Chartered Accountant · ICAI M.No. 153926 · FRN 136869W
What a DSC is
A Digital Signature Certificate is the legally-recognised electronic equivalent of a handwritten signature, issued by a licensed certifying authority and stored on a secure USB token. It authenticates the signer’s identity on government and corporate filings, which are entirely paperless.
Why you need it to incorporate
Because MCA forms — SPICe+, the eMOA/eAOA, and later the annual filings — must be signed digitally, every director and subscriber needs a DSC before incorporation can be filed. Designated partners of an LLP need one too. Getting DSCs is usually the first practical step in incorporation. DSCs are valid for one to three years and then renew.
A worked example
Example: two founders incorporating a company each obtain a DSC (with video KYC, in a day or two), which is then used to sign the SPICe+ and the MOA/AOA. The same DSCs sign the company’s future ROC and tax filings, and the DIR-3 KYC each year. An expired DSC stalls filings, so renew before it lapses. Our team can arrange DSCs and use them to incorporate.