SSL Certificate Maximum Validity Periods and Multi-Year Purchasing

When you purchase a multi-year SSL Certificate from Trustico® you are securing pricing and coverage for the entire duration of your selected term. However, due to industry-mandated maximum validity periods, your SSL Certificate cannot be issued for the full multi-year term all at once.

Instead, you will receive an SSL Certificate valid for the current maximum allowed period, with the remaining validity available through our straightforward reissuance process.

Understanding why these limitations exist and how to claim your full entitlement ensures you maximize the value of your SSL Certificate investment while maintaining uninterrupted website security.

Understanding SSL Certificate Maximum Validity Periods

The SSL Certificate industry operates under strict guidelines established by the CA/Browser Forum, a consortium of Certificate Authorities and web browser vendors that sets the standards for publicly trusted Digital Certificates.

One of the most important requirements governs how long an SSL Certificate can remain valid before requiring renewal or reissuance. These maximum validity periods exist to enhance internet security by ensuring that cryptographic keys and domain validation information are regularly refreshed.

It is worth noting that the term "renewal" carries two distinct meanings in the SSL Certificate industry. Technical renewal refers to the process of replacing an expiring SSL Certificate with a new one, which involves generating a new Certificate Signing Request, completing domain validation, and installing the fresh SSL Certificate on your server. Financial renewal refers to the payment and purchasing process that entitles you to obtain SSL Certificate coverage.

When you purchase a multi-year SSL Certificate plan, you complete the financial renewal once for the entire coverage period, but you may need to perform multiple technical renewals throughout that period due to validity limitations. Understanding this distinction helps clarify why multi-year customers must periodically reissue their SSL Certificates despite having already paid for extended coverage.

As of late 2025, the current maximum validity period for publicly trusted SSL Certificates stands at 398 days, which is approximately 13 months. This means that regardless of whether you purchase a one-year, two-year, or three-year SSL Certificate plan, the actual SSL Certificate file installed on your server cannot exceed 398 days of validity.

The distinction between what you purchase and what gets issued initially causes confusion for many website owners, but understanding this separation is essential for proper SSL Certificate management.

The reason for this limitation stems from security best practices developed over two decades of SSL Certificate deployment experience. Shorter validity periods mean that if a private key becomes compromised, the window of vulnerability is limited. They also ensure that domain ownership and organizational details are verified more frequently, reducing the risk of SSL Certificates remaining active for domains that have changed hands or organizations that no longer exist.

The CA/Browser Forum continuously evaluates these requirements, and validity periods have steadily decreased over the years as security standards have evolved.

The Evolution of SSL Certificate Validity Periods

SSL Certificate validity periods have undergone dramatic changes since the early days of web encryption. Understanding this history helps explain why the current system exists and where it is heading in the coming years.

Historical Validity Periods

In the early 2000s, SSL Certificates could be issued with validity periods of up to five years. Website administrators appreciated the convenience of not having to renew their SSL Certificates frequently, and Certificate Authorities issued long-term SSL Certificates without restriction.

However, security researchers and browser vendors began recognizing that extended validity periods created significant risks. A compromised private key could be exploited for years before the SSL Certificate expired naturally, and domain ownership could change multiple times during a five-year validity period without the SSL Certificate being revoked.

By 2015, the maximum validity period had been reduced to three years. This change required organizations to update their SSL Certificate management practices, but it remained manageable for most IT teams handling renewals manually.

The security community continued pushing for shorter periods, arguing that even three years was too long in an era of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

The Shift to Two-Year and One-Year Validity

In 2018, the CA/Browser Forum approved reducing the maximum validity period to two years, effective in March 2018. This change represented a significant shift in how organizations managed their SSL Certificates, as renewal cycles became more frequent. Many businesses began considering multi-year purchasing options to lock in pricing while accepting that they would need to reissue their SSL Certificates annually.

Apple announced in early 2020 that Safari would no longer trust SSL Certificates with validity periods exceeding 398 days, starting September 1, 2020. Other browser vendors quickly followed suit, effectively establishing the current maximum validity period. This change meant that all publicly trusted SSL Certificates issued after September 1, 2020, must not exceed approximately 13 months of validity.

The transition caught many organizations off guard, but it established the framework that remains in place today.

Future Reductions : 47-Day SSL Certificates by 2029

The CA/Browser Forum passed Ballot SC-081v3 in April 2025, establishing a phased reduction in SSL Certificate validity periods that will ultimately bring the maximum down to just 47 days by March 2029.

This landmark decision reflects the industry's commitment to enhanced security through more frequent key rotation and domain validation. The phased approach provides organizations time to adapt their infrastructure and processes to handle more frequent SSL Certificate renewals.

Beginning March 15, 2026, the maximum validity period will decrease to 200 days, allowing for roughly semi-annual renewal cycles. On March 15, 2027, validity periods will further reduce to 100 days, requiring quarterly attention to SSL Certificate management.

