Knowledge Base

Knowledge BaseExtended Validation (EV) Certificates

Sectigo's Extended Validated (EV) SSL Certificate Explained

Updated on March 14, 2024

Extended validation or EV certificates provide the maximum amount of trust to visitors and also require the most effort by the CA to validate. Per guidelines set by the CA/Browser Forum , extra documentation must be provided and validated to issue an EV certificate. Because of this extra vetting, many companies choose to purchase Extended Validation (EV) certificates to provide that added level of trust assurance to individuals navigating to their websites.

What Details are Validated?
EV validation consists of verifying the following:

Identify the organization’s legal registered name
Confirming the organization’s legal status is in good standing with the government registering agency
Validating the organization’s tradename / DBA (Doing Business As) if applicable
The organization is conducting business operations
The address where the organization conducts business operations
A method of communication (telephone number and/or email address)
The Control of the domain(s) listed on the certificate
The authenticity of the subscriber agreement

How to Make Validation Easier?
Tips when providing the organization details for an EV certificate:

Use the legally registered name of the organization. Do not enter the trade name/DBA (doing business as) as the legal name of the organization. In the case of a sole trader, the legal name might be the owner/principal name
A trade name can be added to the certificate with the legal name (which is mandatory). The trade name/DBA (doing business as) must be registered in a government agency
Use the street address where the organization conducts business. Do not use a PO Box, mail stop/forwarding, care of, virtual office address or a registered agent address

What to expect during the Validation process?
While Sectigo is validating the organization, you can:

Complete Domain Control Verification (DCV) to verify control of the domain(s) listed on the certificate. More information can be found about using 1 of the 3 DCV methods: Email, CNAME or HTTP(S) challenge: Domain Control Validation (DCV) Methods
Complete the subscriber agreement
Expect an email from the validation team if any additional actions are required

Good to Know about Validation

All EV certificates must have a legal name. If a tradename/DBA is verified, the certificate will be listed with the tradename and legal name in this format; tradename (legal name)
The authenticity of the order and signer listed on the subscriber agreement is completed through a verified telephone number or an email address
If the Validation Specialist is not able to verify your organization, you will be contacted with options to resolve any outstanding issues
Your confirmation email contains a link to the Validation Manager with available actions and the status of your order throughout the validation process
Sole proprietorship / sole trader and some partnerships require a principal individual in the organization to be verified. If that is needed the Validation Specialist will contact you with options to validate the individual’s identity