Due to industry-wide regulatory changes, the maximum validity period for publicly trusted SSL certificates will be reduced according to the following timeline:

• From March 15, 2026 → maximum validity of 198 days

• From March 15, 2027 → maximum validity of 98 days

• From March 15, 2029 → maximum validity of 45 days

These changes are mandated across the industry and apply to all publicly trusted Certificate Authorities. The maximum validity of SwissSign TLS/SSL certificates will be reduced from 365 to 198 days from 9. March 2026.

You will continue to purchase the right to use SSL certificates for the full subscription period you selected. 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 years.
What changes is only the validity period of each individual certificate issued during that time.

This means:

• During your purchased subscription period, you may need to reissue certificates more frequently.

• You will receive a code that allows you to issue certificates repeatedly.

• You can continue issuing certificates until the total number of purchased certificate usage days has been fully consumed.

Example:
If you purchase a 2-year certificate usage right, you acquire 740 days of certificate usage. Even though each individual certificate may only be valid for 198 days (or less in the future), you can continue reissuing new certificates using the same code until the total 740 days have been used.

Yes, with the reduction of the certificate lifetime, operational efforts increase as certificates need to be renewed more frequently.

To offset the increased operational efforts, SwissSign has decided to grant an additional 5 certificate usage days per purchased year.

This means:

• 1-year purchase → 370 certificate days

• 2-year purchase → 740 certificate days

• 3-year purchase → 1,110 certificate days

• 4-year purchase → 1,480 certificate days

• 5-year purchase → 1,850 certificate days

This ensures that customers retain full value while allowing for practical scheduling flexibility when renewing certificates.

As certificate lifecycle automation will become a necessity in the coming years, we invite you to register your interest to stay informed about regulatory developments, best practices, and the launch of our upcoming certificate lifecycle management (CLM) solution for SMEs. Register here.

Your already purchased vouchers (enrolment codes) will be handled in the same way as described above and will be converted into certificate usage days.

What changes is only the validity period of each individual certificate issued, not your total entitlement.

This means:

• During your purchased subscription period, you may need to reissue certificates more frequently.

• Your existing enrolment code allows you to issue certificates repeatedly.

• You can continue issuing certificates until the total number of purchased certificate usage days has been fully consumed.

• Your overall entitlement remains unchanged.

Example:

If you previously purchased a 2-year SSL certificate usage right, this corresponds to 740 certificate usage days.

Even though each individual certificate may only be valid for up to 198 days (or less in the future), you can continue reissuing new certificates using the same enrolment code until the full 740 days have been used. To offset the increased operational efforts, SwissSign has decided to grant an additional 5 certificate usage days per purchased year.

This means:

• 1-year purchase → 370 certificate days

• 2-year purchase → 740 certificate days

• 3-year purchase → 1,110 certificate days

• 4-year purchase → 1,480 certificate days

• 5-year purchase → 1,850 certificate days

Yes, Wildcard certificates are affected. The certificate needs to be issued again every 198 days.

When issuing for multiyear purchases, the domain must remain the same for the duration of the specific multiyear purchase.

The maximum validity period for publicly trusted SSL certificates will be reduced according to the following timeline:

• From March 15, 2026 → maximum validity of 198 days 

• From March 15, 2027 → maximum validity of 98 days

• From March 15, 2029 → maximum validity of 45 days

The maximum validity of SwissSign TLS/SSL certificates will be reduced from 365 to 198 days from 9. March 2026.

Yes, Multi Domain certificates are affected. They must be issued again every 198 days.

When issuing multi domain certificates, at least one of the SANs must be the same as on the initial issuance for that specific multi domain purchase.

The maximum validity period for publicly trusted SSL certificates will be reduced according to the following timeline:

• From March 15, 2026 → maximum validity of 198 days

• From March 15, 2027 → maximum validity of 98 days

• From March 15, 2029 → maximum validity of 45 days

The maximum validity of SwissSign TLS/SSL certificates will be reduced from 365 to 198 days from 9. March 2026.

Yes, every SSL certificate is affected by this validity reduction.
The maximum validity period for publicly trusted SSL certificates will be reduced according to the following timeline:

• From March 15, 2026 → maximum validity of 198 days

• From March 15, 2027 → maximum validity of 98 days

• From March 15, 2029 → maximum validity of 45 days

The maximum validity of SwissSign TLS/SSL certificates will be reduced from 365 to 198 days from 9. March 2026.