Organization Validation SSL Certificate
To get an Organization Validation SSL certificate issued, the certificate authority must validate the identity of the business behind a website. The company must go through a validation process with the certificate authority to prove they are a legitimate and registered organization. They must provide official documentation, legal paperwork, public records, and other details to confirm the business is real. Once issued, the OV SSL activates HTTPS encryption on the website and displays the organization’s name prominently.
An OV SSL certificate builds trust and credibility with visitors by proving a valid company owns the site before visitors share any sensitive information. The key benefits of an OV cert over basic domain-validated certificates are assuring visitors of the site’s identity, enabling secure transactions, meeting compliance standards, and displaying the business’s trust seal in the browser.
For ecommerce sites and others handling private data, an Organization Validation SSL certificate gives visitors confidence that it is safe to share information through the website.
What is Organization Validation Certificate?
Simply put, an Organization Validation SSL certificate confirms ownership of a domain by a legally registered company or organization. Unlike basic Domain Validated SSL certificates that only authenticate domain control, OV SSL certificates tie website ownership to the verified identity of the business entity associated with the domain.
This identity validation is done by a certificate authority reviewing official documents submitted by the applicant organization during the certificate issuance process. Common proofs include business registration papers showing the organization’s legal name, Tax IDs/TIN numbers, articles of incorporation, etc. By matching details in these records to the domain ownership, an OV certificate establishes identity assurance beyond sole domain control.
It’s important to note that while OV certificates provide identity validation of the website’s owner organization, they don’t offer the most extensive verification possible. That level belongs to Extended Validation SSL certificates, which involve additional background checks and steps to conclusively link the validated business to the organization requesting the certificate.
According to SSL/TLS Certificates Statistics 2024 data, Organization Validation SSL certificates account for 5.5% of the market share.
OV SSL Validation Process
For an SSL certificate authority to issue an OV certificate, they must conduct a thorough vetting of documents and information provided to validate that the applicant organization’s identity is accurately represented. Let’s break down the key stages:
1. Verification of Business Records
The first step involves carefully examining official paperwork submitted like articles of incorporation, business licenses, Tax IDs, etc. Details like the organization’s legal name and registration number are compared against the information and domain listed in the certificate request.
2. Domain Ownership Validation
Technical checks are performed to tie ownership and control of the domain to the requesting organization. This often involves responding to special emails sent to admin addresses or uploading verification files/codes to the domain as proof of control over it.
3. Physical Address & Phone Validation
The physical address and phone number provided are cross-referenced against third-party sources like verification calls to confirm their legitimacy before issuance.
4. WHOIS Record Check
Details in the public WHOIS record for the domain must also align with the application information, like ensuring the same organization is listed as the administrative contact.
5. Post-Issuance Auditing
Even after successful validation and issuing of the OV certificate, certificate authorities conduct periodic audits and selectively re-validate details through methods like document scans, site visits, or verification calls to ensure continued legitimacy over time.
Only once a requesting organization satisfactorily completes this comprehensive validation process will the certificate authority proceed with issuing the official Organization Validation SSL certificate linking the business identity to the secured domain.
Benefits of Using an OV SSL Certificate
With the identity of the owning organization firmly established through the above validation routines, OV certificates provide some clear advantages for users and website owners alike.
Here are some of the key benefits:
Improved User Trust and Credibility
By displaying the organization’s name in the browser URL bar next to the site domain, OV certificates immediately boost confidence in visitors that the site is connected to a legitimate company or institution.
Stronger Security Than Basic DV Certs
As they entail a higher level of validation beyond sole domain ownership, OV SSL certificates offer enhanced security protection for users over regular Domain Validated certificates.
Organization Branding and Legitimacy
Associating the business identity with the website domain through a named certificate establishes the credibility and visibility of the organization online.
Enhanced Trust Indicators
Modern browsers treat OV certificates with a higher level of trust – shown through visual cues like a green URL bar and locked padlock security icon.
Potential SEO & Conversion Benefits
Given their legitimate and secure presentation, websites using OV SSL could see search visibility and transaction volume advantages over non-SSL or DV-only sites over time.
Key Factors About OV SSL Certificates
Now that we understand what OV certificates are, how they’re issued, and the advantages they provide – let’s examine some other important considerations for their use:
Issuance Timeline
In most cases, as long as all required documents are in order, new OV certificates can be validated and issued within 1-3 business days on average.
Browser Compatibility
All major desktop and mobile browsers fully recognize and display OV certificates including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Internet Explorer 11 with no compatibility issues.
Period of Validity
While one year is standard, many certificate authorities allow purchasing OV SSLs for 2-3 years as well for long-term secured naming validity.
Renewal Process
Renewing an expiring OV certificate requires no full re-validation – just confirmation a previous identity check cleared. This simplifies yearly renewals.
Reissuance Conditions
Should domain ownership change to another entity, a new full documentation-based validation is mandatory to reissue the certificate under a different organization.
