Organization Validation Requirements
What is Organization Validation?
Organization validation offers a step above the ordinary SSL certificate which only validates the web address. This certificate validates the organization to ensure customers that your website is representing a legitimate brand.
What Information is Required for an OV Certificate to be Issued?
Organization validated certificates require the following information in order for this type of certificate to be issued:
Certificate Authorities will check the domain registration via the WHOIS listing to ensure the organization’s legal name MATCHES the name listed within the order. With that being said, please have your WHOIS page PUBLIC. The validation team looks for EXACT matches.
WHOIS Page Private?
It is still possible to get a SSL certificate issued with a private WHOIS listing. A Domain Rights Confirmation Email can be used to authenticate the domain.
An email will be sent to one or all of the five pre-approved (by the CA/B forum) email addresses:
- admin@DomainName
- administrator@DomainName,
- hostmaster@DomainName,
- webmaster@DomainName, and
- postmaster@DomainName
A Professional Opinion Letter can be used to authenticate the domain’s ownership.
- 2. Organization Validation
The validation team must validate the organization to ensure the certificate is being issued to the organization listed on the order.
The following are acceptable sources that may be used to validate the organization’s legal existence:
- Official government agency records (Such as the Secretary of State) must include:
- The organization's registration number
- The organization's date of registration/incorporation
- The organization's registered address
- A non-government data source (such as Dun & Bradstreet or Hoovers) must include the organization's place of business address and phone number
NOTE: If the organization has been registered for less than three years, confirmation of existence through one of the following means must be executed:
A. Through a non-government data source (such as Dun & Bradstreet or Hoover)
- or -
B. Professional Opinion Letter
Alternative Validation Methods
If you are unable to provide an official government agency record or non-government data source, a Professional Opinion Letter may be submitted to the validation team to authenticate the Organization’s existence. This document must be filled out then signed by an accountant or lawyer.
- 3. Organization Telephone Verification
After the domain and organization have been validated, the validation team will need to confirm the organization’s telephone number.
The validation representative will accept any phone number that can be found within a public directory such as The Yellow Pages or Duns and Bradstreet.