The final reduction to 47 days takes effect on March 15, 2029, which will require organizations to renew or reissue their SSL Certificates approximately every six to seven weeks.

These changes make automation increasingly important for maintaining continuous SSL Certificate coverage without administrative burden.

Explore Our Certificate as a Service Automation 🔗

How Multi-Year SSL Certificate Purchases Work

Multi-year SSL Certificate plans provide significant advantages despite the validity period limitations.

When you purchase a multi-year SSL Certificate through Trustico® you are essentially pre-paying for SSL Certificate coverage spanning two, three, or more years, while receiving an initially-issued SSL Certificate valid for the current maximum allowed period.

The Benefits of Multi-Year Purchasing

Purchasing SSL Certificates for multiple years offers several compelling advantages that make it an attractive option for budget-conscious organizations. Price protection stands as the primary benefit, as SSL Certificate pricing can fluctuate based on market conditions, Certificate Authority pricing changes, and currency movements.

By purchasing a multi-year plan, you lock in today's pricing for the entire coverage period, potentially saving significantly compared to purchasing individual one-year SSL Certificates annually.

Administrative convenience also plays a role in multi-year purchasing decisions. Rather than going through the complete purchasing and payment process each year, multi-year customers simply reissue their SSL Certificates when needed. This streamlined approach reduces paperwork, eliminates annual budget approval cycles, and ensures continuous coverage without the risk of lapses due to purchasing delays or overlooked renewals.

Multi-year SSL Certificate plans also provide protection against unexpected price increases. Certificate Authorities occasionally adjust their pricing structures, and these changes are passed through to end customers. A multi-year purchase protects you from any such increases during your coverage period, providing budget certainty for your organization's web security expenses.

Understanding Your SSL Certificate Entitlement

When you purchase a three-year SSL Certificate plan, you are entitled to SSL Certificate coverage for the full 36-month period.

However, since the current maximum validity is 398 days, your initial SSL Certificate will be issued with approximately 13 months of validity. The remaining validity, roughly 23 months in this example, remains available for you to claim through the reissuance process at appropriate intervals throughout your coverage period.

Trustico® tracks your SSL Certificate entitlement and notifies you when your currently installed SSL Certificate approaches expiration. You can then request a reissuance to obtain a fresh SSL Certificate that will be valid for another maximum validity period, or until your multi-year coverage expires, whichever comes first.

This process continues until you have consumed your entire multi-year entitlement, at which point you would purchase a new SSL Certificate plan to maintain coverage.

The Reissuance Process for Multi-Year SSL Certificates

Reissuing your SSL Certificate to claim remaining validity is a straightforward process that Trustico® has designed to be as simple as possible. The reissuance process allows you to obtain a new SSL Certificate file without additional payment, using the validity you have already purchased.

When to Reissue Your SSL Certificate

You should request a reissuance of your SSL Certificate when your currently installed SSL Certificate approaches its expiration date and you still have remaining validity on your multi-year plan.

Trustico® recommends initiating the reissuance process approximately two to four weeks before your current SSL Certificate expires. This timing provides adequate buffer for completing the validation process and installing your new SSL Certificate without risking any coverage gaps.

It is important to note that reissuance does not require waiting until your current SSL Certificate expires. You can request a reissuance at any time during your coverage period, and the new SSL Certificate will be valid from the date of issuance for the maximum validity period or until your multi-year coverage ends.

Some customers prefer to align their SSL Certificate validity with other IT maintenance windows or fiscal periods, and reissuance provides this flexibility. Learn About Reissuing Your SSL Certificate 🔗

Steps to Reissue Through Trustico®

The Trustico® tracking system provides customers and partners with complete visibility into their SSL Certificate orders and remaining entitlements.

To begin a reissuance, log in to the tracking system using the credentials associated with your SSL Certificate order. Locate the SSL Certificate you wish to reissue and follow the reissuance instructions provided in the interface. The system will optionally guide you through generating a new Certificate Signing Request if required and completing any necessary domain validation steps.

During the reissuance process, you have the opportunity to update certain SSL Certificate details if your requirements have changed. You can generate a new Certificate Signing Request with different key parameters, in some cases change the common name for your SSL Certificate, or even update the Subject Alternative Names for Multi Domain SSL Certificates. However, certain changes may require additional validation, so plan accordingly when making modifications during reissuance.

Domain Validation During Reissuance

Depending on the time elapsed since your original SSL Certificate was issued, you may need to complete domain validation again during the reissuance process. Certificate Authorities require periodic re-verification of domain control to ensure the SSL Certificate requester still has authority over the domain name.

This requirement aligns with the CA/Browser Forum's Domain Control Validation reuse periods, which are being reduced alongside SSL Certificate validity periods in the coming years.

Trustico® supports multiple domain validation methods to accommodate different server configurations and administrative preferences.

File-based authentication allows you to prove domain control by placing a specific file on your web server. DNS-based validation involves creating a specific DNS record for your domain.

