ABCs of digital signature certificate for ITR filing
Posted on: 14/Jul/2018 5:41:30 PM
At the time of filing Income Tax Return online, you verily need digital signature certificate. You can electronically, with ease, wrap up the job of ITR filing when the deadline nears.
DSC – Digital Signature Certificate – what is that?
This is an online signature instead of physical/paper-based ones. This will be helpful for proving individuals’ identity or to gain access to services or information or to digitally sign documents.
What does it include?
- Name of the owner
- Public details
- Respective serial number
- Details of certifying authority
- Digital signature
This is usually obtained as USB token.
According to Section 24 of the Indian IT Act, 2000, only a licensed certifying authority is supposed to issue the digital signature. The charges for the same is subject to the entity that issues DSCs.
Usually, it takes about 3-7 working days. In a few cases, this can be obtained right on the day of submitting required details.
The signature comes with 1-2 years validity period. This is also agreed and accepted by the court of law, according to the provisions of I-T Act, 2000.
Procedure to apply for DSC from the IT department
Below is the procedure
Step 1 – visit the official income tax portal which is www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in. Feed your PAN details and password as required
Step 2 – select ‘Register Digital Signature’ that’s found in Profile menu.
Step 3 – get the DSC Management Utility that you find in the page, and get ZIP folder to access DSC management utility
Step 4 – Get the signature as USB token and continue on with the instructions given
Step 5 – the generated file is to be attached and submitted
How do you upload ITR online with the help of DSC?
Here is how:
- Fill the ITR form completely and have it saved in your hard drive
- Enter the IT department portal and choose submit return
- Opt ‘Yes’ when you are questioned whether to provide digitally signed file
- Now you can use the USB token and produce signature file
- At last you can authenticate e-filing return and complete the entire process
