What is an Organization Validation (OV) SSL Certificate?

An Organization Validation (OV) SSL Certificate encrypts your website while also verifying that your business is a legitimate registered organization.

Unlike a Domain Validation (DV) certificate, an OV certificate requires the Certificate Authority to validate your company details before the certificate is issued.

This makes OV SSL an excellent choice for businesses, organizations, eCommerce websites, and companies that want to demonstrate a higher level of trust to their customers.

Why choose an OV SSL Certificate?

✅ Verifies your business identity

✅ Strong 256-bit encryption

✅ Improves customer confidence

✅ Ideal for business websites

✅ Required by many organizations and procurement policies

How does OV Validation work?

The Certificate Authority checks:

Your registered business
Business address
Telephone number (where applicable)
Domain ownership
Authorization of the person requesting the certificate

Once verified, the certificate is issued.

Who should use OV SSL?

OV SSL is recommended for:

Small and medium businesses
Corporate websites
B2B companies
SaaS providers
Educational institutions
NGOs
Government suppliers

If visitors are expected to trust your business with enquiries, registrations or payments, OV SSL provides additional credibility.

DV vs OV SSL

How long does OV validation take?

With Wikicert's step-by-step guidance, many OV SSL certificates are completed within just a few hours, provided all validation requirements are met.

Wikicert Tip

Many OV SSL delays happen because of incomplete business information or missed verification calls. We guide you through every step to help avoid unnecessary delays and get your certificate issued as quickly as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OV SSL more secure than DV?

Both use the same encryption strength. The difference is that OV verifies the identity of the business behind the website.

Can I upgrade from DV to OV?

Yes. Many businesses start with DV and later upgrade to OV as their business grows.

Does OV SSL improve SEO?

Google does not rank OV higher than DV simply because of the certificate type, but increased trust can improve user engagement and conversion rates.

Can Wikicert help with validation?

Absolutely. We guide you through the validation process from start to finish to make obtaining an OV certificate as smooth as possible.