Trustico® has compiled the following information based on common questions we receive from customers. This page covers general questions about SSL Certificates, ordering, payments, choosing the right product and our services.
If you have a technical question about Certificate Signing Requests (CSR), installation or error messages, please visit our Technical Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. Explore Our Technical FAQ 🔗
If you have a question which has not been answered on this page, you can use the Ask Trustico® Assistant service for immediate help or browse our extensive library of educational articles. Explore Our Blog Articles 🔗
Understanding SSL Encryption
The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol is the web standard for encrypting communications between users and SSL e-commerce sites. Data sent via an SSL connection is protected by encryption, a mechanism that prevents eavesdropping and tampering with any transmitted data. SSL provides businesses and consumers with the confidence that private data sent to a website, such as credit card numbers, are kept confidential.
SSL Certificates are required to initialize an SSL session. Customers know when they have an SSL session with their browser displaying the padlock icon and the address bar beginning with HTTPS rather than HTTP.
SSL Certificates can be used on web servers for internet security and mail servers such as Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) for e-mail collection and sending security. SSL Certificates are usually used to protect information while it is being entered into an online form, securing e-mail communications, servers and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) connections.
Choosing the Right SSL Certificate
Selecting the appropriate SSL Certificate for your needs depends on several factors including the level of validation required, the number of domains you need to secure and your budget. Trustico® offers a range of SSL Certificate products to suit every requirement.
Comparing Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV)
Domain Validation (DV) SSL Certificates verify only that you control the domain name. These SSL Certificates are issued quickly, often within minutes, and are ideal for blogs, personal websites and small businesses that need basic encryption. Learn About Domain Validation (DV) SSL Certificates 🔗
Organization Validation (OV) SSL Certificates require verification of your organization's identity in addition to domain control. The Certificate Authority (CA) will verify your business details before issuance, providing visitors with greater confidence that your organization is legitimate. Learn About Organization Validation (OV) SSL Certificates 🔗
Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates provide the highest level of trust and require the most rigorous validation process. The Certificate Authority (CA) will thoroughly verify your organization's legal, physical and operational existence.
Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates are recommended for e-commerce sites, financial institutions and any organization that handles sensitive customer data. Learn About Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates 🔗
Comparing Single Site, Wildcard and Multi-Domain SSL Certificates
Single Site SSL Certificates secure one Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) such as www.example.com. These are the most straightforward option when you only need to secure a single website address. View Our Single Site SSL Certificates 🔗
Wildcard SSL Certificates secure a domain and all its sub domains at one level. For example, a Wildcard SSL Certificate for *.example.com would secure www.example.com, mail.example.com, shop.example.com and any other sub domain. This provides excellent value when you have multiple sub domains to secure. View Our Wildcard SSL Certificates 🔗
Multi-Domain SSL Certificates, also known as Subject Alternative Name (SAN) or Unified Communications Certificate (UCC) SSL Certificates, can secure multiple different domain names with a single SSL Certificate. This is ideal for organizations managing several websites or Microsoft Exchange and Office Communications servers. View Our Multi-Domain SSL Certificates 🔗
Choosing the Right SSL Certificate for Your Needs
For personal websites, blogs or small sites where basic encryption is sufficient, a Domain Validation (DV) SSL Certificate provides fast and affordable protection. If you operate a business website where customers need to verify your organization's identity, an Organization Validation (OV) SSL Certificate is recommended.
For e-commerce, banking or any site handling financial transactions, an Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate provides the highest level of customer trust.
If you are unsure which SSL Certificate is right for your needs, you can use the Ask Trustico® Assistant service for personalized guidance or browse our product comparison pages to find the most appropriate product. View Our Why Choose Trustico® 🔗
Ordering and Account Questions
Trustico® has designed the ordering process to be as simple and straightforward as possible. This section answers common questions about placing orders and managing your account.
