Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates

At SSL Dragon, you can buy affordable EV SSL certificates from Sectigo, DigiCert, GeoTrust, and GoGetSSL, with prices starting at $75/yr, expert validation support, and a 25-day money-back guarantee.

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.

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.

A common misconception: EV certificates used to trigger a green address bar in browsers showing the company name. Major browsers removed this visual indicator in 2019. Today, all SSL certificates display the same padlock. The EV difference now lives in the certificate details, where your organization’s verified information is visible to anyone who checks.

All three types, Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV), and Extended Validation, deliver the same 256-bit encryption with 2048-bit keys. The difference is identity verification depth.

• DV confirms only domain control, with no business information checked.
• OV verifies your organization’s name and address along with registration status.
• EV goes further with legal registration standing, operational history, independently verified physical address, and a phone callback with an authorized contact.

If you don’t need EV, browse our domain validation SSL certificates or organization validation SSL certificates.

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

With documentation prepared in advance, EV certificates are typically issued within 1–3 business days. A Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) code can shorten the timeline further. SSL Dragon’s support team assists throughout the process.

One important restriction: EV wildcard certificates do not exist. The CA/Browser Forum explicitly prohibits issuing wildcard certificates at the EV level, because every domain secured by an EV certificate must be individually verified. If you need to secure subdomains, you can either list each one as a SAN on a multi-domain EV certificate or pair an EV certificate for your main domain with a wildcard SSL certificate at the DV or OV level for your subdomains.

The CA/Browser Forum approved Ballot SC-081v3 in April 2025, setting a phased reduction in maximum SSL/TLS certificate lifespans. As of March 15, 2026, the maximum validity dropped from 398 days to 200 days. It will decrease further to 100 days in March 2027 and 47 days by March 2029.

For EV certificate buyers, this means more frequent certificate reissuance. Your organization’s identity validation data (company name, legal status, address) can still be reused for up to 398 days, so you won’t need to repeat the full vetting process every time. However, domain control validation must be completed at each reissuance cycle.

Multi-year subscription plans are the practical response to these changes. When you purchase a multi-year plan from SSL Dragon, you lock in today’s price for the full subscription term. As certificates are reissued within that term, you maintain continuous coverage without repurchasing. This protects you from potential price increases as shorter lifespans drive up operational costs across the industry.

For organizations managing many certificates, automation through the ACME protocol is increasingly important. Ask our support team about automated certificate management options if you’re planning for the 100-day and 47-day phases ahead.