Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates: where the CA checks the right of the applicant to use a specific domain name PLUS it conducts a THOROUGH vetting of the organization. The issuance process of EV SSL Certificates is strictly defined in the EV Guidelines, as formally ratified by the CA/Browser forum in 2007, that specify all the steps required for a CA before issuing a certificate, and includes:

Verifying the legal, physical and operational existence of the entity

Verifying that the identity of the entity matches official records

Verifying that the entity has exclusive right to use the domain specified in the EV SSL Certificate

Verifying that the entity has properly authorized the issuance of the EV SSL Certificate

EV SSL Certificates are available for all types of businesses, including government entities and both incorporated and unincorporated businesses. A second set of guidelines, the EV Audit Guidelines, specify the criteria under which a CA needs to be successfully audited before issuing EV SSL Certificates. The audits are repeated yearly to ensure the integrity of the issuance process.

EV SSL are designed to provide a higher standard of assurance for visitors to authenticate the business behind the domain. The green HTTPS address bar is exclusive to EV SSL certificates and reassures website visitors that they are interacting with a verified business on a secured domain.