On 15 March 2027, the rules governing TLS certificates will change. The maximum validity period for publicly trusted TLS certificates will be reduced from 200 to 100 days. For businesses, this means that certificates will need to be renewed much more frequently, placing greater demands on security, monitoring and automation.
This change is part of a wider shift towards shorter validity periods for digital certificates. The aim is to enhance online security, but for organisations that still manage their certificates manually, the change may result in both increased administrative workload and a greater risk of operational disruptions.
What changes are being made to TLS certificates?
The new rules are being introduced in stages:
15 March 2026: The maximum validity period was reduced to 200 days.
15 March 2027: The validity period is further reduced to 100 days.
15 March 2029: The validity period is reduced to 47 days.
At the same time, the rules for domain validation – also known as Domain Control Validation (DCV) – are changing. This means that certificate authorities will need to verify ownership of a domain more frequently.
From March 2027, a previous domain validation may be reused for a maximum of 100 days. In 2029, this period will be reduced to just 10 days.
This means that organisations need to review both the renewal of their certificates and how domain validation is handled.
What happens if an SSL or TLS certificate expires?
A TLS certificate is used to establish a secure, encrypted connection between, for example, a website and its visitors.
If a certificate expires without being renewed, this may have direct consequences for the business.
This could, for example, mean that:
Websites: Visitors are met with security warnings or are blocked from connecting.
APIs and integrations: Communication between systems may cease to function.
Public services: Services that rely on valid TLS certificates may become unavailable.
For organisations with numerous servers, websites and digital services, it is therefore becoming increasingly important to keep track of which certificates are in use and when they need to be renewed.
Automated certificate management is becoming increasingly important
When certificates need to be renewed several times a year, there is an increased risk of something being overlooked if the process is handled manually. By automating certificate renewal, organisations can reduce administrative workload and the risk of service interruptions.
A good first step is to carry out a review of the company’s existing certificates:
- Which TLS certificates are currently in use?
- Which systems and services rely on them?
- Which certificates are still renewed manually?
- What options are there for automating this process?
With the right overview, it becomes easier to plan for the changes and ensure that business-critical services continue to function.
Do you need help with your TLS certificates?
At Rely IT, we help businesses take stock of their TLS certificates, identify manual renewals and explore the possibilities for automated certificate management.
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