Driver certification on Windows

I'm developing a device driver for use on Windows. Does the driver have to be certified by Microso开发者_如何学Cft to install? Are there any pitfalls of which I should be aware?

This is for use on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

No, your driver does not have to be certified to install. However, if you are using 64-bit windows, it will need to be signed.

You can bypass the signing requirement for development purposes as documented in Installing an Unsigned Driver during Development and Test (MSDN).