Buying a DSC is only half the job
A new Digital Signature Certificate will not work on a government portal until you **register** it there. Registration links your certificate to your account on that specific site. You do it once per portal.
The general pattern
Every portal follows roughly the same steps:
- Log in to the portal with your own account.
- Find the *Register DSC* / *Update DSC* / *Digital Signature* section.
- Plug in your token and make sure the signer utility is running.
- Select your Class 3 certificate and enter the token PIN.
- Submit — the certificate is now tied to your account.
Income Tax e-Filing
Register your DSC under your profile so you can sign returns, audit reports and other forms. The name on the certificate must match the registered user or authorised signatory.
GST portal
An **authorised signatory** registers their DSC to sign registrations, returns and other submissions on behalf of the business. If the signatory changes, the new person registers their own certificate.
MCA (V3)
Directors and authorised signatories register their DSC on the MCA portal to file forms and annual returns. A fresh association is often needed after renewal.
When registration fails
- Check the certificate has not expired.
- Make sure the signer utility is running before you start.
- Confirm the name and PAN on the certificate match the account.
- Try the browser the portal recommends, restarted.
Authorised signatory, explained
An authorised signatory is the person legally permitted to sign for an organisation. Their individual Class 3 certificate is what the portal checks — so it must be registered under the right role.