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EXTENDED VALIDATION (EV) SSL

Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates

An EV SSL certificate gives your website the highest level of identity verification available. A Certificate Authority (CA) won’t issue one until it has confirmed that your organization is legally registered, operationally active, and reachable at a verified physical address, all under strict CA/Browser Forum guidelines. The result: visitors can verify your company name directly in the certificate details, confirming they’re dealing with a legitimate business. An Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate is a TLS/SSL certificate that requires the most thorough identity verification before issuance. While all SSL certificates encrypt the connection between your server and your visitors’ browsers, EV certificates go further by validating who you are as an organization. The Certificate Authority checks your legal name and registration status, confirms your business address, and validates domain ownership before it will issue the certificate.

VERIFIED IDENTITY IN CERTIFICATE

When someone visits your site and clicks the padlock icon, they can see your verified company name, business type, and jurisdiction in the certificate details. This is what separates EV from lower validation levels: it’s not just encryption, it’s verified identity.

MODERN EV DISPLAY STANDARDS

Major browsers removed the green address bar in 2019, displaying a uniform padlock. The EV difference now lives in the certificate details, where your organization’s verified information is visible to anyone who checks. EV SSL secures websites; for software and code, an EV Code Signing certificate is used instead.

PRODUCT CATALOG

Extended Validation Certificates

Explore industry-leading EV certificates with maximum legal and operational identity verification.

Multi-Domain

Extended Validation

sslTrus EV Multi-Domain/SAN SSL

$331,20

Multi-Domain

Organization Validation

GeoTrust True Business ID With EV Multi-Domain (1 CN Single + 4 SANS Single)

Price range: $436,05 through $1.220,51

Multi-Domain

Organization Validation

DigiCert EV Multi-Domain SSL ( 1 CN Single + 2 SANs Single )

Price range: $469,53 through $1.314,68

Single Domain

Extended Validation

Digicert Secure Site with EV

Price range: $681,05 through $1.872,88

Single Domain

Extended Validation

Digicert Secure Site Pro with EV SSL

Price range: $1.321,45 through $3.633,98

MAXIMUM ASSURANCE

Why Choose an EV SSL Certificate?

Key commercial and security benefits of Extended Validation for high-trust websites.

Verified Business Identity

Only legally registered, operationally active organizations can obtain an EV certificate. That distinction separates your site from millions secured with basic DV.

Stronger Customer Confidence

Verifying your legal organization directly in the certificate adds trust that lowers cart abandonment and lifts conversions for e-commerce and financial portals.

Phishing Resistance

Because vetting requires verified legal documentation, fraudsters cannot obtain an EV certificate for lookalike domains, protecting both customers and brand reputation.

Compliance Alignment

PCI DSS and high-level data protection frameworks recommend the highest authentication level for websites processing payments. EV satisfies that standard.

MARKET INSIGHTS

Is EV SSL Still Worth It?

If you’ve read that EV is dead, the claim isn’t baseless. Here’s what actually changed.

THE BROWSER REALITY

The Browser Indicator Is Gone

Safari dropped the company name in September 2018. Chrome 77 followed on 10 September 2019, moving it behind the padlock, and Firefox 70 did the same on 22 October 2019. Google published its reasoning: its Security UX team found the EV interface didn’t protect users as intended. Most visitors will never see your company name unless they click the padlock. However, the certificate didn’t change. Underneath, a person at the CA still checks government registration records, confirms your operational history, verifies your address independently, and calls a number from a public directory. Your legal name and jurisdiction remain cryptographically bound inside the subject field, and EV products carry the highest warranty tiers.

ENTERPRISE VALUE

Where EV Value Operates Today

That data is still actively read. Certificate detail views, enterprise procurement and vendor security reviews, insurance and compliance audits, phishing investigations, and automated tooling that parses the subject organization field all consume it. None of them depend on browser chrome. Who should buy it: EV earns its price if you handle payments or sensitive personal data, if a compliance framework or enterprise customer specifies it, or if your brand is an impersonation target. For blogs, portfolios, and marketing sites, it buys nothing a domain validation certificate doesn’t already provide.

VALIDATION COMPARISON

EV vs. OV vs. DV: Which Validation Level Do You Need?

All three deliver the same 256-bit encryption with 2048-bit keys. The difference is identity verification depth.

BASIC ENCRYPTION

Domain Validation (DV)

Confirms domain control alone, with no business information checked. Issues in minutes with no paperwork. Anyone can get one, including phishing look-alikes.

• Identity: Unverified • Issuance: Minutes • Wildcards: Supported • Best for: Blogs & internal dev
BUSINESS AUTHENTICATION

Organization Validation (OV)

Verifies your organization’s name and address along with registration status. Authenticated entity details written into certificate.

• Identity: Verified Legal Entity • Issuance: 1–3 Business Days • Wildcards: Supported • Best for: Business websites & portals
MAXIMUM ASSURANCE

Extended Validation (EV)

Goes further with legal registration standing, operational history, independently verified physical address, and a phone callback with an authorized contact.

• Identity: Full Legal & Operational Audit • Issuance: 1–3 Business Days • Wildcards: Prohibited by CA/B Forum • Best for: E-commerce, Banks, Healthcare
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

How the EV SSL Validation Process Works

After you purchase the certificate and submit a Certificate Signing Request (CSR), the CA works through four checks:

DEPLOYMENT OPTIONS

Single-Domain vs. Multi-Domain EV Configurations

Choose the deployment architecture that best matches your corporate web infrastructure.

