When your SSL certificate is issued, we send an email to let you know. What happens next depends on where your site is hosted and the options you chose when you bought the certificate.

If you chose web hosting, Website Builder or Online Store will take care of everything for you. If you host your website with another company or use our VPS or Dedicated Servers, learn more here.

To install an SSL certificate on Parallels Plesk Panel, cPanel and Microsoft IIS, please look here.

SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. It might sound complex, but it's really not. SSL certificates validate your website's identity, and encrypt the information visitors send to, or receive from, your site. This keeps thieves from spying on exchanges between you and your shoppers.

When you have an SSL certificate protecting your website, your customers can rest assured that the information they enter on any secured page is private and can't be viewed by cyber crooks. GoDaddy makes it easy to install your certificate and secure your server.

For more information, see Defining SSL Certificates.

GoDaddy SSL certificates inspire trust and show visitors that you value their privacy. An SSL certificate protects your customers' sensitive information such as their name, address, password, or credit card number by encrypting the data during transmission from their computer to your web server. SSL is the standard for web security, and a server certificate is required by most merchant account services – you'll need one if you plan to accept credit cards on your website.

For more information, see How does an SSL certificate work?

How you build your website is entirely up to you. In fact, most basic secure websites can be hand-coded using HTML.

When a visitor enters an SSL-protected page on your website, their browser bar displays a padlock icon and the https:// prefix in the URL address. While most Internet users know to look for those SSL indicators, you can also add a site seal to your website to show visitors your site is verified and secured. Visitors can click the seal to view your certificate's status and details, seeing for themselves that it's safe to send sensitive information to your website.

For more information, see Verifying a Certificate's Validity on Your Computer.

All SSL-protected sites display the https:// prefix in the URL address bar. Sites protected with a Premium EV SSL certificate display a green browser bar to quickly assure visitors that the organization's legal and physical existence was verified according to strict industry standards.

GoDaddy's Premium EV SSL certificate involves the most extensive vetting process. We verify the control of the domain and legitimacy of your company by validating the legal name, address, phone number and other business information. The process takes about 30 days, but we've got you covered during that time. EV SSL certificates come with a free Standard SSL to use during the vetting process, so you can keep your transactions secure while you wait.

For more information, see What are the advantages of a Premium Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate for your business?

For one thing, our SSL certificates cover unlimited secure servers. They support up to 2048-bit encryption and they're recognized by all of the major desktop and mobile browsers on the market. Plus, they're backed by the industry's best 24/7 phone service and support. There's absolutely no technical difference between GoDaddy SSL certificates and those offered by other companies – they simply cost less. Is it any wonder we're the largest provider of net new SSL certificates in the world?

For more information, see What is the encryption strength of your SSL certificates?

Answer these questions to help find the SSL certificate you need:

1. Where are you located?

   Our certificates are issued worldwide with a few exceptions. Check this list to see if you're covered.

2. Do you have a business or personal website?

   Unless you sell things on your personal website, a Standard SSL certificate (DV) is fine. This is also true for informational business sites. eCommerce websites should use a single-domain Standard SSL certificate (DV) or Premium SSL certificate (EV).

3. Which type of web hosting server do you use?

   Our SSL certificates work on most hosting and server configurations. To protect multiple domains on Microsoft’s Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2010 or Live® Communications Server, use a Multiple Domain UCC SSL.

4. How many different domains do you need to protect?

   Wildcard SSL certificates cover multiple subdomains. For example, use a Wildcard to protect *.coolexample.com, which would cover shop.coolexample.com, www.coolexample.com and any other subdomains.

   UCC SSL certificates will cover multiple domains, subdomains and websites. For example, you can secure www.coolexample.com, mail.coolexample.com, and www.awesomeexample.com.

5. Do you need an SSL certificate that supports Intel vPro technology for remote PC management?

   You’ll need our OV Deluxe certificate.

A Standard SSL (DV) usually takes 5 minutes or less. A Deluxe SSL (OV) takes 3-5 business days, because we’re validating not just domain ownership but also the existence of the organization or business on the SSL application.

For Premium (EV) certificates, there is an extensive vetting process that starts with an in-depth application. Before you start, pull together details about your business, such as registration number, incorporation or registration agent and any relevant jurisdiction information.

This depends on the software you use on your web server. Learn more

To learn how to generate a CSR on Plesk Panel, cPanel and Microsoft IIS, please look here.

A Unified Communications Certificate (UCC) is an SSL certificate that secures multiple domain names as well as multiple host names within a domain name. A UCC SSL certificate lets you secure a primary domain name and up to 99 additional Subject Alternative Names (SANs) with a single SSL certificate. For example you can use a UCC to protect www.domains1.com, www.domains2.net and www.domains3.org.

UCCs are compatible with shared hosting and ideal for Microsoft^® Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2010, and Microsoft Live^® Communications Server. However, the site seal and certificate "Issued To" information will only list the primary domain name. Please note that any secondary hosting accounts will be listed in the certificate as well, so if you do not want sites to appear 'connected' to each other, you should not use this type of certificate.

A Wildcard SSL certificate protects your primary domain, and an unlimited number of its subdomains. For example, a single Wildcard certificate can secure both www.coolexample.com and blog.coolexample.com.

Wildcard certificates secure the common name and all subdomains at the level you specify when you submit your SSL request.

Depending on how your website is configured, you might want to use something other than a single-domain SSL certificate.

• Wildcard SSL certificates cover all of a domain name’s subdomains. For example, you can secure *.coolexample.com, which would cover shop.coolexample.com, www.coolexample.com and any other subdomains.

• UCC SSL certificates can cover multiple subdomains, unique domain names and websites. For example, you can secure www.coolexample.com, mail.coolexample.com and www.awesomeexample.com.