Order Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)

POST https://www.digicert.com/services/v2/order/certificate/vmc_basic

Use this endpoint to request or renew an order for a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). To renew a certificate, you must place the request from the same account used to order the original certificate.

When you create an order for a VMC certificate, you can include the logo in your order request. To submit a logo with your order request:

Format the data for your SVG logo as a compressed, base64-encoded string.
For example, in a bash shell, run this command:
```
echo '<XML content for your SVG logo>' | gzip | base64
```
In the JSON payload, submit the string containing the encoded logo data as the value of the vmc.logo parameter.

Required logo information

Before DigiCert can issue your VMC certificate:

Registered trademarks
You must assign a logo, trademark country, and trademark registration number to the VMC order.
Government marks
You must assign a logo to the VMC order. You must also assign information about the entity and law, statute, or citation that grants you rights to use the logo.

You do not need this information to create the order. You can add this information to the order after the order is pending. DigiCert will contact you for any missing information required to issue the certificate.

Example requests and responses

Example 1. cURL

curl --request POST 'https://www.digicert.com/services/v2/order/certificate/vmc_basic' \
--header 'X-DC-DEVKEY: {{api_key}}' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
  "certificate": {
    "dns_names": [
        "example.com"
    ]
  },
  "vmc": {
    "logo": {{compressed_base64_encoded_svg_logo}},
    "enable_hosting": true,
    "mark_type": "registered_mark",
    "mark_type_data": {
      "country_code": "us",
      "registration_number": "A1234-B1234"
    }
  },
  "organization": {
    "id": {{organization_id}},
    "contacts": [
      {
        "contact_type": "verified_contact",
        "first_name": "First",
        "last_name": "Last",
        "telephone": "123-456-7890",
        "job_title": "Project Manager",
        "email": "first.last@example.com"
      }
    ]
  },
  "order_validity": {
    "years": 1
  },
  "payment_method": "balance"
}'

Example 2. 201 Created (one-step)

{
  "id": 144457095,
  "requests": [
    {
      "id": 11963702,
      "status": "pending"
    }
  ]
}

Example 3. 201 Created (two-step)

{
  "id": 144457092,
  "requests": [
    {
      "id": 11963700,
      "status": "submitted"
    }
  ]
}

Example 4. 201 Created (auto)

{
  "id": 144457096,
  "requests": [
    {
      "id": 11963703,
      "status": "approved"
    }
  ],
  "domains": [
    {
      "id": 3612638,
      "name": "example.com",
      "dns_name": "example.com"
    }
  ],
  "certificate_id": 145451175
}

Example 5. 201 Created (skip)

{
  "id": 144457097,
  "domains": [
    {
      "id": 3612638,
      "name": "example.com",
      "dns_name": "example.com"
    }
  ],
  "certificate_id": 145451176
}

Request parameters

Notice

For information about allowed values for certificate fields, see Publicly Trusted Certificates – Data Entries that Violate Industry Standards.

