Knowledge Base

Overview

By following this article, you will know what Sectigo checks to confirm your organization's legal identity and existence before it issues a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or Common Mark Certificate (CMC), so that you can prepare the right information in advance. These checks make sure that only legitimate, verifiable organizations can display their logo in email clients through the Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) standard. VMC and CMC legal identity requirements are the same as for Extended Validation (EV) TLS certificates, so they follow the EV Guidelines. The article covers validation by entity type, the verification sources Sectigo uses, face-to-face (F2F) identity verification, assumed name (Doing Business As, or DBA) validation, and physical address verification.

VMC and CMC legal identity validation by entity type

For a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or Common Mark Certificate (CMC), Sectigo validates legal identity differently for each type of organization.

Entity type	Legal existence	Other requirements
Private organization	Incorporated and in good standing with the relevant government agency	Legal name must match the name in the certificate request. Registration number must come from the official registry. The identity and address of the registered agent must be verified.
Government entity	Recognized as a government body in its jurisdiction	Entity name must match the certificate request. Founding documentation can include legislative acts or government records.
Business entity, for example a sole proprietor	Registered with a government agency	The identity of the principal individual must be verified, often through face-to-face (F2F) verification.
Non-commercial entity, for example an international organization	Recognized by international law or by a signatory government	Verification sources can include founding charters or confirmation from a member state.

Verification sources for VMC and CMC legal identity

Sectigo Validation Specialists use these trusted sources to confirm the legal identity of a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or Common Mark Certificate (CMC) applicant:

Source	Description
Qualified Government Information Source (QGIS)	Official government databases
Qualified Independent Information Source (QIIS)	Reputable third-party business directories
Qualified Tax Information Source (QTIS)	Government tax records
Verified Professional Letter (VPL)	A letter from a licensed attorney or accountant that confirms the organization's details

Face-to-face (F2F) identity verification for a VMC or CMC

For a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or Common Mark Certificate (CMC), Sectigo confirms the identity of the signer through a secure face-to-face (F2F) process:

• A Sectigo Validation Specialist sends the signer a link for a Video ID verification.
• The signer completes the Video ID session. Video ID uses artificial intelligence (AI) and liveness checks to validate the person and their government-issued photo ID.
• A Sectigo Validation Specialist reviews the Video ID result and gives final approval.

Note: If the Video ID session is inconclusive, a Sectigo Validation Specialist can ask for a live video call on Zoom.

Assumed name (DBA) validation for a VMC or CMC

If your organization operates under an assumed name, also called a Doing Business As (DBA) name, Sectigo must verify that name before it issues a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or Common Mark Certificate (CMC):

• The DBA name must be verified through a government source or a Verified Professional Letter (VPL).
• The DBA name must be valid and registered in the applicant's jurisdiction.

Physical address verification for a VMC or CMC

For a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or Common Mark Certificate (CMC), the applicant's physical address must:

• Be a real business location, not a post office (P.O.) box or mail drop.
• Be verified through a Qualified Government Information Source (QGIS), Qualified Independent Information Source (QIIS), Qualified Tax Information Source (QTIS), or Verified Professional Letter (VPL).
• Be in the country of incorporation. If the address is outside that country, Sectigo validates it separately.

Similar questions

• How does Sectigo verify my organization for a VMC?
• What documents prove legal existence for a VMC or CMC?
• What is Video ID verification for a VMC?
• Can I use a DBA name on my VMC or CMC?