GST Portal Rolls Out emSigner 3.3 for New DSC USB Dongles From September 21:

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Department, Government of India, has issued an advisory dated September 19, 2026, regarding the use of emSigner version 3.3 for taxpayers and tax officers who use Digital Signature Certificates (DSCs) on the GST Portal. The new version is being introduced to support compatibility with new USB dongles issued on or after September 21, 2026.

Users whose existing DSCs are valid and whose current USB dongles are working properly as of September 21, 2026, do not need to upgrade immediately. They can continue using their existing version of emSigner. However, if they face signing failures or their DSC does not appear for selection despite having installed the correct token drivers, they should upgrade to emSigner version 3.3. The new version is backwards compatible and can also support existing tokens.

Users who receive a new USB dongle on or after September 21, 2026, whether due to a new DSC or renewal of an existing certificate with a new dongle, will have to upgrade to emSigner version 3.3. Older versions of emSigner will not work with such newly issued DSC dongles.

Before installing emSigner 3.3, users must ensure that their computer meets the required system specifications. The supported systems include Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), Ubuntu 18 or above and macOS 10.6 or above. The system should have at least 8 GB RAM and 64 GB storage. Java 1.8, either OpenJDK or Oracle, must be pre-installed, as it is not included with the installer. Java 9 and later versions are not supported.

The GST Portal has advised users to download and install emSigner version 3.3 from its official website. Existing DSCs stored on FIPS 140-2 dongles on or before September 21, 2026, will remain valid until their expiry and are not automatically cancelled due to the migration. However, fresh issuance or renewal will generally require FIPS 140-3 dongles, subject to the exceptions specified by the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA).

Users requiring assistance with upgrading to emSigner 3.3 can raise a ticket with the GST Helpdesk for further support.