SINGLE HOSTNAME

Single-Domain EV SSL

A single-domain EV SSL certificate secures one fully qualified domain name, such as yourdomain.com. Both the www and non-www versions of your domain are included. This is the most affordable EV option and the right choice for businesses with a single primary website.

• Automatic www & non-www pairing • PositiveSSL EV starting at $75/yr • Full legal & physical verification • Best for: Standalone enterprise websites & stores
MULTI-DOMAIN SAN

Multi-Domain EV SSL

A multi-domain EV SSL certificate secures multiple domains on a single certificate using Subject Alternative Names (SANs). Depending on the product, you can protect up to 250 different domains, making it ideal for organizations managing multiple brands or regional sites. Multi-domain EV certificates reduce both cost and management overhead compared to purchasing individual certificates for each domain.

• Protects up to 250 domains under one certificate • Collapses renewal dates into a single lifecycle • Lower administration overhead & cost per SAN • Best for: Multi-brand portfolios & international domains
TRUSTED AUTHORITIES

EV SSL Certificate Brands

Renewal SSL carries EV certificates from five globally recognized Certificate Authorities.

VALUE LEADER

Sectigo (formerly Comodo) is the most popular choice for budget-conscious buyers, with the PositiveSSL EV starting at $75/yr and the Sectigo EV SSL and Comodo EV SSL offering warranties up to $1.75M, unlimited server licensing, and the Sectigo Secure site seal.

PREMIUM TIER

DigiCert is the premium option, with products ranging from the standard Extended Validation SSL to the Secure Site Pro EV, which adds CT log monitoring, vulnerability assessment, and post-quantum cryptography support, plus warranties up to $2M and the CertCentral management platform.

GeoTrust Logo
MID-TIER VALUE

GeoTrust offers mid-tier value through the True BusinessID with EV, with $1.5M warranty coverage and the GeoTrust True Site seal.

AFFORDABLE TRUST

GoGetSSL rounds out the lineup with the Business Trust EV for buyers who want verified enterprise identity at the lowest possible cost.

Thawte Logo
MULTI-DOMAIN DEFAULT

Thawte covers multiple domains by default through the SSL Webserver EV, backed by a $1,500,000 warranty and a dynamic site seal available in 18 languages, which suits businesses running sites across several countries.

PRICING & VALUE

How Much Does an EV SSL Certificate Cost?

EV certificates at Renewal SSL start at $90 for one year, or $75/yr on a three-year plan.

VERIFICATION DEPTH

Why EV Costs More Than OV and DV

A DV certificate is machine-issued in minutes and verifies only domain control. EV requires a person at the Certificate Authority to pull your company record from a government registry, confirm your operational history, verify your address independently, and place a phone call. That manual labour and highest warranty underwriting explain the price.

PORTFOLIO ECONOMICS

What Drives the Pricing Spread

Brand carries a premium: DigiCert prices above Sectigo for platform extras like CertCentral, CT log monitoring, and post-quantum crypto. Multi-domain certificates cost more upfront but less per domain, and collapse several renewal dates into one. Longer multi-year terms lower the annual rate to $75/yr while locking in price against shortening lifespans.

DIRECT RESELLER ADVANTAGE

Buying Here vs. Direct from the CA

Certificate Authorities price their retail direct channel above their partner reseller channel, so the exact same certificate costs significantly more bought direct. Same root, same validation, same warranty, same browser trust. What differs is our deeply discounted wholesale pricing and dedicated 24/7 paperwork support.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Extended Validation SSL certificates.

Single-domain EV certificates start at $75/yr for the Comodo PositiveSSL EV. Multi-domain EV costs more depending on the CA and number of domains. Multi-year subscriptions reduce the annual price further, and all purchases include a 25-day money-back guarantee.

Typically 1–3 business days with proper documentation. Having a Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) code and a verifiable phone number in a public directory can shorten this. See the validation process section above for the full step-by-step breakdown.

No. The CA/Browser Forum requires every domain on an EV certificate to be individually verified, which rules out wildcard coverage. Instead, add subdomains as individual SANs on a multi-domain EV certificate, or pair an EV certificate with a DV or OV wildcard SSL certificate for your subdomains.

For online stores, payment platforms, healthcare portals, and any business handling sensitive customer data, yes. Verified business identity reduces phishing risk and can improve customer confidence and conversion rates. If your site doesn’t process transactions, domain validation or organization validation certificates are a more affordable fit.

OV confirms your company name, address, and registration status. EV requires all of that plus verification of legal standing, operational history, physical address through independent sources, and a phone callback. In short, OV proves your organization exists; EV proves it’s legitimate, active, and reachable.

No, but its most visible feature is gone. Browsers removed the EV company-name indicator from the address bar between 2018 and 2019, so visitors no longer see your organization name without clicking the padlock. The underlying identity verification, the legal name embedded in the certificate, and the warranty are unchanged. See the section above for where that verified identity is still used.

No. Major browsers removed the green address bar for EV certificates in 2019. Today, all SSL types show the same padlock icon. Your verified company information is still visible when visitors click the padlock and view the certificate details.

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