E-Mail-based validation sends a verification message to designated addresses associated with your domain. Choose the method that best fits your technical capabilities and proceed through the validation steps to complete your reissuance.

Managing SSL Certificate Validity in an Automated World

As SSL Certificate validity periods continue decreasing toward the eventual 47-day maximum, manual SSL Certificate management becomes increasingly impractical.

Organizations managing multiple SSL Certificates will find that the administrative overhead of frequent reissuances, installations, and validations consumes significant IT resources.

Automation provides the solution to maintaining continuous SSL Certificate coverage without proportional increases in workload.

The Role of ACME Protocol in Automation

The Automatic Certificate Management Environment protocol, commonly known as ACME, provides standardized methods for automating SSL Certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation.

Originally developed for free SSL Certificate providers, ACME has been adopted by commercial Certificate Authorities including Sectigo® to enable automated management of paid SSL Certificates. Trustico® Certificate as a Service leverages ACME to provide customers with fully automated SSL Certificate lifecycle management.

ACME clients installed on your servers communicate directly with Certificate Authority systems to request, validate, and install SSL Certificates without manual intervention.

When an SSL Certificate approaches expiration, the ACME client automatically initiates the renewal or reissuance process (if you have a valid SSL Certificate subscription), completes domain validation using pre-configured methods, and installs the new SSL Certificate. This automation ensures continuous coverage even as validity periods shorten to 47 days and beyond. View Our ACME Automation Information 🔗

Certificate as a Service for Seamless Management

Trustico® Certificate as a Service provides enterprise customers with comprehensive automated SSL Certificate management capabilities. Rather than tracking validity periods and manually initiating reissuances, CaaS customers benefit from SSL Certificates that automatically renew themselves within their subscription period. This approach aligns perfectly with the industry trend toward shorter validity periods, ensuring your organization remains secure without increasing administrative burden.

The Certificate as a Service model transforms SSL Certificate management from a periodic manual task into a continuous automated process. Your servers maintain valid SSL Certificates at all times, with renewals happening transparently in the background.

As validity periods decrease in 2026, 2027, and 2029, your CaaS implementation automatically adapts, handling more frequent renewals without any changes to your infrastructure or processes. Discover Traditional vs CaaS SSL Certificates 🔗

Making the Most of Your Multi-Year SSL Certificate Purchase

Maximizing the value of your multi-year SSL Certificate purchase requires understanding the validity limitations and planning your reissuance schedule accordingly. Several strategies help ensure you receive full value from your investment while maintaining continuous website security.

Planning Your Reissuance Schedule

Create a calendar reminder for your SSL Certificate reissuance dates based on the maximum validity periods. For a three-year SSL Certificate purchased today, plan reissuances at approximately the 12-month and 24-month marks to claim your full entitlement.

Trustico® provides expiration notifications, but proactive planning ensures you never miss a reissuance window and risk coverage gaps or lost validity.

Consider coordinating SSL Certificate reissuances with other scheduled maintenance windows. Many organizations prefer handling all SSL Certificate work during planned downtime or reduced-traffic periods.

By planning ahead, you can batch SSL Certificate reissuances for multiple domains and align them with convenient maintenance schedules. This approach minimizes disruption while ensuring comprehensive coverage across your entire web infrastructure. Learn About SSL Certificate Tracking 🔗

Preparing for Shorter Validity Periods

The transition to 200-day validity in March 2026 will affect how you manage multi-year SSL Certificate plans. With validity periods roughly halved from current levels, multi-year customers will need to reissue more frequently to consume their entitlement.

A three-year SSL Certificate purchased after March 2026 would require approximately five to six reissuances throughout the coverage period, compared to two to three under current validity limits.

Organizations should begin evaluating their SSL Certificate management processes and considering automation options before the 2026 deadline. Manual management of SSL Certificates becomes increasingly challenging as validity periods shorten, and the investment in automation pays dividends through reduced administrative overhead and eliminated risk of coverage lapses.

Trustico® offers multiple automation options ranging from simple renewal reminders to fully automated Certificate as a Service solutions, allowing you to choose the level of automation that fits your organization's needs and technical capabilities.

Conclusion

SSL Certificate maximum validity periods represent an important security measure that continues evolving as the industry works to enhance internet security. Understanding these limitations helps you make informed purchasing decisions and manage your SSL Certificates effectively throughout their coverage period.

Multi-year SSL Certificate purchases from Trustico® provide excellent value through price protection and administrative convenience, with the straightforward reissuance process ensuring you claim your full entitlement.

As validity periods decrease toward 47 days by 2029, automation becomes increasingly valuable for maintaining seamless SSL Certificate coverage without growing administrative burden.

Whether you prefer manual reissuance management or fully automated Certificate as a Service, Trustico® provides the SSL Certificate solutions and support to keep your websites secure and trusted by visitors worldwide. More information will be available throughout 2026 as there are new systems, services and tools being developed to cater for future changes within the industry.