Email-based Domain Validation

Email-based Domain Validation (DV) or Domain Control Validation (DCV)

Email-based Domain Validation is the quickest way to prove domain ownership to the Certifying Authority (CA). The logic for using this method of proving domain ownership is that only the domain owner can access role-based email addresses created with that domain name.

To complete Email DCV you have to select any one out of the following five allowed role-based email addresses for your domain name:

admin@yourdomain.com
administrator@yourdomain.com
hostmaster@yourdomain.com
postmaster@yourdomain.com
webmaster@yourdomain.com

To know the allowed DCV email addresses for your domain name use our free online tool.

This method will not work if you cannot receive/access email sent to the selected email address.

Make sure the selected approver email address exists, is functioning correctly, and you can access email from there. To do this send an email to this email address from another one. Then access the Inbox using webmail or email client and check if you received the email you sent.

certificate enrollment

The CA sends a DCV email directly to the approver email address selected during Certificate Enrollment. Due to this we cannot forward you the link and code to another email address.

The DCV email will contain a link and a validation code. The approver has to open the link in a web browser and enter the code into the form on the web browser.

dcv email choices

The whole process of finding the email in your Inbox/Spam/Junk folder and taking the necessary action takes about 5 minutes.

Troubleshooting Email DCV

If you chose Email-based Domain Control Validation during Certificate Enrollment but haven’t received the DCV email yet. There are a few actions you may take in this case:

  • You may be looking for the DCV email in the wrong Inbox. First, verify which email address you have chosen for the Domain Control Validation email. You can do this by signing-in and visiting your certificate Order Details page.
  • Make sure to check the Spam or Junk Mail folder of your email provider. Sometimes DCV emails may end up there and not be noticed.

If you completed Email DCV using the link and code provided but have still not received the certificate files, you can also download them from your certificate’s Order Details page.