A system and method for provisioning digital certificates. An automated provisioning engine receives notification of a need to provision a user with a digital certificate. The engine electronically instructs the user to obtain a digital certificate. When obtained, the user responds by forwarding the certificate. The engine then electronically instructs a trusted or provisioned user to verify that the user obtained the digital certificate. The trusted user verifies this, and may obtain the user's certificate or a fingerprint of the certificate to include in a response to the provisioner's instructions. If verified, and if the certificate or fingerprint matches the certificate provided by the user, the user's digital certificate is then activated, to allow it to represent the user in public key transactions.