Private Limited Company Registration
One Person Company Registration
LLP Company Registration
Partnership Registration
GST Registration
FSSAI Registration
MSME Registration
GST Filing
ITR Return
Trademark Registration
Startup India Registration
CRM + HRM Software
ISO Certification
IEC Registration
Shop & Establishments Registration
Digital Signature Certificate
Section-8 Company Registration
TAN Registration
PF Registration
ESI Registration
APEDA Registration
Public Limited Company
Farmer Producer Company Registration
Obtain Digital Signature Certificate
About Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
The Information Technology Act, 2000 has provisions for use of Digital Signatures on the documents submitted in electronic form in order to ensure the security and authenticity of the documents filed electronically. This is secure and authentic way to submit a document electronically. As such, all filings done by the companies/LLPs under MCA21 e-Governance programme are required to be filed using Digital Signatures by the person authorised to sign the documents.
Related Links and Artefacts
- Certifying Authorities
- Important notice on Digital Certificates (SHA2)
- FAQs
- 1
Legal Warning:
You can use only the valid Digital Signatures issued to you. It is illegal to use Digital Signatures of anybody other than the one to whom it is issued.
- 2
Certification Agencies:
Certification Agencies are appointed by the office of the Controller of Certification Agencies (CCA) under the provisions of IT Act, 2000. There are a total of eight Certification Agencies authorised by the CCA to issue Digital Signature Certificates (DSCs). The details of these Certification Agencies are available on the portal of the Ministry –> Certifying Authorities
- 3
Class of DSCs:
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has stipulated a Class-II or above category signing certificate for e-Filings under MCA21. A person who already has the specified DSC for any other application can use the same for filings under MCA21 and is not required to obtain a fresh DSC.
- 4
Validity of Digital Signatures:
The DSCs are typically issued with one year validity and two year validity. These are renewable on expiry of the period of initial issue.
- 5
Costing/ Pricing of Digital Signatures:
It includes the cost of medium (a UBS token which is a one time cost), the cost of issuance of DSC and the renewal cost after the period of validity. The company representatives and professionals required to obtain DSCs are free to procure the same from any one of the approved Certification Agencies as per the MCA portal. The issuance costs in respect of each Agency vary and are market driven.
However, for the guidance of stakeholders, the Ministry has obtained the costs of issuance of DSCs at the consumer end from the Certification Agencies. The costs as intimated by them are as under:
.
- Authentication: Helpful in authenticating the personal information details of the individual holder when conducting business online.
- Reduced cost and time: Instead of signing the hard copy documents physically and scanning them to send them via e-mail, you can digitally sign the PDF files and send them much more quickly. A DSC holder does not have to be physically present to conduct or authorize a business.
- Data integrity: Documents that are signed digitally cannot be altered or edited after signing, which makes the data safe and secure. Government agencies often ask for these certificates to cross-check and verify the business transaction.
- Authenticity of documents: Digitally signed documents give confidence to the receiver to be assured of the signer’s authenticity. They can take action on the basis of such documents without getting worried about the documents being forged.