This type of SSL certificate provides the fastest, easiest way to secure a domain. Once domain ownership verification has been completed, the certificate can be issued. Due to the legitimacy of an organization not being verified, DV certificates are not recommended for eCommerce sites or sites that collect sensitive data. They work well for internal sites, test domains, and test servers.

Once the domain ownership has been verified, issuance of the certificate is immediate. Organizations or individuals who apply for a DV SSL will likely receive them on the same day within just minutes (assuming the ownership verification is approved).

The domain validation option is the cheapest when compared to organization validation and extended validation certificate options. At Sectigo®, a DV SSL starts at KES 1,999 for the single domain option when you choose a 1 year subscription. The cost goes up for multi-domain and wildcard types.

Multi-year plans provide instant savings and consistent coverage in a simplified, long-term solution. While you will have to reissue your certificate each year per industry standards, you’re guaranteed the lowest price today, and locked in with coverage for multiple years.

There are three recognized types of SSL certificates, based on their validation level:

• Extended Validation (EV)
• Organization Validation (OV)
• Domain Validation (DV)

Within these authentication types, there are different variations available:

• Single domain
• Multi-Domain (MD), also known as Subject Alternative Names (SAN)
• Wildcard
• Unified Communications

1. A single domain SSL secures one domain, both the WWW and non-WWW versions. It can also secure a single subdomain, hostname, IP address, or mail server. This variation is available in DV, OV, and EV authentication options.
2. Also commonly referred to as SAN certificates, multi-domain certificates allow a single certificate to secure multiple domains, including subdomains of a single main domain name or entirely different domain names. Multi-domain SSL certificates are available in DV, OV, and EV validation options.
3. The Unified Communications (UC) certificate type is designed for the Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Office Communication Server environments. This is a multi-domain option that can secure up to 100 domains.
4. The Wildcard SSL option is used to secure the main domain and an unlimited number of subdomains under the main domain. For example, www.yourwebsite.com, login.yourwebsite.com, mail.yourwebsite.com, etc., would all be secured with one Wildcard certificate. This type offers full encryption for the subdomains, making it an affordable and effective solution for most websites. They are available in DV and OV validation options.