Certificate Types
DV vs OV vs EV SSL – What’s the Difference?
A practical comparison of Domain Validation, Organization Validation and Extended Validation SSL certificates.
DV, OV and EV are often presented as three “levels” of SSL. That can be misleading if it implies that they automatically use weak, medium and strong encryption. The main difference is what the certificate authority validates before issuance.
DV: Domain Validation
DV verifies control of the domain. It is usually the simplest and fastest option for enabling HTTPS when organization-level identity verification is not required.
OV: Organization Validation
OV adds checks about the organization applying for the certificate. It can be appropriate for commercial websites and services that want organizational identity included in the validation process.
EV: Extended Validation
EV involves a more extensive verification of the legal organization and the applicant’s authority. Its value is the verification process rather than outdated expectations about a permanent green address bar.
Which one is best?
The best choice depends on your identity-assurance requirement, not on buying the most expensive product. A small site may be well served by DV, while a customer-facing business may prefer OV and certain organizations may have a reason to require EV.
DV vs OV vs EV SSL – What’s the Difference? — FAQs
Does EV use stronger encryption than DV?
Not inherently. Validation level and connection encryption are separate concepts. Modern TLS strength depends on the server and client configuration.
When should a business choose OV?
OV can be a good fit when the organization wants its identity validated in addition to proving control of the domain.
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