Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) in India, wherever you live

A Digital Signature Certificate is the electronic equivalent of your signature and identity proof. It is issued by a Certifying Authority licensed by the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and is stored on a secure USB crypto token. Documents and returns signed with a DSC are legally valid in India.

Class 3. The CCA discontinued Class 2 DSC from 1 January 2021, so all new certificates, including those for GST, Income Tax, MCA, EPFO and e-tendering, are issued as Class 3. If someone offers you a Class 2 DSC today, it is not a current product.

For Indian residents, a Class 3 signing DSC with USB token starts from Rs 1,999 for 1 year, Rs 2,299 for 2 years and Rs 2,999 for 3 years. Combo (signing plus encryption) certificates cost more. NRI and foreign national DSCs are priced higher because of passport-based verification. Use the price calculator on this page for an instant estimate including GST and shipping.

Yes. An NRI can get a Class 3 DSC entirely online using an Indian passport, overseas address proof and a short video verification. The USB token is couriered to your overseas address or to a family member in India. The DSC can then be used for ITR filing, property sale compliance, company director filings, bank and demat work.

A foreign national applies for a Foreign National Class 3 DSC using a passport and a foreign address proof. Depending on the country, these documents are apostilled or attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission. After a video verification, the certificate is issued and the token is shipped internationally. This DSC is used for DIN applications, company incorporation as a subscriber, MCA filings and other Indian government portals.

For foreign applicants, yes. If your country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention (for example the USA, UK, Australia, Germany, China and Russia), the passport and address proof copies are apostilled. For countries outside the Convention, they are notarised and attested by the Indian Embassy or High Commission. Use the country checker on this page, and we will confirm the route before you spend on attestation.

For Indian residents with Aadhaar or PAN based verification, the DSC is usually issued the same day, often within an hour of video verification. For NRIs and foreign nationals, issuance normally takes 1 to 3 working days after correct documents are received, plus courier time for the token.

Yes. A Class 3 DSC has to be stored on a FIPS certified USB crypto token such as ePass2003, HYP2003 or ProxKey. If you already have a compatible token, a new or renewed certificate can be downloaded onto it and you do not need to buy another.

A signing DSC is used to sign documents, returns and forms. A combo DSC has two certificates on the same token: one for signing and one for encryption. The encryption certificate is required by e-tender and e-procurement portals to encrypt bid documents, and by some portals like NSWS.

Most government e-procurement portals, including the Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) and state portals, need a Class 3 combo DSC (signing plus encryption). Bidders usually take it in the name of the authorised person of the organisation.

A DGFT DSC is a Class 3 organisation certificate linked to your Importer Exporter Code (IEC). It is used by importers and exporters on the DGFT portal for applications such as IEC updates, licences and scheme benefits.

Yes. A single Class 3 individual signing DSC can be registered on the GST portal, the Income Tax e-filing portal, the MCA portal and EPFO. You register the same token separately on each portal.

Aadhaar eSign is a one-time online signature authenticated through an OTP to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. A DSC is a certificate on a USB token that you can use repeatedly for its validity period. Many portals, including MCA and e-tendering, accept only a DSC. Aadhaar eSign is also not available to foreign nationals.

A DSC cannot be extended; a renewal is a fresh certificate issued on your existing token. You can apply before or after expiry. Renewal is cheaper because you reuse the token, and the process is the same short online verification.

Yes. Our office is at T3 & T4, Manish Twin Plaza, Plot No 3, Sector 4, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078. Clients within about 25 km, including Janakpuri, Uttam Nagar, Palam, Najafgarh, Vasant Kunj, Mahipalpur and Gurugram, can collect the token the same day. The rest of India and overseas clients complete everything online.

Insert the USB token, open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader, choose Use a certificate and then Digitally sign, draw the signature box and select your DSC. Enter the token password to sign. For portals such as GST, Income Tax and DGFT, you install the portal's signer utility (for example emSigner or the DSC Signer Service) once and it signs automatically.

Inform us immediately so the certificate can be revoked through the Certifying Authority. You then apply for a fresh DSC. A token without its password cannot be used, but revocation protects you from misuse.

Yes. We ship tokens by international courier to the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, the UAE, Singapore, Uganda, China, Russia and other countries, or deliver them to your representative in India.