Automate your SSL certificates with ACME
Eliminate Manual Renewals and Reduce the Outages with Bulletproof SSL Automation
Automatic Certificate Management Environment (ACME) is an open standard protocol (IETF RFC 8555) designed to automate certificate lifecycle tasks. As CA/B Forum is reducing certificate validity periods and moving toward 47-day lifetimes by 2029, Manual renewal becomes impractical and headache. ACME handles domain ownership automatically, eliminating manual email or DNS-based checks, installs SSL certificate directly on servers or applications through ACME clients and Certificates are renewed before expiration and can be revoked if compromised, all without human input.
Currently Major Certificate Authorities, including Sectigo and DigiCert, support ACME, making enterprise-grade SSL automation accessible for all size and type of websites including wildcard and multi-domain coverage. Transform your traditional SSL management with complete automation with ACME DV Certificates at affordable pricing.
- Automatic Renewals
- Zero Downtime Risk
- Per Domain Billing
Automated Certificate Management Environment (ACME) is a protocol that automates the issuance, validation and renewal of SSL/TLS certificates through a streamlined process; allowing servers to connect directly to Certificate Authorities (CAs) such as Let’s Encrypt, Sectigo, DigiCert without any manual work. This new method of obtaining certificates removes the previous lengthy manual processes associated with certificate management and allows for quick and easy implementation of HTTPS on websites.
There has been an industry trend toward shorter certificate lifetimes with proposals bringing certificate life down to as few as 47 days. Given that there are so many certificates that need to be managed, manual management is no longer a viable option. Frequent renewal creates an increased likelihood of service disruption due to expired certificates. Therefore, automated solutions are critical.
The ACME protocol addresses this problem with automatic renewals and validations. The protocol supports different types of validation, including HTTP and DNS challenges, and is easy to integrate into current DevOps workflows and on modern application servers. The use of the ACME protocol therefore ensures continuous protection of services with minimal manual involvement.
- ACME v2 Current Version
- Supported by Major ACME Clients
- Multi-Domain & Wildcard Supports
- IETF Standard (RFC 8555)
- Handles Shorten 47-Day Lifespan
- Automated Certificate Lifecycle
- HTTP & DNS Validation
- Seamless Integration Support
- Reduced Manual Effort
Multiple Ways to Automate Your SSL Certificate Lifecycle
Sectigo Certificate as-a-Service (CaaS)
Sectigo ACME Certificate-as-a-Service (CaaS) automates the process of deploying as many certificates as your domain needs. Each certificate auto-renews before expiry. It works wherever ACME works such as traditional servers, containerized environments, Kubernetes clusters, cloud platforms, CDNs, load balancers, and custom-built systems. If you need SSL automation beyond standard web servers, ACME provides the protocol-level flexibility to integrate anywhere.
How Does ACME CaaS Work?
You just need to Purchase ACME Certificate, Install and configure an ACME client that’s compatible with your environment, then Sectigo Certificate-as-a-Service handles everything:
- Validates domain ownership (HTTP-01 or DNS-01 challenges).
- Issues and deploys certificates on demand.
- Renews and updates certificates before they expire, zero maintenance after initial setup.
- Maintain continuous coverage without human intervention.
Configure once, automate forever.
Automated SSL with AutoInstall SSL®
AutoInstall SSL is an end-to-end automation for Linux and Windows servers. It handles issuance, validation, installation, and renewal through a lightweight agent with built-in monitoring and alerts if anything needs attention. No ongoing maintenance required on your behalf. It works with domain validated (DV) SSL certificates like RapidSSL, GeoTrust, PositiveSSL and EssentialSSL. Ideal for VPS / Cloud / Dedicated Server.
How AutoInstall SSL® Works?
- Install the agent with one command.
- Authenticate with your token and verify your domain.
- The system auto-generates CSRs, completes validation, and installs certificates.
- Every renewal now happens automatically.
Why You Should Use Automatic Certificate Management Environment?
Automated In Every Step of
Certificate Management
The entire SSL certificate management process now operates without human input because the system generates CSRs automatically and performs domain validation, certificate issuance, installation, renewal and replacement.
Automating Renewals to
Ensure No Downtime
It performs certificate renewal and installation before the expiration date to prevent browser alerts and service breakdowns. Automated renewal workflows and real-time alerts virtually eliminate outage risks, labor and Operational costs.
Updated for Rapidly
Decreasing Validity Periods
The system functions as an automated solution that manages certificate renewals at every 47-day interval to deliver continuous security protection without requiring any additional work from management or employees.
