Applying is now fully online
You no longer need to post paper forms or visit an office. A Digital Signature Certificate can be applied for and issued entirely online, usually on the same day once your identity is verified.
Step by step
- Choose the certificate: **Class 3**, for an individual or an organisation, signing only or signing + encryption.
- Pick a validity of **1, 2 or 3 years**.
- Fill the online application with your name, PAN and contact details.
- Verify your identity (see the three methods below).
- Pay online, then download the certificate onto a USB token.
Three ways to prove who you are
1. **Aadhaar** – using an offline Aadhaar XML file you download from UIDAI. 2. **PAN** – with a short recorded video in which you show your PAN card. This can be done any time, from anywhere. 3. **GST** – for organisation certificates, verified against the organisation's GST registration.
Keep these ready
- Your PAN
- A mobile number and email address that are yours and reachable
- For an organisation certificate: proof of the organisation and an authorisation letter for the signatory
How long it takes
Because the whole flow is paperless, a certificate is typically ready within minutes to a few hours of your verification being completed — there is no waiting for couriers.
Issued the proper way
Certificates are issued by a Certifying Authority licensed by the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) under the IT Act, 2000, so they are accepted on income-tax, GST, MCA, tender and other government portals.