Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is a digitally used secured key that is issued by the certifying authorities having licence to issue the DSC. DSC is encrypted and establishes the identity of an individual or organisation. In this article, the advantages of the DSC along with the procedure for applying DSC have been discussed.

An electronic form of signature used for validating authenticity as well as the integrity of a message such as an email, a credit card transaction, or a digital document.

According to section 24 of the Indian IT Act 2000, Certifying Authority is the one who has been granted the licence for issuing digital signatures. Only a licensed Certifying Authority has the power for issuing a digital signature. eMudhra is identified and authorised as one of the certifying authorities by the Controller of Certifying Authority for issuing Digital Signature Certificate. Certain other certifying authorities for issuing DSC include Code Solutions, National Informatics Centre, Safescrypt, and the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology.

1. Authentication- The Digital Signature Certificate helps authenticate the personal information or details of an individual conducting any kind of online transaction and business.
2. Cost-effective and time-saving-  As the name suggests, Digital Signature Certificate is made digitally, hence, it saves time as compared to signing on the hard copy documents physically. It takes time to sign the hard copies, scan them and send them through mail or uploading on the internet. Therefore, DSC saves time and one can digitally sign the PDF file and send files faster. DSC requires no presence of the certificate holder for conducting business or authorising documents, thus it is cost-effective.
3. The integrity of data remains intact- The data contained in the document which are digitally signed have zero scopes of editing and alterations. Thus the data contained is safe and secured. Often DSC is asked by the government agencies while cross-checking and verifying online business transactions.
4. Well-authenticated documents- The authenticity of the digitally signed documents provides confidence to the receiver of the document as to the authenticity of the signature of the certificate holder. The receiver of the document can take action against the certificate holder of the document based on the digitally signed documents.

Depending on the requirement of the applicant, DSC can be classified into three types concerning its purpose. The certifying authorities issue the following three DSCs-
 

• Class 1 Certificates- Issued to individuals or private subscribers. These are used for confirming the name and contact details of the user where the clearly defined subject exists in the database of the certifying authority.
• Class 2 Certificates- Issued to the directors/signatory authorities of organizations to file with the Registrar of the Companies (RoC). The individuals who are required to sign manual documents to file returns with RoC are required to have the Class 2 Certificate. However, the Controllers of Certifying Authority have directed it to discontinue Class 2 Certificates from 1st January 2021. Instead of Class 2 Certificates, Class 3 certificates will be issued.
• Class 3 Certificates- Individuals associated with participating or bidding in e-auctions and online tenders in India must have this certificate.

• The applicant applying for DSC must duly fill out the application form and submit
• Applicant is required to provide photocopy of ID proof
• Applicant is also required to provide his address proof.

Step 1- Login and choose an entity type: By logging into the website of a certifying authority having a license to issue DSC, you will be guided to the DSC Services page. Here you have to choose the entity type by clicking on it, such as for individual or organization.

Step 2- Filling necessary details- In this step on downloading the form, you have to fill out the required details such as –

• Class of the DSC
• Validity
• Type: Only Sign or Sign & Encrypting
• Name and contact details of the applicant
• Residential Address of the Applicant
• GST Number along with proof of documents relating to ID
• Declaration
• Providing documents as to identity proof
• Document for address proof
• Attestation Officer
• Details of Payment

A recent photograph of the applicant is required to be affixed after filling out the required details by putting a signature under the declaration. A printout of the same can be taken out and preserved for future purposes.
 

Step 3- Providing identity and address proof- The Applicant providing the document for an identity proof as well as the address must have the document attested by the attesting officer. The attesting officer must put his signature along with the seal on the supporting documents.

Step 4- Making payment for DSC – The applicant must make a demand draft or cheque in favor of the Local Registration Authority where the application for DSC is to be submitted for verification. The details of the Local Registration Authority can be found by searching for certifying authorities who are licensed to issue DSC online.

Step 5- Documents required post-application- In the final step, the following documents should be enclosed in an envelope before submitting:
 

• Duly filled out registration form along with the proof of the required documents.
• Demand Draft or Cheque in favour of the issuing authority

After completing the above step, post it with the address of the Local Registration Authority for further process. This completes the application procedure for applying for the DSC.

1. Trustworthy & Confidential - We assure you that all your personal details & documents must be kept private. We never share these details with anyone.   
2. Expert Advice – With advice from expert lawyers available on our website, you will get help in understanding the procedure for applying for a Digital Signature Certificate. 
3. Zero Stress - The applicant need not worry about the paperwork & documentation procedure. Our Associate will help in preparing all the documentation work for DSC.
4. Top Quality Lawyers - Lead India will help you to choose among the best lawyers for helping in the preparation of documents needed for registration. There are different associates who work with us, you can choose a lawyer depending upon their practice area, experience & user rating. 
5. Track Your Case - We provide you the opportunity to track your cases from the online dashboard. You can easily track the status of the application, payment, etc.