SSL and domain
The Uptime Monitoring SSL and domain tab shows when your SSL certificate and your domain registration expire, and every certificate change.
The SSL and domain tab of Uptime Monitoring shows when your SSL certificate and your domain registration expire. Renew both before that date. An expired certificate shows a warning to visitors, and a lapsed domain takes the whole site down.
Before you start
- To open the tab, select Uptime Monitoring in the domain sidebar, then select SSL and domain.
- The tab needs no setup. VitalSentinel checks the certificate and the domain automatically.
- The tab has no filter bar. The cards show today's state.
SSL certificate
The SSL certificate is the padlock in the browser. It proves that the site is yours and protects the connection. The SSL certificate card of Uptime Monitoring shows:
- How long the certificate is valid, for example Valid for 81 more days. It shows Expired after the end date, and Not valid if the certificate is not valid.
- Expires: the date the certificate runs out.
- Issuer: the short name of the certificate authority's intermediate certificate that signed yours.
- Issued for: the address that the certificate covers.
Days left on the certificate
The color of the SSL certificate countdown follows the days left:
| Days left | Result |
|---|---|
| 15 days or more | No issue |
| 14 days or fewer | Site Health Monitoring raises an issue |
Many sites renew their certificates automatically. If the days left get low, check that the automatic renewal works.
Issuer names
The Issuer row shows a short name, not the company name. Examples:
| Issuer | Certificate authority |
|---|---|
| R10 to R14, E5 to E9 | Let's Encrypt |
| WE1, WE2 | Google Trust Services |
Authorities change these intermediate names from time to time.
Domain registration
The Domain registration card of Uptime Monitoring shows when your domain name expires:
- How long the domain is registered, for example Registered for 240 more days. It shows Expired after the end date.
- Expires: the date the registration runs out.
- Registrar: the company that your domain name is registered through. Some registries show a short code, for example
WEBS-0001. The code identifies the company, not your account.
Days left on the domain
| Days left | Result |
|---|---|
| More than 30 days | No issue |
| 30 days or fewer | Site Health Monitoring raises an issue |
Domains that VitalSentinel cannot check
VitalSentinel reads the expiry date from public registration data (WHOIS). Some domain endings do not publish this data. For these domains, the card shows, for example, Domain expiry is not checked for .de domains – public registration data is restricted for this ending. Check the expiry date with your registrar instead.
While the first check runs, the card shows Checking when the domain expires….
Certificate changes
The Certificate changes card of Uptime Monitoring lists every change of your certificate in the last year. If your certificate renews on a regular rhythm, the ? says how often, for example Renewed about every 60 days.
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| First seen | When VitalSentinel first saw this certificate on your site, in your account time zone. |
| Change | The kind of change. |
| Issuer | The intermediate certificate that signed it. |
| Expires | When this certificate runs out. |
| Names | How many addresses the certificate covers, for example with and without www. |
The Change column shows one of these:
| Change | Meaning |
|---|---|
| First seen | The first certificate that VitalSentinel recorded. |
| Renewed | A new certificate for the same names. |
| Issuer changed | The authority issued it from another intermediate. |
| Names changed | The list of addresses it covers changed. |
Issuer changed is normal when an authority changes its intermediates, for example from R12 to R13. It matters only if you did not expect a new certificate.
Troubleshooting
Why does the SSL certificate card show No SSL certificate data available?
If the card shows No SSL certificate data available, VitalSentinel has no certificate data for your domain yet.
Why is my domain expiry not checked?
If the Domain registration card says Domain expiry is not checked for your domain ending, the registry of that ending does not publish registration data. VitalSentinel cannot read the date. Check it with your registrar.
How do I get an alert before my certificate expires?
Set up an alert rule for the certificate on the Alerts page of the domain. See Alerts. Site Health Monitoring also raises an issue when 14 days or fewer are left.
Related
- Uptime Monitoring - how the checks work
- Availability - uptime and every outage
- Site Health Monitoring - issues for an expiring certificate or domain
- Alerts - get a message before something expires
- Glossary - SSL certificate and domain expiry
