DV, OV, EV — Choosing the Right Certificate Type
verified_userQuick Summary: Which SSL Do You Need?
DV (Domain Validation) — proves you own the domain. Issued in minutes. Perfect for blogs, personal sites, development environments. Free Let's Encrypt covers this. OV (Organization Validation) — also verifies your business. Adds company name to cert details. Required for corporate sites, SaaS, and e-commerce wanting visible trust. EV (Extended Validation) — most rigorous verification. Bank-grade. Required for financial institutions and large e-commerce. Wildcard — covers unlimited subdomains (*.yourdomain.com). One cert for SaaS customer subdomains.
| Feature | DV SSL | OV SSL | EV SSL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Validation | Domain only | Domain + Business | Domain + Business (strict) |
| Issuance Time | 5–15 minutes | 1–3 business days | 5–7 business days |
| Best For | Blogs, portfolios | SaaS, e-commerce | Banks, large commerce |
