Knowledge Base

DCV Reuse Reduction to 200 Days – Implementation & Guidance for Partner customers and Retail Customers 

1. Overview 

An industry‑mandated update to a reduction of certificate lifespan from 398 days to 200 days effect on March 15, 2026. The maximum allowable Domain Control Validation (DCV) reuse period will also be reduced from 398 days to 200 days, impacting all certificate issuance channels including Partners, Retail customers, and EPKI customers. 

This change applies to all Certification Authorities and is part of broader baseline requirement updates being introduced globally. 

2. What is Changing? 

Starting March 15, 2026, all existing and future DCV records will be capped at a maximum lifetime of 200 days from their original creation date, regardless of when validation was completed. 

Any DCV record older than 200 days from this date will no longer be eligible for reuse; meaning certificate reissuance will require the domain to be revalidated. 

Future Planned Reductions 

Industry‑mandated reductions to certificate validity and DCV reuse will follow this timeline: 

Existing certificates remain valid until they expire. 

3. Impact on Partners & Customers 

3.1 Legacy Partner Channels 

Channels: 

Partners using these channels complete DCV per order, so they must ensure updated notifications and workflows for the new 200‑day reuse limit. 

3.2 Retail Customers 

Retail customers using WHCMS or SSL247 follow the same “per‑order DCV” model and will also need to revalidate domains for reissues beyond 200 days.  

4. Reissuing Certificates Under the New Rules 

4.1 API‑Connected Partners 

4.2 Portal‑Only Users and Retail Customers 

Partners without API integration (Sectigo Reseller Portal, EPKI) perform reissues manually by: 

4.3 Migration Option 

5. Recommended Partner Actions 

5.1 Immediate Actions 

5.2 Automation Encouraged 

Transition manual processes to automated issuance where possible to reduce operational overhead and outage risk. Recommended validation methods: 

6. Support and Resources 

Sectigo offers support for identifying affected DCV records and planning transitions. Partners and customers may: 

7. Summary 

The 200‑day DCV reuse limit aligns Sectigo with upcoming global industry requirements. All partners, resellers, and customers must ensure their workflows, alerts, and automation processes are updated before March 15, 2026, to avoid issuance disruption. This update affects reissues, lifecycle automation, API usage, and domain validation practices across all channels. 
 
 
 
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