Let’s Encrypt, one of the world’s largest Certificate Authorities (CAs), has stopped sending expiry notifications by email. The change was implemented on June 4, 2025, and later confirmed via an official blog post to avoid confusion among users.
This nonprofit CA is known for providing free and automated digital certificates that help websites enable HTTPS. The move to phase out email alerts comes down to three main factors: automation, cost, and privacy.
Automation Makes Email Alerts Obsolete
Let’s Encrypt uses the ACME protocol, which automates certificate management across most modern web servers. With the rise in adoption of ACME-based tools, the need for human-triggered renewal alerts is rapidly shrinking.
Additionally, changes by the CA/Browser Forum will soon reduce certificate lifespans to just 47 days by 2029. Manual renewals will become too frequent and risky, pushing more users toward full automation.
The decision helps Let’s Encrypt simplify its infrastructure and reduce dependency on legacy systems. It ensures users rely on built-in protocols instead of expecting email notifications to manage renewals.
Privacy and Cost Drive the Shutdown
Maintaining an email system involves collecting and storing user contact information. For a privacy-focused organization, this practice no longer aligns with its data minimization goals.
At the same time, the operational costs of email notifications were rising—reaching tens of thousands of dollars annually. Let’s Encrypt now plans to direct those resources toward critical infrastructure improvements.
For users, the takeaway is clear: if you haven’t automated your SSL certificate renewals yet, now is the time. And if you still want alerts, consider setting up your own monitoring tools that fit your hosting setup.
