An Organization Validation Certificate is a good option if you want to have your Organization/Company name visible to your customers, it will be available on the Site Seal that will be issued along with the Certificate. This type of certificate is easy to get validated in case you do not have a registered company.
According to the Certificate Authority’s policy if you apply as an Individual, the next documents are to be provided in a full volume:
A. Copy of a valid driver’s license or passport of the Applicant
B. Copy of a recent major utility bill (i.e. power bill, water bill, etc.) or bank statement of the Applicant
Note, if the Driver’s License and Passport are not listing any address details or those details do not match the account, then the Certificate Authority’s Validation Team requires one of the documents under point A and 2 documents from B.
Note, recent = dated within the last 6 months.
After the documents verification step you will need to pass through a regular validation process for OV Certificates:
- Whois Verification (Registrant company name and address)
- DCV (Domain Control Validation)
- Callback to a Verified Telephone Number (to verify an applicant)
Note, a company telephone number for the non-registered company, that will be used for a callback, is verified using third-party databases such as Dun&Bradstreet.
Once the OV SSL certificate is installed on the hosting server for the website, the “Full Name of the Individual” will be displayed on the Trust Logo and in the certificate details.
Extended Validation SSL Certificates cannot be issued to individuals, the only exception is possible if you are a Sole Proprietor or have a small business.
Both the Sole Proprietor/Business Owner name and Assumed/Trade Name verification are required to validate a non-incorporated business entity for an EV Certificate.
Non-incorporated Business Entity
A non-incorporated Business Entity may include, depending on the Certificate Authority’s requirements and local registration rules:
- General partnerships
- Unincorporated associations
- Joint ventures
- Sole proprietorships
To complete EV validation for a non-incorporated Business Entity, the applicable Certificate Authority may require additional verification of the business and the principal individual associated with it. This may include completing a face-to-face verification form or another CA-specific verification document.
Relevant forms:
You may be asked to provide documents such as:
- Government-issued photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license
- Financial institution document, such as a recent bank statement or credit card statement
- Non-financial document, such as a utility bill
- Business entity registration document showing the business name
If face-to-face verification is required, the form must be completed and signed by an authorized professional, such as a Notary Public, attorney, accountant, or other person accepted by the applicable Certificate Authority in your country or area.
Once the required documents are submitted, the CA Validation Team will review the information, verify the credentials of the authorized professional where applicable, and continue with EV validation.
DBA or Trade Name
Unfortunately, it is not possible to issue an EV certificate for the Assumed name (Trade name or DBA) only.
According to the extended validation guidelines, the Certificate Authority will be able to include an assumed name along with a legal name to your SSL certificate.
To include the DBA name along with the legal company name in the certificate details, the Certificate Authority must verify it through one of the following sources:
- Government database;
- Independent third-party databases like Dun and Bradstreet;
- Verified Professional Letter (legal opinion or certified public accountant letter that indicates the assumed name under which the Applicant conducts business, the government agency with which the assumed name is registered, and that such filing continues to be valid).
You can also check information about the EV validation requirements in the relevant CA article: SSL.com or Sectigo.
The EV SSL certificate will show “Assumed/Trade Name(Full Name of the Sole Proprietor/Business Owner)” in the certificate details and on the Trust Logo once installed on the hosting server for the website.