If you’ve noticed that newly issued SSL certificates are no longer valid for a full year, there’s a reason — the SSL/TLS industry has introduced new security requirements that significantly shorten the lifespan of publicly trusted SSL certificates.
Beginning March 15, 2026, the maximum certificate validity period was reduced from approximately one year to 200 days. Most Certificate Authorities are issuing certificates for approximately 199 days.
And this is only the beginning.
Upcoming SSL Certificate Changes
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March 15, 2026: Maximum validity reduced to 200 days
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March 15, 2027: Maximum validity reduced to 100 days
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March 15, 2029: Maximum validity reduced to 47 days
These changes are being implemented across the industry to improve internet security. Shorter certificate lifetimes reduce the amount of time a compromised, outdated, or incorrectly issued certificate can remain active and encourage automated certificate management.
What Does This Mean for XMLA Customers?
For customers using XMLA Managed Website Hosting, there is nothing you need to do.
XMLA will continue managing your website's SSL security, including certificate issuance, renewal, installation, HTTPS configuration, and monitoring.
As certificate lifetimes become increasingly shorter, SSL management is transitioning from an annual process to an ongoing automated security service.
Instead of worrying about whether your certificate expires every 365, 199, 99, or eventually 46 days, XMLA's managed hosting infrastructure will handle the renewal process for you.
Why Is the Industry Making This Change?
Shorter SSL certificate lifetimes provide several security advantages:
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Faster replacement of compromised certificates
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Faster adoption of updated security standards
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Reduced risk from outdated certificates
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More reliable domain ownership verification
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Greater use of automated certificate renewal
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Improved overall HTTPS security
By 2029, SSL certificates may need to be replaced approximately every six weeks, making automated certificate management increasingly important.
No Action Required
If your website and SSL certificate are managed by XMLA, no action is required on your part.
We are updating our SSL management processes to accommodate these new industry requirements and will continue monitoring certificates and renewals as part of our managed website services.
If you maintain an SSL certificate independently or use an outside hosting provider, we recommend confirming that your provider supports automatic SSL certificate renewal.
Thank you for trusting XMLA with your website, hosting, and online security.
XMLA Website Management
Next Gen Website Development & Managed Website Hosting
Serving our clients since 1999
www.xmla.com
818-971-XMLA