An Organisation Validated (OV) SSL certificate not only confirms ownership of the domain but also verifies that the website is operated by a genuine, verified organisation. The certificate issuer includes the company’s name and registered office in the certificate, allowing visitors to verify who is behind the website.

In terms of encryption strength, an OV certificate is no different from a domain-validated (DV) certificate: both provide the same level of encrypted connection. The difference lies in the depth of verification and the data contained in the certificate.

What does the certificate authority check?

• The organisation’s existence is verified via official registers (in Hungary, for example, the Companies Register) to ensure that the company exists and is operational.
• The organisation’s details: the exact company name, registered office and contact details.
• Contact details: the company is often contacted via a telephone number taken from an independent source (such as a public telephone directory or a business database).
• Verification of domain ownership: in the same way as for a DV certificate, using email, an HTTP file or a DNS record.

If the company’s details in the registers are up to date, it is not usually necessary to send any additional documents for verification. In the event of any discrepancies (for example, if the company has recently moved or its telephone number is not listed in a public source), the provider may request further proof.

Where does the company name appear?

The company name appears in the ‘Organisation’ (O) field within the certificate details. Whilst browsers no longer display this separately in the address bar, anyone can view it by clicking on the padlock icon and then on ‘Certificate details’. This field is missing from the DV certificate, which only shows the domain name.

How long does issuance take?

As the certificate authority must also verify the company’s details, issuing an OV certificate typically takes 1–3 working days rather than a few minutes. To speed up the process:

• Please check in advance that the company name and address match exactly the details listed in the company register;
• Please provide the details of a contact person who will respond promptly to calls or emails from the publisher;
• Please complete the domain validation as soon as possible, as the registration process will not begin until then.

Validity and reissue

An OV certificate is also valid for a maximum of 200 days (since 15 March 2026), so it must be reissued at least once during a one-year subscription. However, the organisation’s details remain valid for 398 days, so when reissuing the certificate during the year, the company details generally do not need to be verified again; only ownership of the domain needs to be confirmed. Reissuance is not automatic with us; the procedure is described in the article ‘Setting up and reissuing a Paid SSL certificate’.

Who is it recommended for?

• For companies and organisations that wish to have their name displayed on their website in a verified manner.
• Online shops and websites that handle payments or personal data, where it is important for visitors to know who the operator is.
• If a contract, tender or internal policy requires an organisation-authenticated certificate.

For a blog or a personal website, a DV certificate or the free Let’s Encrypt certificate is usually sufficient. The OV-level certificate we offer is BusinessTrust SSL.