Skip to main content

Use the HTTP Practical Demonstration with unique filename DCV method to verify domain control

Demonstrate control over a domain on your TLS/SSL certificate order with HTTP Practical Demonstration with unique filename

Use HTTP Practical Demonstration with unique filename to demonstrate control over a domain on your OV/EV TLS/SSL certificate order. For information about this DCV method and other DCV methods, see Demonstrate control over domains on a pending certificate order.

Validating domains during the certificate order process means certificates can only be issued after you've completed the domain validation. For faster certificate issuance, prevalidate domains when possible. To learn more about domain prevalidation, see Domain prevalidation: Supported DCV methods.

Before you begin

Important

Only use the HTTP Practical Demonstration DCV methods to demonstrate control over fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) exactly as named in the certificate request. To learn more, visit Domain Validation Policy Changes.

Use one of the other supported DCV methods, such as email, DNS TXT, and CNAME, to:

  • Validate wildcard domains (e.g., *.example.com).

  • Include subdomains in the validation when validating a higher-level domain. For example, if you want to cover www.example.com, mail.example.com, and one.example.com when validating the higher-level domain example.com.

  • Prevalidate entire domains and subdomains.

To demonstrate control over your domain, host a file with a unique filename that contains a DigiCert-generated random value (provided for the domain in your CertCentral account) at a predetermined location on your website: http://{domain-name}/.well-known/pki-validation/{unique-filename}.txt.

After you've created the file and placed it on your site, DigiCert visits the specified URL to confirm the presence of our random value. Make sure to avoid the Common mistakes: HTTP Practical Demonstration DCV method.

Use HTTP Practical Demonstration with unique filename to demonstrate control over a domain

  1. In your CertCentral account, go to the order's Order # details page.

    1. In the left main menu, go to Certificate > Orders.

    2. On the Orders page, in the Order # column, locate and select the certificate's order number link.

  2. On the Order #details page, in the Validation in Progress section, check the order's issuance status (is the order waiting on domain or organization validation to be completed?).

    After validation is complete (domains and organization), the Order status section no longer appears on the Order # details page.

  3. Under You Need To, select the domain's link you want to validate.

  4. In the Prove control over domain window, in the DCV Method dropdown, select HTTP Practical Demonstration with unique filename.

  5. Create a .txt file and add the DigiCert-provided random value.

    1. Open a text editor (e.g., Notepad).

    2. In the Order token box, copy your token and paste the random value in text editor.

      The random value expires after 30 days.

    3. Save the .txt file under the DigiCert-provided random filename (e.g., ES3e9203kd0238K3.txt).

  6. Create the .well-known/pki-validation/ directory on your site.

    For Windows-based servers, the .well-known folder must be created via command line (mkdir .well-known).

  7. Place the .txt file on your site under .well-known/pki-validation.

    The URL should look something like this:

    http://[yourdomain]/.well-known/pki-validation/ES3e9203kd0238K3.txt

  8. Complete domain validation

    1. In your CertCentral account, go to the order's Order # details page.

    2. On the Order # details page, in the Validation in Progress section, under You Need To, locate and select the domain link.

    3. In the Prove control over domain window, under 4. Complete domain validation, select Check site.

: