Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)

A Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) establishes the identity of the sender while filing or sending documents electronically through the internet. Similar to how a handwritten signature establishes the identity and/or consent of the signee in a paper document, a digital signature certificate establishes the identity and/or of the signee in electronic documents. In India, all Government Departments accept digitally signed documents from CCA like eMudhra, Sify, N-Code, etc.

Class 2 or Class 3 Digital signatures with a validity of 2 or 3 years can be purchased online from IndiaFilings through a completely online process. There is no requirement for submitting any documents through courier. IndiaFilings can help you apply for and obtain Class 2 or Class 3 DSC from Certifying Authority like E-Mudhra, Sify or N-Code. All our digital signatures are provided in FIPS compliant ePass USB tokens to protect the signature until the end of validity.

Types of Digital Signatures

Class 2 DSC

Class 2 Digital Signatures are used to verify the identity of a person against a pre-verified database. This type of Digital Signature is used for efiling of documents with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), GST and the Income Tax Department. Class 2 Digital Signatures are issued to a person on a USB token after verifying self-attested copies of identity/address proof and eKYC process completion. It is Class 2 DSC tokens that are used for company registration, LLP registration, IT return filing, GST registration, GST return filing, MCA annual return filing and IE code registration.

Class 3 DSC

Class 3 Digital Signatures are the most secure form of Digital Signature Certificates and are used to establish the identity of the signee in e-commerce and e-tendering. For instance, many of the online e-tenders require auction participants to participate in the bidding using a Class 3 Digital Signature to establish their acceptance of the bid electronically. Class 3 Digital Signatures are issued only after the Registering Authority verifies the identity of the applicant, in-person.

TAN: Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number

The Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN) is required for people who are deducting or collecting tax at source. There is a penalty of Rs.10,000 for not quoting the TAN. Anyone paying a salary or commission is required to get a TAN.

What is TAN?

TAN is Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number. It is a 10 digit alphanumeric number. This number has to be attained by people who are accountable for deducting tax at source or collecting tax at source. It is compulsory to quote your TAN in TDS or TCS return, payment, certificates, Annual Information Return and other documents.

Every person whose taxes are deducted at source or those who collect tax at source are required to obtain TAN. If a person fails to apply for TAN or do not quote the TAN in the specified documents, then the person will get a penalty of Rs.10,000.

An applicant cannot provide their PAN number in the field where TAN is required to be mentioned and both these number serve different purposes. TAN is an unique identification number that is given to those who are deducting or collecting taxes at source on behalf of the Income Tax Department, PAN is an unique number given to assesses that is individuals and companies.

Who can Apply for TAN?

If you are paying salary or a commission to anyone else, you should have TAN. This includes central or state government or a local authority. It can be a statutory or an autonomous body, a company, a branch or a division of a company, individual or a Hindu Undivided Family, sole proprietor, firms, associations of persons or trusts.