Name	Req/Opt	Type	Description
certificate	required	object	Object with certificate details.
.. dns_names	optional	array	List of domains to be secured. Ordering a certificate for multiple domains can result in additional costs.
vmc	optional	object	Object with logo data for a Verified Mark Certificate. If you submit an order request for a Verified Mark Certificate without including logo data, you must add this data to the order before DigiCert can issue the certificate. To update this information on an existing order, use the following endpoints: Update VMC order Upload VMC logo (SVG) Upload VMC logo (encoded) Note: Your VMC order request may include a logo that already exists in your account for another VMC order. If the existing logo is pending approval, we update all pending VMC orders that use the logo with the data from the new order request. If the new order request does not include logo data, the logo on the new order inherits the data that already exists for the logo. If the existing logo is approved, any logo data in the new order request should match the data for the existing approved logo. Otherwise, the API returns an error.
.. logo	conditional	string	Compressed logo file, formatted as a base64-encoded string. To see if a logo is formatted correctly: Validate VMC logo format (SVG) Validate VMC logo format (encoded) Note: A `logo` is required in requests that include other logo information (`mark_type_data`).
.. enable_hosting	optional	bool	If true, DigiCert hosts the image and certificate files. Otherwise, false (default). When image and certificate file hosting is enabled, the Order info endpoint returns the location of the hosted files in the `hosted_logo_location` and `hosted_cert_location` response parameters. Learn more about VMC image and file hosting.
.. mark_type	optional	string	Mark type. Allowed values: `registered_mark` (default, registered trademarks) and `government_mark` (government marks).
.. mark_type_data	optional	object	Object with details about the logo the certificate secures.
.. .. country_code	conditional	string	Two-letter country code. For government marks, identifies the country or region that grants you rights to use the logo. For registered trademarks, identifies the country or region where the logo is registered. For government marks, when you provide a `citation` value, you must also provide a `country_code`. Allowed values: See Glossary – Trademark offices and country codes for VMC logos
.. .. state_province	optional	string	For government marks, state or province that grants you the rights to use the logo. Ignored for registered trademarks.
.. .. locality	optional	string	For government marks, the locality that grants you the rights to use the logo. Ignored for registered trademarks.
.. .. citation	optional	string	For government marks, identifier for the law, statute, or citation that grants you the rights to use the logo. Ignored for registered trademarks.
.. .. registration_number	optional	string	For registered trademarks, the trademark registration number for the logo. Ignored for government marks.
.. trademark_country_code Deprecated^*	optional	string	Two-letter code for the country or region where the logo is trademarked. Allowed values: See Glossary – Trademark offices and country codes for VMC logos *^Deprecated**: DigiCert has deprecated the `trademark_country_code` request parameter. Use `mark_type_data.country_code`, instead. Learn more about this change.
.. trademark_registration_number Deprecated^*	optional	string	Trademark registration number of the logo. *^Deprecated**: DigiCert has deprecated the `trademark_registration_number` request parameter. Use `mark_type_data.registration_number`, instead. Learn more about this change.
renewed_thumbprint	optional^*	string	If order is a renewal, enter the SHA-1 thumbprint of the previous order's primary certificate. For more information, see How to check a certificate's thumbprint. ^*Renewal orders must include either a `renewed_thumbprint` or `renewal_of_order_id` value.
order_validity	required	object	Object that defines the validity period of the order. DigiCert offers Multi-year Plan support for VMC certificates. When you submit an order request for a VMC certificate, the order validity determines the duration of coverage you want for the Multi-year Plan (up to three years). When the active certificate for the Multi-year Plan is about to expire, you reissue the certificate to maintain your coverage. Note: DigiCert does not support custom certificate validity periods for VMC certificates. Instead, DigiCert issues VMC certificates using the maximum certificate validity allowed by industry standards. This means: If a VMC order is valid for 1 year, the certificate is valid for 1 year. If a VMC order is valid for 2-3 years, the validity period of the first certificate issued for the order is 397 days. Each time you reissue a certificate for a VMC Multi-year Plan, the validity period of the reissued certificate defaults to 397 days or the validity period remaining on the order, whichever is shorter.
.. years	required	int	Number of years the order is valid. Range: `1`-`3`
comments	optional	string	Comments about the order for the administrator or approver reviewing the order request. The `comments` value is stored on the order `request`. If the order skips the approval step (`skip_approval` is set to `true`), any provided `comments` value is ignored since CertCentral creates the order directly without creating a corresponding `request`.
auto_renew	optional	int	Specify if the certificate should automatically renew. Allowed values: `0` (disabled) or `1` (enabled) Default: `0`
custom_renewal_message	optional	string	Custom message to be included in renewal notifications.
disable_renewal_notifications	optional	bool	Specify if renewal notification emails should be disabled. Default: `false`
additional_emails	optional	array	Additional email addresses to receive certificate notification emails (for example, certificate issuance, certificate duplication, certificate renewals, etc.).
locale	optional	string	Language that the DCV email should use. See Glossary – Locale codes.
renewal_of_order_id	optional^*	int	If order is a renewal, enter the previous order's ID. ^*Renewal orders must include either a `renewed_thumbprint` or `renewal_of_order_id` value.
payment_method	optional	string	Payment method for the order. Allowed values: `balance` (default): Pay with account balance. Returns an error if the option to bill to account balance is disabled for the account, or if the account balance has insufficient funds. Learn how to debit purchases against your CertCentral account balance. `profile`: Pay with the account’s default credit card. Returns an error if no default credit card is configured for the account. Learn how to set up a default credit card. `card`: Pay with a new credit card. Requests that use `card` as the payment method must include a `credit_card` and `billing_address` object. Returns an error if the option to pay with a credit card is disabled for the account.
credit_card	conditional	object	Object with information about the credit card charged for the order. Required if `payment_method` is `card`.
.. number	required	string	Credit card number.
.. expiration_month	required	integer	Credit card expiration month. Format as a two-digit number between `01` (Jan) and `12` (Dec).
.. expiration_year	required	integer	Credit card expiration year. Format as a four-digit number. For example: `2026`
.. cvv	required	integer	Card verification value (CVV). Format as a three- or four-digit number. For example: `333` or `4444`
.. cardholder_name	required	string	Cardholder’s first and last name.
billing_address	conditional	object	Object with information about the billing address. Required if `payment_method` is `card`.
.. address	required	string	Billing street address.
.. address2	optional	string	Continuation of street address.
.. city	required	string	Billing city.
.. state	conditional	string	Billing state or province. Optional for some countries.
.. country	required	string	Billing country.
.. zip	conditional	string	Billing zip or postal code. Optional for some countries.
vat_number	optional	string	If the payment method is `card` (new credit card) or `profile` (default credit card), use the `vat_number` request parameter to set a value-added tax (VAT) or goods and services tax (GST) identification number for the order transaction. DigiCert includes this number on the transaction receipt as a reference for your financial records. If omitted, DigiCert uses the VAT/GST number from the finance settings for the CertCentral account. If the VAT/GST number is absent from both the order request and account settings, DigiCert doesn't store a VAT/GST number for the transaction. Note DigiCert only stores a VAT/GST number for credit card transactions. For orders using other payment methods, the `vat_number` request parameter is ignored. VAT/GST numbers are not supported for DigiCert USA and DigiCert Japan billing entities. If the billing entity for the account is DigiCert, Inc. (US) or DigiCert Japan G.K. (Japan), the `vat_number` parameter is ignored, and DigiCert doesn't store a VAT/GST number for the transaction. To learn more about your account's billing entity, contact your account manager.
