Before an EV certificate can be issued, the address on the certificate order must be verified as the physical existence for the organization.
Physical existence is the actual location where the organization conducts business.
This article describes the most common issues with validating physical existence, and explains how to resolve them so we can issue your certificate, including:
- The type of address provided on the order is not acceptable for validation purposes.
- Sectigo was unable to verify the physical address provided in standard online databases. This can occur when:
- The physical address of a branch office, and not the main headquarters was used on the certificate order.
- More rarely, the address cannot be verified using an online resource such as a business credit reporting service, or government or tax database.
If the address on the order is not acceptable for validation purposes
The following types of addresses are not accepted to verify physical existence:
- virtual office
- post office box
- care-of (C/O) address
- address established only for legal notices
- mail forwarding service address
If you used one of these address types on the certificate order, the order must be updated with a verifiable address where the organization conducts business.
To update the address on your order:
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From your Order Confirmation email or correspondence from Sectigo Validation, click Validation Manager
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Click Submit a Ticket
- Choose EV Validation as the Reason for the ticket.
- Provide the Order Number if possible, to help us resolve the issue faster.
- Use the Description field to provide the physical address where the organization conducts business.
If Sectigo is unable to verify the physical address provided in standard online databases:
Sometimes we are unable to verify the physical address online because databases often include only the organization headquarters address. If you used a branch address on the order, you can change the address on the order to the organization headquarters by following the instructions above “To update the address on the order”.
Consider registering your organization (including legally registered name, physical address, and telephone number) with a reputable, third-party, independent source, such as one of the following:
- Local or national registration agency
- Commercial credit services organization (for example, Dunn & Bradstreet)
- Accredited business database (for example, Better Business Bureau)
- Local phone directory
If there is no other way to validate your physical address, you must provide a signed letter from a licensed professional attorney, civil law attorney, or certified public accountant who attests to your physical existence where your organization conducts and operates the business.
Sample letters for different organization types and the professional status of the person who can sign each letter can be found here: https://support.sectigo.com/Com_KnowledgeDetailPage?Id=kA01N000000zFM8
- If a Sample Letter is used to verify the physical address of your organization you may upload it directly to your order via Validation Manager.
- Please click the link within your Order Confirmation email or correspondence from Sectigo Validation.
- Expand Organization Validation
- Next to Physical Existence, click Upload Document
- Thank you for your upload, Sectigo Validation will now review and process the document
- Once processed, verified, and accepted, the Physical Existence address will be displayed and reflect a green checkmark
Congratulations, your organizations physical existence has been validated!
