Knowledge Base

What Is the Process for Validating Attorney and CPA Letters?

Updated on August 24, 2026

CPA and Legal Opinion Letters

Overview

A CPA Letter or Legal Opinion Letter may be accepted when other validation methods are unavailable. It can be used to support validation of:

The organization identity.
The physical address submitted with the certificate request.
The organization method of communication.

Important: A CPA Letter or Legal Opinion Letter should be used only as a last resort. The process may be lengthy, subject to delays, and the information provided may not always be verifiable.

When Can a CPA Letter or Legal Opinion Letter Be Used?

A CPA Letter or Legal Opinion Letter may be considered when no alternative validation method is available and additional evidence is required to satisfy organization validation requirements.

Who Can Sign a CPA Letter or Legal Opinion Letter?

The letter must be signed by a licensed or registered professional, such as:

Lawyer
Accountant
Latin Notary

The professional may be either independent or in-house. The signatory must be licensed to practice in:

The country where the applicant organization is incorporated or registered.
A jurisdiction where the applicant maintains an office or physical facility.

How Does Sectigo Verify the Signatory Credentials?

Sectigo must be able to independently verify the signatory professional credentials through one of the following sources:

Acceptable Source	Requirement
Bar Association	Publicly accessible online registry
CPA Registry	Publicly accessible online registry
Government Licensing Authority	Official online records
Regulatory Authority	Official online records

Sectigo must verify the signatory using official licensing records. Firm registration records are not acceptable because they do not confirm that the individual signatory is licensed to practice.

Exceptional Scenarios

In rare cases, Sectigo may attempt to verify credentials directly with the licensing authority. However, this method may be difficult because some authorities do not confirm information by phone or email.

How Does Sectigo Verify the Authenticity of the Letter?

To verify the authenticity of a CPA Letter or Legal Opinion Letter, Sectigo must be able to obtain verbal or written confirmation from the signatory using a verified phone number or email address.

The verified contact information must be obtained from:

Official licensing authority records
Bar association records
CPA registry records
Sectigo-approved third-party sources directly associated with the signatory

Digitally Signed Letters

If the letter is digitally signed, Sectigo will verify the authenticity and validity of the digital signature. If the signature satisfies the requirements and all other policy checks are met, Sectigo will not contact the signatory to confirm the letter authenticity.

Required Letter Templates

Where possible, the letter should follow one of the official Sectigo templates:

What Information Must the Letter Contain?

The letter must contain all of the following:

Requirement	Description
Company Name	Exact legal name of the client organization.
Signatory Name	Full name of the professional signing the letter.
Professional Information	Preferred inclusion of title and professional registration number.
Contact Information	Contact details of the signatory.
Intended Recipient	The letter must not be addressed to another company.

The letter must also be signed by a licensed individual using either:

A physical signature
A valid digital signature

Generic firm stamps or similar replacements for an individual signature are not acceptable.

Common Validation Issues

The signatory cannot be verified through official licensing records.
Only firm registration records are available.
The letter is signed using a generic company or firm stamp rather than an identifiable licensed individual.
Sectigo cannot obtain valid contact information for the signatory when required.
Required information is missing from the letter.