dcv_method	optional	string	DCV method to use when verifying domain control. See Glossary – DCV methods.
skip_approval	optional	bool	Specify if the order should skip the approval step and be immediately submitted for validation and issued when complete. Default: `false`
organization_contact	optional	object	Organization contact for the order. Include this object at the root of the request body to create the order with a different organization contact than the one assigned to the `organization` on the request. If omitted, the order uses the same organization contact assigned to the `organization`. Note: The order-level `organization_contact` is only used on the order. It does not replace the organization contact assigned to the `organization` on the request.
.. first_name	required	string	Contact first name.
.. last_name	required	string	Contact last name.
.. email	required	string	Contact email address.
.. job_title	optional	string	Contact job title.
.. telephone	optional	string	Contact telephone number.
.. telephone_extension	optional	string	Telephone extension.
technical_contact	optional	object	Technical contact for the order. Include this object at the root of the request body to create the order with a different technical contact than the one assigned to the `organization` on the request. If omitted, the order uses the same technical contact assigned to the `organization`. Note: The order-level `technical_contact` is only used on the order. It does not replace the technical contact assigned to the `organization` on the request.
.. first_name	required	string	Contact first name.
.. last_name	required	string	Contact last name.
.. email	required	string	Contact email address.
.. job_title	optional	string	Contact job title.
.. telephone	optional	string	Contact telephone number.
.. telephone_extension	optional	string	Telephone extension.
organization	required	object	Object with information about the organization to associate with the request. You can associate the request with an existing organization, or you can create a new organization when you submit the order request. To associate the request with an existing organization, pass the ID of the organization as the value of `organization.id` in the body of your request. To create a new organization, include the details of the organization in the `organization` object. For more information about the structure and required parameters of the `organization` object, see the Create organization documentation. Note: When you submit an order with organization details instead of providing an organization ID, we check the organizations that already exist in your account to avoid creating a duplicate. If we find one matching organization, we automatically associate the order with that organization instead of creating a new one. If we find two or more matching organizations, we automatically associate the order with the oldest matching organization in your account instead of creating a new one. To override this behavior and force the request to create a new organization, set the `organization.skip_duplicate_org_check` parameter to `true` in the body of your request. Important: When you want to associate an order with an existing organization, we recommend always using the ID of the organization instead of the organization's details in the body of your request. To get the ID values for organizations in your account, use the List organizations endpoint. Additionally, we recommend deactivating unused organizations to ensure they are never accidentally assigned to a new order request. To deactivate an organization, use the Deactivate organization endpoint.
.. id	conditional^*	int	The ID of an existing organization to associate with the order. To get the ID of organizations in your account, use the List organizations endpoint. ^*Requests that do not include organization details must include an organization ID.
.. skip_duplicate_org_check	optional	bool	Use `true` to skip the check for duplicate organizations in your account. When you skip this check, you force the request to create a new organization, regardless of whether the details you provide in the request match the details of an organization that already exists in your account. Default: `false`
.. contacts	conditional	array	List of contacts for the organization. When creating a new organization: For VMC certificates, providing a `verified_contact` is required. Providing an `organization_contact` is conditional. An `organization_contact` is required if the request is from a service user. If omitted, the organization is created and the authenticated user is used as the organization contact. Providing a `technical_contact` is optional. If omitted, the organization is created with no technical contact. When using an existing organization ID: Providing an `organization_contact` and `technical_contact` is optional. If provided, the new organization and technical contact replace the existing contacts stored on the organization. For VMC certificates, providing a `verified_contact` is optional if the organization has already been submitted for the corresponding validation type. For VMC certificates, providing a `verified_contact` is required if the organization has never been submitted for the corresponding validation type. Note: By default, DigiCert creates the order with the organization contact and technical contact (if one exists) assigned to the `organization` on the request. To create the order with a different organization or technical contact than those assigned to the `organization`, include the `organization_contact` or `technical_contact` object at the root of the request payload.
.. .. contact_type	required	string	Contact type. Allowed values:`organization_contact`, `technical_contact`, `verified_contact` (formerly `ev_approver`^) ^Note: To identify a verified contact for the organization, use `verified_contact` instead of `ev_approver`. While the API still accepts order requests that use `ev_approver` to identify verified contacts, `ev_approver` is a legacy label chosen when the only DigiCert products that required verified contacts were EV TLS/SSL certificates. Both contact type labels (`verified_contact` and `ev_approver`) have the same meaning, but `verified_contact` uses generalized terminology applicable to every product that requires a verified contact.
.. .. user_id	required^*	int	ID of existing user for the account. ^*Can be omitted if adding a new contact.
.. .. first_name	optional	string	First name of the new contact. Note: Required when omitting `user_id`. If `user_id` is not omitted, the specified user's information will be updated with the new value.
.. .. last_name	optional	string	Last name of the new contact. Note: Required when omitting `user_id`. If `user_id` is not omitted, the specified user's information will be updated with the new value.
.. .. job_title	optional	string	Job title of the new contact. Note: Required when omitting `user_id`. If `user_id` is not omitted, the specified user's information will be updated with the new value.
.. .. telephone	optional	string	Telephone number of the new contact. Note: Required when omitting `user_id`. If `user_id` is not omitted, the specified user's information will be updated with the new value.
.. .. email	optional	string	Email address of the new contact. Note: Required when omitting `user_id`. If `user_id` is not omitted, the specified user's information will be updated with the new value.
container	optional	object	If needed, specify the container the order should be placed under.
.. id	required	int	Container ID.
custom_fields	optional^*	array	Account-specific custom fields. ^*Whether or not these fields are required depends on your custom field settings.
.. metadata_id	required	int	Custom field ID.
.. value	required	string	Value for the custom field. Data validation type depends on your custom field settings.
alternative_order_id	optional	string	A custom alphanumeric ID to assign the order. To see the `alternative_order_id` assigned to an order, use the Order info endpoint. Alternative order IDs do not replace the unique order ID that DigiCert assigns each order request. You cannot use alternative order IDs to search for or identify orders in API calls that require an `order_id` parameter in the URL path or request body. If the Require unique alternative order IDs option is enabled in your account settings, you cannot submit order requests with an alternative order ID that is already assigned to an order in your account. Use this feature to enable nonce order requests, or to prevent your integration from creating duplicate orders in cases where you do not receive a response from the API. Account administrators can toggle this option from the CertCentral console. From the Settings > Preferences page, open the Advanced Settings menu, and look for the Alternative order ID option. This parameter is always optional, even if the Require unique alternative order IDs option is enabled in your account. If a request does not use this parameter, no `alternative_order_id` value is assigned to the order. Maximum length: 64 characters Note: The Require unique alternative order IDs option may not appear in the advanced settings menu for all CertCentral accounts. To enable this option for your account, contact your account manager or our Support team.

