Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) Online — Class 3
A Class 3 digital signature certificate lets you sign MCA, income tax, GST and DGFT filings from your laptop. We get yours issued online through a licensed Certifying Authority, with Aadhaar or PAN eKYC and a short live video, usually without you leaving your desk.
What it is
A digital signature certificate is your signature and your identity proof in electronic form. It sits on a small USB token, protected by a PIN. When you sign a form online, the certificate proves that the form came from you and that nobody changed it afterwards.
The law behind it is the Information Technology Act, 2000. Section 3 allows electronic records to be authenticated with a digital signature, section 5 gives that signature the same legal standing as ink on paper, and section 35 says that only a Certifying Authority licensed by the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) can issue the certificate. The CCA’s Identity Verification Guidelines (version 2.6, 16 June 2026) set out how your identity must be checked before issue.
Class 2 certificates are no longer issued on their own. The guidelines tell Certifying Authorities to issue Class 3 individual signing certificates instead, so Class 3 is now the standard DSC for every filing.
Who it applies to
Directors and company signatories
Forms on the MCA V3 portal, from registering a new private limited company to annual returns and director changes, are signed with a DSC. Every director who signs a form needs a valid one.
Audited taxpayers and companies
The Income Tax e-filing portal makes DSC mandatory to e-verify returns of companies, political parties and anyone whose accounts must be audited. Partners of audited firms and LLPs fall here.
Importers, exporters and GST filers
The DGFT portal accepts a linked DSC token (or Aadhaar e-sign) for Import Export Code applications and RCMC work. Companies and LLPs also sign their GST filings with a DSC.
Professionals and authorised signatories
Chartered accountants, company secretaries and the authorised signatory of a firm or trust use a DSC to certify and upload forms and reports.
Organisations
An employee can hold an organisational DSC that shows the firm’s name, backed by an authorisation from the organisation.
Foreign nationals
Foreign directors and partners can also get an Indian DSC. Their identity is checked directly, with documents and a video, under a separate route in the CCA guidelines.
Why it matters
Sign with full legal force
Under section 5 of the IT Act, a document signed with a DSC is treated like a signed paper document. Portals use it to confirm who filed what.
Keep every filing moving
An expired or missing DSC blocks MCA forms and audited income tax returns. Late fees on one missed form usually cost more than the token.
Stop anyone signing in your name
The private key is created inside the token and cannot be copied out. Without the token and its PIN, nobody can sign in your name.
Choosing the right DSC
Most clients need one thing: an individual Class 3 signing certificate. The table shows when the other variants make sense.
| Type | What it does | Who usually needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Class 3 signing (individual) | Signs forms and documents | Directors, partners, proprietors, professionals |
| Class 3 signing (organisational) | Signs with the organisation’s name shown | Authorised signatories of companies, firms and trusts |
| Signing + encryption (combo) | Signs and also encrypts documents | E-tender bidders and portals that ask for encryption |
| Foreign national DSC | Signing, issued after direct verification | Foreign directors, partners and shareholders |
A Faridabad auto-parts supplier that bids on government e-tenders, for example, will usually be asked for the combo. For the encryption half, the Certifying Authority keeps the key in escrow so it can be recovered. Signing keys are never escrowed.
Documents required
Aadhaar eKYC route
- Aadhaar number with a working linked mobile (OTP), or Aadhaar offline eKYC XML
- Personal mobile number and email ID
- PAN
PAN eKYC route
- PAN
- Mobile number
- One government photo ID
- Photograph and email ID
Organisational DSC
- The applicant’s own eKYC (Aadhaar or PAN)
- Authorisation letter from the organisation
- Organisation proof, such as its PAN or certificate of incorporation, as the Certifying Authority asks
How it works
Choose the type and term
We confirm whether you need an individual, organisational or combo certificate, and the term. The CCA’s certificate policy allows a signing certificate of up to three years.
Complete eKYC and OTPs
You verify identity through Aadhaar OTP, Aadhaar offline XML or PAN-based eKYC. The Certifying Authority then sends separate OTPs to your mobile and email; disposable email IDs are rejected.
Record the live video
You record a video of at least 20 seconds inside the Certifying Authority’s app, saying your name and a three-digit random code shown on screen. Pre-recorded videos cannot be uploaded.
Download onto your token
After approval, the key pair is generated inside a FIPS 140-2 Level 2 or 3 validated USB token and the certificate is downloaded onto it. Tokens still on the default password are refused, so we set a fresh PIN first.
Register it on every portal you use
We help you register the DSC on the MCA V3 portal, the Income Tax e-filing portal (through the emBridge utility), the GST portal and DGFT, so it is ready on filing day.