Placing an Order
You can place an order directly through the Trustico® website by selecting your desired SSL Certificate product and following the checkout process. You will need to provide your domain name and contact details, generate or provide a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and complete the validation process. View Our SSL Certificate Products 🔗
Tracking Your Order
Trustico® provides a comprehensive order tracking system where you can view the status of your SSL Certificate order, resend validation e-mails, download your issued SSL Certificate and access important order information. You can access order tracking using your order reference number and the e-mail address used during purchase. View Our Order Tracking System 🔗
SSL Certificate Issuance Timeframes
If you need an SSL Certificate right away, the Trustico® online ordering system ensures that Domain Validation (DV) SSL Certificates can be issued within a matter of minutes once validation is completed.
Organization Validation (OV) SSL Certificates typically take one to three business days as additional verification is required. Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates require the most thorough validation and typically take three to five business days. Learn About The Validation Procedure 🔗
Payment and Pricing Questions
Trustico® offers flexible payment options and competitive pricing on all SSL Certificate products. This section covers common questions about payments, taxes and our pricing policies.
Accepted Payment Methods
Trustico® accepts a variety of payment methods including major credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express. We also accept PayPal and bank transfers for larger orders. Enterprise customers may be eligible for purchase order arrangements. Learn About Payment Options 🔗
Purchase Order Facilities
Yes, Trustico® accepts purchase orders from qualified business and enterprise customers. Purchase order facilities are available for organizations that require this payment method for procurement purposes. Learn About Purchase Order Information 🔗
VAT and GST Charges
Value Added Tax (VAT) may apply to customers in certain jurisdictions including the United Kingdom and European Union member states. Trustico® will add the appropriate VAT to your order based on your location. Business customers with a valid VAT number may be eligible for VAT exemption. Learn About VAT Information 🔗
Goods and Services Tax (GST) may apply to customers in Australia. Trustico® will add the appropriate GST to your order if you are located in Australia. Learn About GST Information 🔗
Price Promise Guarantee
Yes, Trustico® offers a price promise on SSL Certificate products. If you find a lower price for the same SSL Certificate product from another authorized reseller, Trustico® will do its best to match or beat that price. Full details of the price promise and how to submit a claim are available on the dedicated page. Learn About Our Price Promise 🔗
Special Deals and Promotions
Trustico® regularly offers special deals and promotions on SSL Certificate products. If you have been provided with a coupon code or you have found one online, feel free to use it.
Prepaid Credit Explained
Trustico® Prepaid Credit allows you to purchase credit in advance which can then be used to buy SSL Certificates and services. This is particularly useful for resellers, web developers and organizations that purchase SSL Certificates regularly. Prepaid credit often provides additional savings compared to individual purchases. Learn About Prepaid Credit 🔗
Renewals, Reissues and Refunds
Trustico® makes it easy to manage your SSL Certificates throughout their lifecycle. This section covers questions about renewing, reissuing and refunding SSL Certificates.
Renewing Your SSL Certificate
SSL Certificates have a maximum validity period and must be renewed before they expire to maintain continuous protection for your website.
Trustico® will attempt to send renewal reminder e-mails before your SSL Certificate expires, however it is advisable to set a calendar reminder or use internal monitoring systems to keep track of your SSL Certificates. You can replace your SSL Certificate through our website. Learn About SSL Certificate Renewals 🔗
SSL Certificate Reissues
Yes, SSL Certificates can be reissued during their validity period if needed. Common reasons for reissuing include changing your web server, losing your Private Key or needing to update the domains covered by your SSL Certificate.
Trustico® provides free reissues for SSL Certificates during their validity period. If you have purchased Issuance Insurance, you are covered for unlimited reissues. Learn About SSL Certificate Reissues 🔗
Refund Policy
Trustico® offers a 30 day refund policy on SSL Certificate purchases. If you are not satisfied with your SSL Certificate for any reason within 30 days of purchase, you may request a full refund. Certain conditions apply, so please review our refund policy for full details. Learn About Our Refund Policy 🔗
Validation Process
Before an SSL Certificate can be issued, the Certificate Authority (CA) must validate that you have the right to use the domain name and, for higher validation levels, verify your organization's identity. This section explains the validation options available.