Response parameters

Name	Type	Description
id	int	Order ID.
domains	array	List of objects with details about the domains in your account that are submitted for validation with the certificate order request. You must have an active validation for the domains in this array to prove you control the SANs on the order.
.. id	int	Domain ID of the domain in your account.
.. name	int	Name of the domain in your account.
.. dns_name	string	A SAN from the order request. To prove you control this domain, you must have an active validation for the domain associated with the `domains[].name` and `domains[].id` key/value pairs.
.. dcv_token	object	Object with details about the domain control validation (DCV) token for the domain. Not returned when using email as the DCV method. Note: The `dcv_token` object is not returned for domains that will be validated under the scope of another domain on the order, for domains that already exist in your account, or for subdomains of existing domains. For example, if you request a certificate to secure the newly created domains `example.com`, `www.example.com`, and `subdomain.example.com`, the response only includes a `dcv_token` object for `example.com`. To get the DCV token for an existing domain, use the Domain info endpoint.
.. .. token	string	Random value used to prove control over the domain.
.. .. status	string	Status of the domain validation process.
.. .. expiration_date	string	Timestamp of when the token will expire. Format: UTC timezone and ISO 8601 date
.. .. verification_value	string	Value for the DNS record target host field. Only returned if the DCV method is `dns-cname-token`.
.. .. http_token_url	string	Filename and location for the .txt file. Only returned if the DCV method is `http-token`.
requests	array	Contains information about the request.
.. id	int	Request ID.
.. status	string	Request status. Possible values: `pending`, `submitted`, `approved`, `rejected`
certificate_id	int	Certificate ID. Returned if request status is `approved`.
vmc	object	Object with VMC details.
.. logo_id	int	ID of the VMC logo on the order. Only returned when the logo in the request matches an existing VMC logo. When the logo matches an existing logo, we use the existing logo for the order instead of uploading a duplicate image.