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SSL certificate validity is getting shorter: what changes and when
The short version: an SSL certificate can no longer last a year. As at 2026 the maximum is 200 days. It falls to 100 days in March 2027 and 47 days in March 2029. Your order with us still lasts 12 months, and reissuing is free. What changes is how often you have to install a fresh certificate.
The dates
| From | Maximum certificate lifetime |
|---|---|
| Before 15 March 2026 | 398 days |
| 15 March 2026 | 200 days (where we are now) |
| 15 March 2027 | 100 days |
| 15 March 2029 | 47 days |
As at 2026. The dates apply to certificates issued on or after each date. Your order still lasts 12 months and reissues are free. We email you before each certificate expires; you complete validation and install the new one.
These limits come from the CA/Browser Forum, the group of browser makers and certification authorities that sets the rules every public certificate must follow. They apply to every authority and every product, so there is no way to buy a longer certificate elsewhere.
Why it is happening
Short-lived certificates limit the damage if a key is stolen or a certificate is mis-issued, because the problem fixes itself sooner. It also pushes everyone towards automation and keeps information in certificates fresh. The trade-off is more renewing, which is what this page helps you plan for.
What it means in practice
| Period | Longest certificate | Certificates you install in a 12-month order |
|---|---|---|
| Now | 200 days | About 2 |
| From 15 March 2027 | 100 days | About 4 |
| From 15 March 2029 | 47 days | About 8 |
Each time, you give us a new CSR, any validation that is due is completed, and you install the new certificate. Domain validation is also being made shorter-lived, so you may be asked to prove you control the domain more often.
How your order works with this
- You pay once for 12 months.
- Within the 12 months you can reissue as often as you need, free of charge. Each reissue gives you a fresh certificate, up to the maximum length allowed, for as long as your order has left.
- We email you 30, 14, 7, 5, 3 and 1 day before a certificate expires, so you can reissue in good time.
- Before the order itself ends we remind you to renew. Renewing in the final 30 days keeps the time you had left on top of your new 12 months.
See renewals and reissues for the detail.
What to do
- Put the dates in a calendar, or rely on our reminders, which go to your account contacts. Make sure those contacts are the right people.
- Keep your CSR and install steps to hand. The guides for making a CSR and installing a certificate save time when you only do it a few times a year.
- Check after each install with the free certificate checker.
- Do not wait for the last day. Reissue when the first reminder arrives. Validation and installation are quick, but not instant.
Not sure what you have? Ring us on 03333 444 205 and we can tell you what is coming up.