Unlimited Certificates
per Domain
SSL Automation Service allows customers to create and handle unlimited domain certificates through a single subscription, which requires no additional fees for each certificate as long as the ACME subscription remains active.
Compatible with a
Wide Range of Platforms
ACME solution operates with various platforms, which include Apache and NGINX, IIS, Caddy, Cloud Servers, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD Pipelines and cPanel and Plesk to enable a smooth SSL Certificate Management system integration.
Supports modern DevOps
Workflows and Environments
ACME fits naturally into CI/CD pipelines, where everything is automated and version controlled. You can automatically provision certificates during deployment, ensuring every new environment is secure from the start.
Supported by Popular Server Environments
ACME works across a wide range of popular servers and works with any environment that supports ACME clients, including:
Features of ACME SSL Certificates
Per Domain Billing
Issue an unlimited number of certificates per domain without an extra charge or complexity in licensing Automated Certificate Lifecycle Issue, renew, revoke, or replace massive domain portfolios, including certificates for wildcards and SAN, completely automatically.
Automated Certificate Lifecycle
Manage the complete certificate lifecycle, issuance, renewal, revocation, and replacement, for gigantic domain-name sets. It fully supports certificates for wildcards and SAN; dealing with subdomains and various domains under a single streamlined automation process becomes easy.
Deployment-wise EAB Management
ACME plus EAB credentials adds an extra layer of control on top of standard automation. Ensure secure access control for the ACME environment with EAB credentials on a per-environment basis. Apply authentication on the account level as well as align with the organization’s existing security policies.
Instant SSL Provisioning
Simplified issuance of SSL certificates in just minutes via ACME protocol - eliminating the need for certificate signing requests or approval processes. Ideal in a highly fluid environment in which new domains and services are continually being created.
Traditional (Manual) vs Automated (ACME) SSL Management
| Manual SSL Management | Feature | Sectigo ACME SSL Automation |
|---|---|---|
| Generate CSRs, submit requests, validate via email or files | Certificate Issuance | One-time setup; ACME client handles everything automatically |
| Repeated manual approvals for every renewal | Domain Validation | Automated HTTP-01 or DNS-01 validation |
| Upload and configure certificates by hand | Installation | Automatically installs certificates on your server |
| Track expiration dates and renew manually | Renewal Process | Auto-renews and re-installs before expiry |
| High, missed renewals cause outages and warnings | Risk of Downtime | Near-zero, continuous automated renewal |
| Exponential workload as domains grow | Effort at Scale | Easily scales to hundreds or thousands of certs |
| Requires renewals every few months manually | Adaptation to 47-Day Lifespans | Fully automated, no impact from shorter lifespans |
| High, human mistakes during issuance/install | Error Rate | Minimal, machine-driven, repeatable workflows |
| Per-certificate fees and surprise reissue costs | Cost Predictability | Flat-rate per-domain pricing |
| High, constant monitoring and ticket handling | Operational Overhead | Low, set once and forget |
How ACME Protocol Works?
Set up your client
After purchasing ACME-compatible SSL Certificate and receiving your unique automation credentials, you need to install an automated ACME Client (e.g. Certbot or acme.sh) on your web server and configure it with your Sectigo ACME Username and Account Credentials.
Account Registration & Key Exchange
The client registers your server with the CA and securely exchanges keys. Once done, you'll get credentials package via e-mail containing your ACME Account ID, EAB Key ID, EAB MAC Key and ACME Server URL. Your EAB credentials remain active for the duration of your service period.
Domain Ownership Validation
Once your account is created, the automated ACME Client(s) will prove you own the domain name by responding to either an HTTP-01 or DNS-01 challenge. These challenges do not require any emails, file uploads, or manual action on your part for each renewal cycle.
Certifying your SSL Certificates
Once you have met CA requirements to prove you own the domain name, your certificate will automatically be issued by Sectigo. It happens automatically and within 5 to 10 minutes. Now, you just relax while your certificates are automatically issued, installed and configured.
Automated Certificate Installation
Your ACME Client will then automatically install the newly issued SSL Certificate and the associated Private Key directly on your web server or application. The ACME Client will also apply the proper configuration automatically without requiring human interaction to do so.
Auto-Renewal Before Expiry
The ACME client will initiate a new validation and renewal for its certificate automatically before the old certificate expires, which allows it to replace the old certificate without interruption of service and to provide always-on encryption with no downtime.
Live Chat
Talk to our 24/7 SSL, Code Signing, & Email Signing experts to resolve issues regarding issuance, validation, & installation.
24/7 Email Ticketing
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SSL Guide and Knowledge Base
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