What are the documents required for digital signature?

Digital Signature Certificates are the electronic or digital credentials of any person, or organization, computer, or any other network entity that recognize that entity. These certificates are equivalent to the other Physical IDs such as Driver's Licence, PAN Card and UID etc. These certificates contain the public key and identity of the owner that are issued by the certificate issuing authority.

The following post will comprise the various documents that are required for obtaining a Class 3 Digital Signature. But in order to understand the process in a better manner, let us have an overview of the Digital Signature at first.

They are basically used for fulfilling 3 main purposes:

• To authenticate the message sources.


• To check the integrity of the messages.


• For non-repudiation purposes.

Digital Signature – Classes:

• Class 1


• Class 2


• Class 3 (3A and 3 B)

What are the contents of the Digital Signature Certificate?

• Subject – Name of the entity that owns the certificate


• Serial Number – A unique registration number that identifies the certificate and the holder.


• Issuer – The details of the certificate issuing authority.


• Valid From


• Valid To – The validity period of the Digital Signature Certificate.


• Public Key – The actual code that acts as the unique identifier for every digital certificate.


• Signature Algorithm – The algorithm that has been used to sign the certificate.


• Signature Value – It is a Bit string that contains the digital signature.

How to obtain a Digital Signature?

Documents required for obtaining a Class 3 digital signature for proprietorship:

• ITR-V which is the latest income tax return copy.


• Attested copy of the bank details with the bank statement.


• Passport or Aadhar Card or Voter ID or PAN Card of the proprietor.

Documents required for obtaining a Class 3 digital signature for Partnership Firm:

• Attested Copy of PAN Card or Aadhar Card or Voter ID or Passport


• Attested Copy of Organizational PAN Card


• Attested copy of Bank Statement (first 2 pages)


• Attested copy of Partnership Deed (first 2 pages)


• Attested copy of last ITR (First 2 pages)


• Authorization Letter with the signature list of the partners with signature and seal on letterhead

Documents required for obtaining the Class 3 Digital Signature for the Private or Limited Companies:

• Attested copy of Pan Card/ Electoral ID/ Passport


• List of Directors with seal and signature on letterhead


• Authorization letter with seal and signature


• Attested copy of Organizational PAN Card


• Attested copy of the bank details with a statement (first 2 pages}


• Attested copy of the first 2 pages of Memorandum of Association (MOA)


• Attested copy of Incorporation Certificate


• Attested copy of the last audit report and the annual return (first 2 pages)

• N Filing


• GST Registration/Return


• Limited Liability Partnership


• IEC Code