Available Validation Methods
Domain Validation (DV) SSL Certificates can be validated using several methods. E-mail validation sends an approval e-mail to an authorized e-mail address associated with the domain. File Based Authentication requires you to place a specific file on your web server. Domain Name System (DNS) validation requires you to create a specific DNS record for your domain. Learn About The Validation Procedure 🔗
File Based Authentication Explained
File Based Authentication is a validation method where you download a specific text file from Trustico® and upload it to a designated location on your web server. The Certificate Authority (CA) will then access this file to verify that you control the domain.
This method is useful when you do not have access to domain e-mail addresses or cannot modify DNS records. Learn About File Based Authentication 🔗
Approved E-Mail Addresses for Validation
For e-mail validation, the approval e-mail can be sent to authorized e-mail addresses including admin@, administrator@, hostmaster@, postmaster@ and webmaster@ at your domain.
It is essential that you have access to one of these e-mail addresses before ordering your SSL Certificate. Learn About E-Mail Address Handling 🔗
Wildcard SSL Certificates
Wildcard SSL Certificates provide a cost effective solution for securing multiple sub domains on a single domain name. This section answers common questions about Wildcard SSL Certificates.
Wildcard SSL Certificates Explained
Wildcard SSL Certificates can be used to secure multiple sub domains on a single domain name. A Wildcard SSL Certificate issued for *.example.com would secure www.example.com, mail.example.com, shop.example.com and any other sub domain at that level.
This allows websites to conduct secure e-commerce with an encrypted SSL connection at a fraction of the cost of purchasing individual SSL Certificates for each sub domain. Discover Our Wildcard SSL Certificate Options 🔗
The Trustico® Wildcard SSL Certificate solution is the most affordable option available, offering great value while remaining highly competitive within the SSL market. View Our Trustico® Wildcard SSL Certificate 🔗
Securing Multiple Domains with One SSL Certificate
An SSL Certificate is issued to a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN). This means that an SSL Certificate issued to "secure.domain.com" cannot be used on different sub domains such as "www.domain.com". Wildcard SSL Certificates address this limitation by allowing you to secure multiple sub domains on the same domain name, saving you time and money while reducing management overhead.
For securing entirely different domain names such as example.com and example.org, Trustico® offers Multi-Domain SSL Certificates which can secure multiple distinct domains with a single SSL Certificate. Explore Our Multi-Domain SSL Certificate Options 🔗
Certificate Authority (CA) and Root SSL Certificates
Understanding how Certificate Authorities (CA) and Root SSL Certificates work helps explain why SSL Certificates from trusted providers are essential for website security.
Single Root SSL Certificates Explained
Some Certificate Authorities (CA) do not have a Trusted Root Certificate Authority (CA) Certificate present in browsers, or do not use a root that they own, and use a Chained Root in order for their SSL Certificates to be trusted.
Essentially a Certificate Authority (CA) with a Trusted Root Certificate Authority (CA) Certificate issues a Chained SSL Certificate which inherits the browser recognition of the Trusted Root Certificate Authority (CA). These SSL Certificates are known as Chained Root SSL Certificates. Learn About Chained SSL Certificates 🔗
Most SSL Certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CA) who own and use their own Trusted Root Certificate Authority (CA) Certificates. Some newer SSL Certificates such as Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates may contain a Chained SSL Certificate, however Trustico® will only provide Chained SSL Certificates when the Certificate Authority (CA) owns the Root SSL Certificate associated with it.
The Importance of Certificate Authority (CA) Stability
For a Certificate Authority (CA) to have and use its own Trusted Root Certificate Authority (CA) Certificate already present in browsers is a clear sign that they are long time, stable and credible organizations who have long term relationships with the browser vendors such as Microsoft, Mozilla and other major providers for the inclusion of their Trusted Root Certificate Authority (CA) Certificates.