Find the Best Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificates from the Reputed Certificate Authorities
| Product Features | Sectigo InstantSSL Certificate | High Assurance SSL | DigiCert Secure Site SSL | GeoTrust True BusinessID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate Authority |  Sectigo  |
 SSL.com |
 DigiCert |
 GeoTrust |
| Single Domain | Single Domain | Single Domain | Single Domain | |
| Both www + non-www | Both www + non-www | Both www + non-www | Both www + non-www | |
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| Organization | Organization | Organization | Organization | |
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| 1-3 Days | 5 Minutes | 1 Day | Instant | |
| up to 256-bit | up to 256-bit | up to 256-bit | up to 256-bit | |
| 2048 bits | 2048 bits | 2048 bits | 2048 bits | |
| High | High | Medium | High | |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | |
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| $250,000 | $1,250,000 | $1,750,000 | $1,250,000 | |
| 30 days | 30-Day | 30 days | 30 days | |
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| 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | |
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| 24/7 Live Chat | 24/7 Live Chat | 24/7 Live Chat | 24/7 Live Chat |
When to Use OV vs EV Certificates
As business needs vary in sensitivity and presentation goals, different validation levels are preferable. Here are some guidelines for choosing:
- Websites handling highly sensitive financial transactions or medical records would benefit most from strict EV standards.
- Large enterprises wanting to prominently broadcast their respected corporate brand credibility online through security achieve that best with EV.
- Most small-medium e-commerce stores, service providers, and non-profits are well-served through a cost-effective OV certificate.
- Low-risk domains like basic informational sites may not fully require the OV identity checks either.
- Budget constraints also dictate viability – while very valuable, EV certificates command significantly higher pricing than more affordable OV options.
Upgrading from a DV/Generic Certificate to OV
For any established website already using a basic DV or generic SSL certificate but wishing to strengthen trust through OV authentication of ownership, the process usually goes as follows:
- Contact your current certificate authority (or a new one) to order the OV certificate through their website purchase forms.
- Gather and submit required organizational identity documentation like those outlined earlier.
- The CA will initiate validation checks comparing submitted docs against domain/application details.
- Once approved, you’ll receive activation instructions for your new OV certificate file to install on the server alongside the old one to transition smoothly.
- Optionally, update website branding or security notices to highlight the new OV level assurances in place as another trust-building measure for visitors.
Migrating to OV from existing DV involves some paperwork but offers high trust value returns through independently verifying your site represents a valid organization. It’s a smart investment for perceived credibility.
Monitoring and Renewal Best Practices
To keep an OV SSL certificate functional and optimize ongoing trust signals, administrators should adopt these maintenance policies:
- Set calendar reminders leading up to the certificate’s expiration date to start the renewal process in advance without risky lapses.
- Consider automatic certificate renewals some providers offer to avoid human errors of missing deadlines.
- Regularly check deployment was successful through site security indicator badges and that no validation errors exist.
- Monitor certificate authority or browser updates that could impact compatibility and take prompt action if needed.
- Have relevant documentation readily available should an interim re-verification audit be necessary, to quickly validate continued ownership.
- Update primary organizational contact details with the CA if signatory staff changes to maintain accuracy over time.
Proactively overseeing OV certificate lifecycles in this manner helps websites sustain their security posture and the trust benefits conferred by validated organizational identities online.
Real World OV SSL Certificate Use Cases
To understand how OV certificates translate to practical benefit, here are some common scenarios where they prove very useful:
E-commerce Websites
Online retailers securely collecting payment and address information see increased customer confidence through OV identity proofs.
Healthcare & Insurance Portals
Websites handling sensitive medical records or policy applications responsibly secure transactions with OV authentication.
Publishing & Media
Respected news/magazine organizations augment their editorial brand authority with OV-secured website assurances.
Educational Institutions
Colleges and schools foster safe, reputable online presences for students/parents through credentialed OV certificates.
Non-Profit & Charity Sites
Organizations soliciting donations build crucial donor trust by leveraging OV validation of their organization’s identity.
Professional Services
Consultancies, accounting practices, etc. reinforce expertise and client focus using OV site security tied to business identities.
Frequently Asked Questions about OV Certificates
Hopefully, this guide has addressed many common questions, but here are answers to some frequently recurring ones specifically about OV certificates:
How is an OV certificate different than a DV or EV certificate?
DV only checks domain control. OV verifies the whole organization through documents. EV involves even more validation steps and background checks.
What documentation does my organization need?
Common requests include business licenses, articles of incorporation or registry, Tax/TIN numbers, and ID of signing official.
Can one OV secure multiple subdomains or a multi-domain setup?
Yes – through Subject Alternative Names (SANs) in the certificate, one OV can cover multiple verified subdomains under the same organization.
Do OV certificates support HTTPS encryption?
Yes – encryption of traffic in transit over HTTPS is a core function of all SSL/TLS certificates including OV to protect confidential communications.
How long does the validation and issuance take?
In most normal cases where all required identity documents are promptly submitted, the OV validation process takes 3-5 business days on average for completion.