Secure server certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities like Thawte and Verisign after a verification procedure which can take from 3 days to several weeks. To receive a secure server certificate, your company will need to provide the selected Certificate Authority with paperwork such as articles of incorporation verifying your identity. While a secure server certificate is not required, it is a very good idea. If you do not have a secure certificate, visitors to your order forms will receive a warning each time they attempt to checkout. To process credit cards you first need a credit card merchant account with a bank.
Every bank has different requirements for approving merchants and the application process varies.
The process can take several weeks. Many banks also require an application fee. If you have a product like software that is delivered in realtime, you might want to consider a credit card processor which authorizes cards as soon as orders are submitted. There are a number of companies offering this service, including Cybercash, AuthorizeNet, Cambist and others. Signing up for the realtime processing service.