For this reason, such Certificate Authorities (CA) are seen as being considerably more credible and stable than Chained Root SSL Certificate providers who do not have a direct relationship with the browser vendors, or do not use their own Root SSL Certificates to issue SSL Certificates.
Browser Compatibility and Ubiquity
SSL Certificates must be recognized and trusted by web browsers to function correctly. This section explains browser compatibility and ubiquity.
Compatible Browser Versions
Trustico® SSL Certificates are compatible with virtually all modern web browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari and Opera. Our SSL Certificates also support older browsers including Internet Explorer 5.01 and above. Our SSL Certificates have 99.9% browser ubiquity, meaning they will be trusted by almost all internet users. Learn About Browser Ubiquity 🔗
Browser Ubiquity and Recognition Explained
Browser ubiquity is the term used in the industry to describe the estimated percentage of internet users that will inherently trust an SSL Certificate. The lower the browser ubiquity, the fewer people will trust your SSL Certificate. If you are operating a commercial site you require as many people as possible to trust your SSL Certificate.
As a general rule, any SSL Certificate with over 95% browser ubiquity is acceptable for a commercial site. Ubiquity is however not the only consideration in deciding whether one SSL Certificate is better than another. Many companies running high transaction volume websites need to maximize customer confidence and therefore purchase SSL Certificates from well known, long time security vendors. Learn About Browser Ubiquity and Compatibility 🔗
Support and Services
Trustico® provides comprehensive support and additional services to help you get the most from your SSL Certificate purchase.
Installation Assistance
Yes, Trustico® offers a Premium Installation service where our technical team will install your SSL Certificate on your server for you. This service is ideal for customers who are not comfortable with the technical aspects of SSL Certificate installation or who simply want the convenience of having an expert handle the process. Learn About Premium Installation 🔗
SSL Certificate Warranty Coverage
SSL Certificates from Trustico® include a warranty that provides financial protection in the unlikely event that the SSL Certificate is mis-issued or compromised due to a failure by the Certificate Authority (CA).
Warranty amounts vary depending on the SSL Certificate product, with Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates typically offering the highest warranty coverage. Learn About SSL Certificate Warranty 🔗
Issuance Insurance Explained
Issuance Insurance from Trustico® provides additional protection for your SSL Certificate purchase. If you lose your Private Key, need to change your server or require a reissue for any reason, Issuance Insurance ensures you can obtain a replacement SSL Certificate without additional cost during the validity period. Learn About Issuance Insurance 🔗
SSL Certificate Monitoring Services
Yes, Trustico® offers an SSL Certificate monitoring service that automatically checks your SSL Certificate and alerts you before it expires. This helps ensure you never experience a website outage due to an expired SSL Certificate. Monitoring also checks for other SSL Certificate issues that could affect your website security. Learn About SSL Certificate Monitoring 🔗
Free Trial SSL Certificates
Trustico® offers free trial SSL Certificates for customers who want to test our products and services before making a purchase.
Free Trial SSL Certificates Explained
Trustico® free trial SSL Certificates are fully functional test SSL Certificates valid for 30 days. If you need to test your server configuration, evaluate our support quality or assess our issuance speed, our free trial SSL Certificates provide an ideal solution at no cost. Learn About Free Trial SSL Certificates 🔗
Partners and Resellers
Trustico® offers partnership and reseller programs for web developers, hosting companies and other organizations that regularly purchase SSL Certificates on behalf of their clients.
Partner Program
Yes, Trustico® offers a partner program with discounted pricing, dedicated support and additional tools for managing multiple SSL Certificate orders. Partners benefit from wholesale pricing and can offer SSL Certificates to their own customers. Learn About Our Partner Program 🔗
Affiliate Program
Yes, Trustico® offers an affiliate program where you can earn commission by referring customers to purchase SSL Certificates. This is ideal for bloggers, website owners and anyone who can recommend SSL Certificates to their audience. Learn About Our Affiliate Program 🔗