Timelines
Expect quick issue when checks pass
Turnaround is set by the Certifying Authority and is usually short. Most delays come from a blurred video, a failed OTP or a name that differs between PAN and Aadhaar.
Pick a term of up to three years
The CCA’s X.509 Certificate Policy (version 1.10, 14 July 2025) caps a human subscriber’s signing certificate at three years. You pick the term at purchase.
Replace it before it lapses
Here is the catch: a DSC cannot be extended. You buy a new certificate and register it again on each portal, so start about a month before expiry if a filing is due.
What happens if your DSC expires or is misused
Your filings get stuck
Portals reject signatures from an expired or revoked certificate. Picture a Faridabad company whose director’s DSC lapses a week before the 21 November 2026 due date for audited returns: the return waits until a new certificate is issued and registered.
Forget the PIN, lose the certificate
The CCA guidelines bar PIN resets unless the token is re-initialised, which wipes the certificate. Repeated wrong PINs can lock you out the same way.
Answer for your own key
Section 42 of the IT Act makes every subscriber responsible for keeping the private key under control. If the token is lost, ask the Certifying Authority to revoke the certificate at once.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Class 2 DSC still be obtained?
No, a standalone Class 2 signing certificate is no longer issued. The CCA’s Identity Verification Guidelines tell Certifying Authorities to issue Class 3 individual signing certificates in its place. An older Class 2 certificate keeps working on the Income Tax portal until it expires, because the portal accepts specified Class 2 or 3 certificates. When it runs out, replace it with a Class 3 certificate.
How long is a digital signature certificate valid?
A signing certificate for an individual can be valid for up to three years. That cap comes from the CCA’s X.509 Certificate Policy (version 1.10, July 2025). You choose one, two or three years when buying, and the longer term avoids a mid-year replacement. Once it expires it cannot be extended, so you get a fresh certificate and register it again on each portal you use.
Do you have to visit an office for the DSC?
No, the whole process can be done online from your phone or laptop. Identity is verified through Aadhaar OTP, Aadhaar offline XML or PAN-based eKYC, followed by a live video of at least 20 seconds in which you read out a random three-digit code. Only the USB token has to reach you physically, and you can reuse a compatible token you already own.
What if your mobile number is not linked to Aadhaar?
You can still get a DSC through PAN-based eKYC, which needs your PAN, a mobile number and one government photo ID. This helps a retired director whose Aadhaar still shows an old number. Since 6 February 2026, the CCA guidelines no longer insist on Aadhaar–PAN linking for PAN verification. They also added a CA-assisted enrolment mode for applicants without Aadhaar or who need physical verification. We help pick the route that fits your documents.
Can one DSC work for MCA, income tax and GST?
Yes, one Class 3 signing certificate works across the MCA V3 portal, the Income Tax e-filing portal, the GST portal and DGFT. You register it once on each portal against your profile. When the certificate is renewed, each registration has to be updated with the new one. Keep a short list of where your DSC is registered and renewal day takes minutes.
What is a FIPS-validated token and why does it matter?
It is a USB crypto device tested to the FIPS 140-2 Level 2 or Level 3 standard, and the CCA guidelines require one for signing certificates. Your private key is generated inside the token and never leaves it. Tokens with factory default passwords are refused for download since 1 April 2023, so you set your own PIN first. Keep the token and PIN separate.
What happens if you forget your DSC PIN?
A forgotten PIN usually means buying a new certificate. Under the CCA guidelines, a Certifying Authority cannot support a PIN reset unless the token is re-initialised or formatted, and formatting wipes the certificate stored on it. Too many wrong attempts can also lock the token. Write your PIN down somewhere safe, away from the token, and the problem never arises.
Can someone else hold and use your DSC?
Legally, you remain responsible for it. Section 42 of the IT Act requires every subscriber to exercise reasonable care to keep control of the private key. In practice, many directors leave the token with their CA for filings, but every form is still signed in your name. If the token is lost or you suspect misuse, have the certificate revoked straight away.
Can a foreign director get an Indian DSC?
Yes, foreign nationals can get a Class 3 DSC through a separate route under the CCA guidelines. Their identity is checked directly, with documents and a video, under section 2.6 of the guidelines. Each Certifying Authority publishes its own document list for foreign applicants, so collect papers early. We confirm the exact list before you start.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
There is no fixed government fee for a DSC. Each Certifying Authority sets its own price, and section 35 of the IT Act caps the application fee at ₹25,000. The price depends on class, validity and whether you already have a token.
Ready to begin?
Send us your PAN and mobile number, and we will line up your Class 3 DSC so it is on your token before your next filing.