Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) has been made compulsory by the MCA during company registration. Furthermore, it may also be needed by the partners and directors of the LLP or registered companies. Post incorporation, the individual is needed to apply the Digital Signature Certificate else he/she would not be able to verify the documents or file the returns.
DSC is also compulsory for filing for vital government forms like income tax, Goods and services tax, etc. In this article, we will address few important topics such as Digital Signature Certificate (DSC), DSC Certifying authorities, DSC obtainment procedure, documents needed for Digital Signature Certificate , and validity details for DSC.
An overview on Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Digital Signature Certificate is a protected digital key that encloses the information regarding the individual holding the DSC such as email address, name, name of the issuance authority, and the DSC issuance date. Digital Signature Certificate can significantly reduce time and cost and mitigate the scope of fraudulent activities that occurs during e-filing or any other legal filing.
DSC verifies the identity of the individual signing the documents and protects the date without fail. With DSC at the disposal, the authorized signatory has not required the register their presence while dealing with important matters. Digital Signature Certificate undermined the scope of phony documents that were quite prominent before its inception.
Digital Signature Certificate Certifying Authorities
In India, there are only a few authorities that issue the DSC to the applicant of the registered companies. As per Section 24 of the IT Act, 2000[1], the given entities are given the right to grant the DSC to the applicant India.
- IDRBT Certifying Authority
- E-mudra
- National Informatics Center
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Class of Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Digital Signature Certificate is a digital equivalent of physical document/certificate. DSC enables users to perform various function such as signing the document digital, access confidential information on internet, or to prove the identity for a business transaction. The DSC has been classified into three different classes based on applicability and level of data protection.
Class 1 Certificate:
Class 1 certificates aims to serve the individual/private subscribers. This category of certificate will confirm that the information enclosed within the application do not coincide with the information on the consumer database. It provides basic level of assurance to the user’s information and it finds it applicability in those areas where threat to data is low.
Class 2 Certificate:
These certificates are generally utilized by the private individuals and business personnel. In term of functionality, the class 2 certificates serve the same purpose as of class 1 certificate.
Class 3 Certificate:
Class 3 certificate generally meant to benefits the bigger organization and have a larger landscape of applicability. Since these certificates intended for online trading platforms, they shall be granted to the person only on their personal appearance before the issuance authorities. Class 3 Certificates are used where threat to data are significantly higher.
Benefits of the Digital Signature Certificate
DSC is basically used to authenticate the personal details of the person during online business activities. Following are the benefits of the DSC.
Reduced cost and time:
DSC gives a facility of signing the document electronically. Gone are the days when managers and important members of the company have to sign the document physically. Since DSC works on an electronic format, it’s less cumbersome for the users to deal with day to day documents. The DSC holders can avoid the hassle of registering their physical presence for authorizing the paperwork.
Maintain Data integrity:
Information in digital form is way more secured than conventional counterparts. For instance – a digitally signed document cannot be modified without the owner permission. They are encrypted and highly secure. Several government authorities seek these certificates to verify the business transaction.
Maintain Authenticity of documents:
Since DSC are highly secured and encrypted, parties involved in the transactions do not have to worry about authenticity of the digitally signed documents.
What is the Process for obtaining Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
DSC can be obtained either by heading over to the Issuance authority directly or online via third-party service providers like CorpBiz. The applicants are required to provide the original documents (self-notified) to serve such a purpose. The Digital Signature Certificate applicant has to confront e-KYC authentication as well.
The authorities might ask for the certified document of the applicant issued by the bank authority regarding the applicants’ database in the bank. Typically, DSC is issued by the authority within three to seven working days.
The following section manifests the step by step process of availing of the DSC.
Step 1: Visit the portal and login
Select from any of the three issuance authorities that issue DSC and opt for the type of the company under which you wish the Digital Signature Certificate. It may be for an organization or a person or any other class of individuals.
In the event, the applicant wishes to avail DSC for a company, a new tab regarding the DSC applicant form shall prompt on your screen. All you need to get this form on your system.
Step 2: Filling the form
The applicant needs to fill the given detail in the form:-
- Applicant name
- Contact details
- Validity of DSC
- Type of DSC
- Class of DSC
- Residential address
- Document related to identity of an applicant
- Document for address proof
- GST number
Once they fill in all the required details, attach your latest photo and mention the signature in the declaration column. Moreover, enclose the information regarding the attestation officer and mentioned the payment details.
Step 3: Documents Attestation
The documentation that is serving as an address and identity proof ought to be attested by the attesting officer and must be easily scan-able and clear.
Step 4: Complete the Payment
The payment regarding the Digital Signature Certificate should be made by the applicant in the favor of local registration officers in the form of a demand draft or cheque. The detail of the issuance authority to whom the form is to be submitted will varies zone-wise. Upon completion of the said procedure, the form ought to be posted alongside the following:
- Address and ID proof (Attested copy)
- Demand Draft or Cheque
What are the Documents Needed for DSC?
Digital Signature Certificate has been categorized into 3 classes such as Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. Class 2 and 3 represent the family of the MCA21 program. Meanwhile, Class 1 is meant for individuals. In Class 2, the person’s identity is verified electronically and in the event of Class 3, the individual requires to register their presence for the identity verification with the authorities. The individual must hold a duly filled application form along with address proof before applying for the certificate from the certifying authority.
Validity of DSC
In general, DSC serves a validity period of 1 to 2 years. Digital Signature Certificate is renewal in nature i.e the applicant can renew it after the expiration. The renewal process of Digital Signature Certificate is more or less the same as that of regular registration. The applicant can either head over to the issuance authority with requested documents or take advantage of the online portal to do the same.
Conclusion
Digital Signature Certificate is capable of rendering personalized protection to the persons willing to deter fraudulent activities while addressing online related tasks such as filing ITR, accessing membership-based websites, or submitting e-tenders documents. Digital Signature Certificate ensures end to end protection for email and transaction-related tasks. Also, it can help established SSL/ TLS encrypted secured sessions whenever the need arises.
For the developer, DSC is a must-have requirement as it can help in protecting the well-coded program from unauthorized access. Make sure to talk to our experts in case if you intend to obtain Digital Signature Certificate on an urgent basis and without any hassles. We can help you avail of this certificate from the respective authority without error-free paperwork and a seamless approach.
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