FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   MCLAUGHLIN MARK D 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 12/17/2004 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol VERISIGN INC/CA [VRSN] (Last) (First) (Middle) 487 EAST MIDDLEFIELD ROAD 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Senior Vice President 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94043 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)	04/15/2001(1)	04/15/2007	Common Stock	3,066	$ 97.7969	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	05/24/2003(2)	05/24/2009	Common Stock	18,750	$ 10.08	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	09/26/2004(3)	09/26/2010	Common Stock	49,500	$ 12.88	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	03/15/2002(4)	03/15/2008	Common Stock	6,250	$ 13.79	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	09/06/2002(5)	09/06/2008	Common Stock	25,000	$ 13.79	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	02/21/2003(6)	02/21/2009	Common Stock	50,000	$ 13.79	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	08/31/2005(7)	08/31/2011	Common Stock	72,000	$ 17.36	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	04/15/2001(1)	04/15/2007	Common Stock	21,934	$ 97.7969	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	08/01/2001(1)	08/01/2007	Common Stock	50,000	$ 151.25	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
MCLAUGHLIN MARK D 487 EAST MIDDLEFIELD ROAD MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94043	Â	Â	  Senior Vice President	Â

Signatures

By: Donald T Rozak Jr, as attorney-in-fact For: Mark D. McLaughlin		12/20/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Immediately
(2)	25% of the options vested and became exercisable on 05/24/03, and thereafter with respect to 6.25% of the shares each quarter from the date of grant.
(3)	25% of the options vested and became exercisable on 09/26/04, and thereafter with respect to 6.25% of the shares each quarter from the date of grant.
(4)	This is an option regrant under the VeriSign Offer to Exchange Outstanding Options to Purchase Common Stock dated November 27, 2002. Twenty-five (25%) percent of the total option vested and became exercisable on March 15, 2002 and vests thereafter with respect to 6.25% of the option each quarter until fully vested.
(5)	This is an option regrant under the VeriSign Offer to Exchange Outstanding Options to Purchase Common Stock dated November 27, 2002. Twenty-five (25%) percent of the total option vested and became exercisable on September 6, 2002 and vests thereafter with respect to 6.25% of the option each quarter until fully vested.
(6)	This is an option regrant under the VeriSign Offer to Exchange Outstanding Options to Purchase Common Stock dated November 27, 2002. Twenty-five (25%) percent of the total option vested and became exercisable on February 21, 2003 and vests thereafter with respect to 6.25% of the option each quarter until fully vested.
(7)	Twenty-five percent (25%) of the total options granted vest and become exercisable one year after the date of grant and thereafter with respect to 6.25% of the shares each quarter until fully vested.

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