About Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
The Information Technology Act, 2000 has provisions for use of
Digital Signatures on the documents submitted in electronic form in order to
ensure the security and authenticity of the documents filed electronically.
This is secure and authentic way to submit a document electronically. As such,
all filings done by the companies/LLPs under MCA21 e-Governance programme are
required to be filed using Digital Signatures by the person authorised to sign
the documents.
1. Legal Warning:
You
can use only the valid Digital Signatures issued to you. It is illegal to use
Digital Signatures of anybody other than the one to whom it is issued.
2. Certification Agencies:
Certification
Agencies are appointed by the office of the Controller of Certification
Agencies (CCA) under the provisions of IT Act, 2000. There are a total of eight
Certification Agencies authorised by the CCA to issue Digital Signature
Certificates (DSCs). The details of these Certification Agencies are available
on the portal of the Ministry Certifying Authorities
3. Class of DSCs:
The
Ministry of Corporate Affairs has stipulated a Class-II or above category
signing certificate for e-Filings under MCA21. A person who already has the
specified DSC for any other application can use the same for filings under
MCA21 and is not required to obtain a fresh DSC.
4. Validity of Digital Signatures:
The
DSCs are typically issued with one year validity and two year validity. These
are renewable on expiry of the period of initial issue.
5. Costing/ Pricing of Digital Signatures:
It
includes the cost of medium (a UBS token which is a one time cost), the cost of
issuance of DSC and the renewal cost after the period of validity. The company representatives and professionals required to obtain DSCs
are free to procure the same from any one of the approved Certification
Agencies as per the MCA portal. The issuance costs in respect of each Agency
vary and are market driven.
However,
for the guidance of stakeholders, the Ministry has obtained the costs of
issuance of DSCs at the consumer end from the Certification Agencies. The costs
as intimated by them are as under:
6. Obtain Digital Signature Certificate
• Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Applicants can directly approach Certifying Authorities (CAs) with original
supporting documents, and self-attested copies will be sufficient in this case
• DSCs can also be obtained, wherever offered
by CA, using Aadhar eKYC based authentication, and supporting documents are not
required in this case
• A letter/certificate issued by a Bank containing
the DSC applicant’s information as retained in the Bank database can be
accepted. Such letter/certificate should be certified by the Bank Manager