Every director who signs MCA forms needs their own Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). It is issued by a licensed Certifying Authority and, for MCA filings, should be a Class 3 signing certificate on a hardware token. Aadhaar e-KYC needs no supporting documents, while the paper route needs attested identity and address proof. After issuance, the certificate must be associated with the director’s business user account on the MCA portal. Costs and timelines vary by Certifying Authority, so confirm both before applying. Overseas directors should check attestation rules for their documents early.
When a person joins an Indian company as a director, there are several formalities to complete before they can handle regulatory filing. One such formality is obtaining a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). It allows directors to sign filings online using a signature that is recognised by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) portal. Since MCA forms are filed electronically, directors who need to sign them need to have an appropriate digital signature and link it to their MCA account. Failing to do so can stall an incorporation or an annual filing at the final step.
The application is made through a licensed Certifying Authority, which verifies the applicant’s details before issuing the certificate. The director must also check that the certificate is linked to their MCA account before using it. Understanding how to get a DSC and preparing the required documents can make the process of incorporation and ongoing compliance much easier.
Why does a director need a Digital Signature Certificate?
A Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) enables directors to authenticate and sign company filings electronically on the MCA portal. It is obtained from a licensed Certifying Authority. Every director needs to use their own DSC while signing relevant files on the portal.
The Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) issues certificates only to Certifying Authorities, which then issue them to applicants. A Digital Signature Certificate for directors is therefore applied for through a licensed CA. It is separate from the Director Identification Number (DIN).
Which type of DSC should a director choose?
There are three types of DSC – Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3. For MCA filings, directors need a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate to authenticate and sign documents submitted through the portal. The CCA confirms that a Class 3 certificate can be used wherever a lower class is required.
The types of Digital Signature Certificate differ in how identity is verified and where the private key, the secret half of the signature, is held. They also differ in how the private key, used to create the signature, is stored.
- Class 1: The private key is stored in software. It falls short of the MCA’s minimum requirement.
- Class 2 and Class 3: The private key of both the classes is stored on a hardware device, most often a USB token.
A director who already holds a suitable certificate need not obtain a fresh one but must still associate it with the portal.
What are the documents required for a DSC application?
The documents required for Digital Signature Certificate applications depend on the verification route. Applicants completing Aadhaar-based e-KYC can generally proceed without submitting separate supporting documents. The paper route, however, needs an application form and attested identity and address documents. Directors who visit the Certifying Authority in person with their original documents may submit self-attested copies.
For a paper-based application, a director must ensure that they have:
- A working mobile number and email address
- Name and identification details matching relevant records
What changes for an overseas director?
The CCA’s Identity Verification Guidelines contain a separate section for foreign applicants whose address is outside India. Whether overseas documents need notarisation, apostille, or consular attestation depends on the CCA’s guidelines and the chosen CA. Therefore, it is important to confirm the requirements before signing anything abroad.
How to get Digital Signature Certificate?
To obtain a DSC, a director applies for a Class 3 signing certificate through a licensed Certifying Authority. Then they complete identity verification, receive the certificate on a hardware token and update it on the MCA portal before using it for filing purposes. Steps involved are:
- Choosing a licenced CA: Decide how to establish your identity based on the verification options offered by the CA.
- Selecting the Certificate: Pick the Class 3 signing certificate, the validity period and the hardware token.
- Picking a verification route: There are multiple verification routes for a Class 3 signing Certificate. It can be verified through Aadhaar biometrics, Aadhaar OTP combined with video checks. It can also be done through paper documents combined with video check or in-person visit.
Video verification involves a live video interaction with the Certifying Authority to verify the applicant’s identity.
- Applying and paying: Complete the application, provide the necessary documents and pay the applicable fees.
- Completing verification: Finish the e-KYC, video call or appearance in front of CA as they schedule it.
- Receiving the Certificate: The CA loads it onto the token. Change the token PIN before first use on the portal.
- Link it with the MCA portal: Link the DSC with the MCA portal to enable its use for company filings.
The Certifying Authority verifies the applicant’s details and issues the DSC once the prescribed requirements are met. The director completes the final association step through the MCA portal.
How does a director link a DSC to the MCA portal?
Linking a DSC ties the certificate to two things on the portal – the director’s Business User account and an identification number such as the DIN. The MCA requires every person who signs a form to associate a DSC first. Issuance and association are separate steps and once both the processes are done, the certificate became usable. The sequence is:
- Register as a Business User.
- Install and run the emSigner and emBridge utilities.
- Change the token PIN if the token is new.
- Log in and select Associate DSC from the MCA Services menu. Menu labels differ between MCA documents. Keep an eye on the live screen while selecting.
- Select the token and make sure the director’s name appears in the certificate details. Type in the PIN and click Register.
Once a certificate is linked to a user ID, it cannot be linked to any other ID, and each person can hold only one DSC.
What affects the cost and timing of a Digital Signature Certificate?
The cost of Digital Signature Certificate issuance varies by Certifying Authority, certificate class, validity period and token. The MCA notes that issuance costs are market-driven. The CCA confirms that prices vary from one CA to the other. It is important to confirm current charges directly with a licensed CA.
There is no fixed timeline for the issuance of DSC set by the official bodies. It depends on the verification route, document completeness and, for overseas applicants, attestation of the documents. Common causes for delay are:
- A CA who does not offer the required class
- Documents that do not match the details entered
- EmSigner or emBridge not running during association
- Association attempted from a Registered User account, or against a different identification number from the one on the forms
Final thoughts
Most problems with a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) for directors are not related to the application itself. They come from small mistakes. The director chooses an unsuitable certificate, submits documents that do not match their identity or leaves the MCA portal association incomplete. These mistakes are easy fixes at the start but equally irritating on a deadline.
Before filing, confirm that the DSC is valid, suitable for the required form, correctly associated with the MCA portal and working with the required signing setup. A short conversation with the Certifying Authority before paying settles the certificate type and the documents.
For assistance with director DSC applications and related Indian corporate compliance formalities, get in touch with professionals at Stratrich.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A DSC is an electronic credential that lets a director sign the MCA form online. A licensed Certifying Authority issues it after checking the director’s identity. Without it, a director cannot sign forms on the MCA portal, so it is usually one of the first tasks after appointment.
Only licensed Certifying Authorities issue a DSC to individuals. The Controller of Certifying Authorities licenses them and publishes the list on its website. A director should choose a provider from that list. A certificate from an unlicensed provider cannot be relied on for MCA filings.
It depends on how identity is verified. Aadhaar e-KYC needs no supporting documents. The paper route needs an application form, a photograph, and identity and address proof as the Certifying Authority specifies.
No. The certificate must also be associated with the director’s MCA account. The director needs a Business User account and then uses the Associate DSC service with the token connected. Until this is done, the portal will not accept the signature.
No. The MCA says a certificate linked on the older portal must be associated again on the current one. A replacement certificate also needs fresh association. The director repeats the Associate DSC step, and the portal asks for confirmation before it replaces the earlier certificate.
