Authorising contact. The Authorizing contact will be responsible for approving the certificate request during the order process. The Authorizing contact is specified during enrollment as either the Corporate or Technical contact, and for security reasons must fulfill certain criteria:
Match the e-mail address to one of the contacts specified in the Domain registration (please ensure this email is visible online, which means WhoisProtect should be turned off for the domain).
Match a pre-determined e-mail alias with the domain for which you are requesting the certificate. The pre-determined aliases you may use are:
Also, you will need a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) during the enrollment process.
Certificate with domain and company confirmation
Organization Validation SSL Certificate, Extended Validation SSL Certificate and Organization Validation Wildcard Certificateconfirm both domain name and company for which they are issued. For the enrollment procedure you have to meet the following contact details and requirements :
- Complete legal name (not nickname), title, phone number, extension & e-mail address;
- Authorizing Contact must be an employee of the company requesting the certificate;
- E-mail address cannot be a free e-mail account (e.g. Yahoo, Hotmail, Netscape.
Before a Organization Validation SSL Certificate, Extended Validation SSL Certificate or Organization Validation Wildcard Certificate could be issued, A.C. must verify that your organization is legally registered and has the legal right to conduct business under the name listed in your enrollment request.
Generally we accept government backed Proof of Right documentation such as:
- Articles of Incorporation
- VAT Certificates (International)
- Business License
- Certificate of Formation
- Doing Business As
- Registration of Trade Name
- Charter Documents
- Partnership Papers
- Fictitious Name Statement
- Vendor/Reseller/Merchant License
- Merchant certificate
- US State Tax Licenses for non-profit organizations and sole proprietorships
We will evaluate, on a case-by-case basis, an alternative if the above Proof of Organization requirements cannot be met.
Also, you will need a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) during the enrollment process.
The domain name registration must be verified against the organization name provided during enrollment. We can only issue a certificate to the organization that has the legal right to use the domain name.
The final step in obtaining a Certificate is Verification of the order with the Authorizing Contact listed within the certificate. We attempt to obtain a phone number for the company listed in the request through a 3rd party source, such as approved online phone database or directory assistance. If unable to obtain a valid 3rd party listing, a verification representative may request one of the following:
- A valid and current phone bill that reflects the company name and phone number.
- We only accept residential (personal) phone bills or listings for certificates requested in an Individual name and in some cases for Sole-Proprietors.
- If the above requirements cannot be met, we will require a Notary letter – it will take the place of a telephone verification via a third party telephone listing.