What Is Automated SSL (Automate)? Set It Up Once, Forget About Renewals
· Automation
The most tedious part of managing SSL certificates has always been renewal: getting a new certificate before the old one expires, completing validation and installing it on the server. That job now has to be done far more often.
Why Are Certificate Lifetimes Getting Shorter?
Under CA/Browser Forum ballot SC-081, the maximum certificate validity at every certificate authority is being reduced in stages:
- From March 15, 2026: 200 days
- From March 15, 2027: 100 days
- From March 15, 2029: 47 days
The same ballot also shortens how long a domain validation can be reused. In the near future, a certificate will need to be renewed and revalidated seven or eight times a year. Doing that by hand takes time, and a forgotten renewal means your site shows a "Not Secure" warning.
What Is Automated SSL (Automate)?
Automated SSL is a subscription model in which the certificate is managed by a tool connected to your server once. You do the setup one time; after that, the certificate is validated, installed and renewed before it expires, automatically, for the whole subscription. There is no limit on reissues during the subscription, and the certificate covers both the www and non-www address.
PekiSSL currently offers two Automated SSL products:
- RapidSSL Plan + Automate — an affordable DV option
- GeoTrust DV Plan + Automate — a GeoTrust-branded DV option
Two Setup Methods
After purchase, you reach the setup page from Certificates > My Automated SSL Subscriptions in your PekiSSL dashboard. There you choose one of two methods:
1. AutoInstall (recommended): Open the setup panel and choose your server type (IIS, Apache or NGINX). The panel gives you a single command; running it on your server over SSH or RDP installs the agent. From then on, the agent takes care of validation, certificate installation and renewal.
2. ACME (advanced): If you prefer your own ACME client such as certbot or acme.sh, switch the method to ACME in the setup panel. Your PekiSSL setup page then shows the ACME server URL and the EAB keys (Key ID and HMAC Key); just configure them in your ACME client.
Who Is It For?
Automated SSL is for users who can access their server over SSH or RDP: a VPS, a dedicated server or a Windows/Linux server you manage yourself. If you use shared hosting without server access, our classic SSL certificates are a better fit; in that case you upload the certificate to your hosting panel yourself.
How It Differs from Classic SSL
- Classic SSL: the CSR and validation are done at order time, and you download the certificate file and install it on your server yourself; after each reissue, you install the new certificate yourself again.
- Automated SSL: the agent or ACME client on your server handles the CSR, validation, installation and renewal; your only task is the initial setup.
As certificate lifetimes get shorter, automating renewal is turning from a convenience into a necessity. You can find the Automated SSL products on PekiSSL's SSL Certificates page using the "Auto-Install" filter.