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How to renew or reissue a Let's Encrypt SSL certificate in cPanel

Let's Encrypt certificates last only 90 days and usually renew themselves through AutoSSL. But when auto-renewal breaks (DNS changed, the domain was unreachable, conflicting records appeared), you have to renew by hand. Do it at the latest a few days before expiry.

Check your site

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  1. Check when the certificate expires

    In cPanel open SSL/TLS Status. Each domain shows its expiry date and certificate source. A red or yellow status means it is time to act.

  2. Run AutoSSL manually

    On the same page click Run AutoSSL. cPanel contacts Let's Encrypt and reissues certificates for domains that pass validation. It usually takes a few minutes.

  3. Find out why it did not renew on its own

    If AutoSSL skips a domain, click its status and read the reason. Most often it is an unreachable domain, a redirect to another site, or DNS pointing away from this server.

  4. Clear obstacles to validation

    Let's Encrypt proves domain control through a file under /.well-known/acme-challenge/. Make sure redirects and .htaccess do not block that path and that the domain actually resolves to this server.

  5. Reissue after the fix

    Once the cause is gone, click Run AutoSSL again. A new expiry date in SSL/TLS Status confirms the certificate is renewed for another 90 days.

  6. Do not mix in third-party certificates

    If you once installed a manual certificate from another authority, remove the stale one under SSL/TLS > Manage SSL Sites so AutoSSL does not conflict and can install a fresh Let's Encrypt one.

How to verify the result

SSL/TLS Status should show a green status and an expiry date roughly 90 days out. You can quickly confirm the site serves the new certificate with the TechGuard SSL checker.

Tip: Do not wait for the last day: if auto-renewal is failing, you want time to investigate while the old certificate is still valid.

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