So you're considering an Extended Validation SSL certificate. Nice move! On its face the process may seem a bit daunting. It's not. And we're here every step along the way. We've even outlined everything for you to make approval fast & easy. With every EV purchase, you get a detailed EV Enrollment Guide specific to the brand you chose.
The Reason Behind EV SSL Certificates
Before we dive in, let's look again at the reasoning behind Extended Validation SSL certificates. Anyone who owns a domain can get an SSL/TLS certificate, right? And that's both a blessing and a curse. On one hand it means that anyone with an interest in securing their site has the ability to do so. But on the other hand, it also means hackers and cyber criminals can easily grab an SSL cert and impersonate a legitimate website or commit some other type of fraud with the perception of being secure (you most likely want to separate yourself from this☺). Read More
The SSL indicators for both domain validated and organization validated certificates are very similar to the untrained eye. You get a green padlock and “HTTPS” in your address bar. And for many website owners that's adequate. But, for your business, adequate is NEVER good enough. You always need to differentiate yourself. You need to give your customers peace of mind that they're doing business with a trusted entity.
That's why the certificate authorities (CA's) created extended validation. EV requires a company to fulfill a number of requirements to prove its legitimacy, but in return it grants the highest level of authentication and security. That authentication and assurance comes in the form of the green address bar, an unimpeachable indicator that shows anyone who visits your site that your company was vetted and has taken every possible step to secure its website. Also, your completely verified business name and location are proudly displayed in your certificate and site seal details.Read Less
This is increasingly marking the difference between a good company and a great company. And the benefits are undeniable. Research shows extended validation leads to greater trust, an increase in sales and that over time the certificate even pays for itself. Who doesn't want that?
So let's take a look at the steps your business will need to take to separate yourself from the pack.
What are the Extended Validation Requirements?
For the most part, regardless of what Certificate Authority you choose to get your SSL certificate from, the requirements for extended validation are mostly the same. This is because of the CA/B (Certificate Authority and Browser) forum. The CA/B forum is essentially a regulatory body, run by the CAs and the companies behind the largest web browsers. And they make sure SSL certificates interact and behave the same across all browsers. They've also determined the simple baseline requirements necessary to obtain a valid EV SSL certificate. The requirements everyone must satisfy are:
Real businesses have no problem!
If you're a legitimate business – and you mostly have your ducks in a row – this process is a breeze. Keep in mind, part of the reason it is so involved is to differentiate the legitimate business from the rest of the crowd. Therefore, if you're trying to pull a fast one or you're not a real company–extended validation isn't going to work for you. But if you're working for an actual business (you know, one with an office, phone lines and maybe even business cards) then you have nothing to worry about.
Plus, you have us in your corner. Not to toot our own horn but we've been doing this for a while. Some might even call us experts. We'll be here to guide you through every step of the process. Typically, the industry likes to say issuance takes 1-5 business days—that's to give the CA's some time. But if you're in a pinch, we can even help expedite the process for you. We've gotten EV certificates issued in as little as 20 minutes before...say what?!
So what are you waiting for? Extended Validation is absolutely the best decision for your business and with us helping, the process for getting validated will be painless. Let's do this!
