# Https certificates valid period
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-certificates-valid-period/196124
**Category:** Self-hosting
**Created:** [July 6, 2021, 6:15am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-certificates-valid-period/196124 "2021-07-06T06:15:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@youmustbekiddingme](https://meta.discourse.org/u/youmustbekiddingme)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2021, 6:15am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-certificates-valid-period/196124/1 "2021-07-06T06:15:25Z")
How long is the validity period of the https certificate?
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### Author:  [@griffin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/griffin)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2021, 6:19am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-certificates-valid-period/196124/2 "2021-07-06T06:19:13Z")
Welcome to the Meta Discourse Community 🙂
That depends upon the CA issuing the certificate. For example, Let’s Encrypt certificates last 90 days and should be renewed every 60 days. If you’re using certificates from an ACME CA (like Let’s Encrypt), your renewals should be automated.
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### Author:  [@youmustbekiddingme](https://meta.discourse.org/u/youmustbekiddingme)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2021, 6:26am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-certificates-valid-period/196124/3 "2021-07-06T06:26:02Z")
I used docker to install discourse, and the https certificate was automatically installed for me. Does this certificate have a validity period? If so, what should I do if it expires? Can I use a certificate that I have purchased for a longer period of time?
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### Author:  [@griffin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/griffin)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2021, 8:16am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-certificates-valid-period/196124/4 "2021-07-06T08:16:39Z")
> [@youmustbekiddingme](#):
>
> Does this certificate have a validity period? If so, what should I do if it expires?
Your certificate has most likely been logged for certificate transparency (CT). Try searching for the domain name associated with your certificate at [https://crt.sh](https://crt.sh), which is a popular CT log aggregator.
> [@youmustbekiddingme](#):
>
> Can I use a certificate that I have purchased for a longer period of time?
Sure, but if your certificate automatically renews correctly, there’s really not much benefit. There’s no difference in the encryption being used unless you choose it to be so. If you want to test your site, you can use [SSL Server Test (Powered by Qualys SSL Labs)](https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/).
To tell a little about myself, I go by [the same user name in the Let’s Encrypt Community](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/griffin/summary) where I’ve helped thousands of people with acquiring and installing certificates.
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### Author:  [@youmustbekiddingme](https://meta.discourse.org/u/youmustbekiddingme)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2021, 8:29am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-certificates-valid-period/196124/5 "2021-07-06T08:29:09Z")
Thank you very much. It is still in the testing stage. When we have decided to publish, we will contact you about certificate installation issues.
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### Author:  [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2021, 8:29am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-certificates-valid-period/196124/6 "2021-08-05T08:29:17Z")
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