Extended-validation SSL certificates

Extended Validation SSL certificates (EV certificates) require more company data validation than DV and OV certificates. Domain ownership, organization information, and legal proof and documentation are all required. The order may take from a few days to a few weeks because of the extended validation process.

A green address bar in the browser containing the company name is the distinguishing attribute of extended-validation certificates, and is an immediate reward for the extended-validation certificate. It is not really a green bar, but your organization's name is listed in the address bar with a nice green font, indicating a trusted site, as shown in the following screenshot:

Comparing an extended-validated certificate to the preceding example, the Organization and Organizational Unit fields have properties, as shown in the following screenshot:

The OV and EV certificate types do not reflect an increase in the level of encryption; instead, these reflect a more stringent validation of the individual/company that owns the website domain. A good rule is that the more sensitive the data that your site manages, the higher the level of verification you should use.

If you do use an organizational- or extended-validated certificate, make sure you start the renewal process ahead of your expiration date. These certificates take days and weeks to issue because of the diligence required. If your certificate expires, you could go days without being properly secured.