The global SSL/TLS industry has introduced an important change that affects all website owners using SSL certificates for HTTPS encryption.
Starting 24 February 2026, newly issued public SSL certificates will have a maximum validity period of 199 days, replacing the previous limit of 397 days. This policy applies to all certificate types, including DV (Domain Validation), OV (Organization Validation), and EV (Extended Validation) certificates, as well as wildcard certificates and multi-domain SSL certificates.
This change is part of an industry initiative led by browser vendors and certificate authorities to strengthen SSL encryption security across the internet.
Why SSL Certificate Validity Is Reduced to 199 Days
Shorter certificate lifetimes help improve overall internet security by ensuring certificates are renewed and validated more frequently. This reduces the risk of outdated cryptography and limits the impact of compromised certificates.
Major SSL certificate providers such as DigiCert, Sectigo, and GlobalSign have adopted this change in accordance with industry standards.
For website owners, this means that SSL certificates used to enable HTTPS encryption will need to be renewed approximately every 6 to 7 months.
Which SSL Certificates Are Affected?
The new 199-day validity rule applies to all commonly used SSL certificate types, including:
- DV SSL certificates for basic domain validation
- OV SSL certificates for business identity verification
- EV SSL certificates for extended validation and highest trust level
- Wildcard SSL certificates securing unlimited subdomains
- Multi-domain SSL certificates (SAN certificates) protecting multiple websites
If you currently buy SSL certificates for your websites, you may notice that certificate renewal cycles will become more frequent under the new policy.
What This Means for Website Owners
Website administrators and businesses should be prepared to manage SSL certificates more actively. With shorter validity periods, it becomes increasingly important to ensure timely renewal to avoid service interruptions or security warnings in browsers.
Proper SSL certificate management helps ensure that your website continues to deliver secure HTTPS connections, protecting user data and maintaining visitor trust.
How Nethub Can Help
Nethub provides a full range of SSL certificate solutions to help businesses secure their websites and manage certificate lifecycles efficiently.
Our services include:
- Assistance to buy SSL certificates from trusted providers
- Support for DV, OV, and EV certificates
- Wildcard SSL certificates for unlimited subdomains
- Multi-domain SSL certificates for multiple websites
- SSL installation and configuration support
- Renewal reminders and certificate management assistance
We work with leading certificate authorities such as DigiCert, Sectigo, and GlobalSign to ensure reliable and secure SSL deployment.
Upcoming SSL Certificate Automation Solution
With the new 199-day SSL certificate validity policy, many organizations may find it more challenging to manage frequent certificate renewals. To help our customers simplify certificate lifecycle management, Nethub is currently developing an SSL certificate automation solution.
This upcoming solution will help automate key processes such as:
- SSL certificate issuance and renewal
- Automatic installation of SSL certificates
- Renewal monitoring and expiration alerts
- Simplified management for multi-domain SSL certificates and wildcard certificates
Our goal is to help businesses maintain uninterrupted HTTPS encryption while reducing the operational effort required to manage DV, OV, and EV certificates.
Further details will be announced soon. Customers who frequently buy SSL certificates or manage multiple domains will benefit greatly from this upcoming automation service.
Need Help with SSL Certificates?
If you have questions about the 199-day SSL certificate validity change, or if you need assistance purchasing or installing SSL certificates for your website, please feel free to contact our customer representative.
We are happy to assist you in keeping your website secure with the latest SSL encryption and HTTPS protection.
