Last updated: November 10, 2026
Is Let’s Encrypt down? User reports indicate possible problems with Let’s Encrypt
Let's Encrypt is a nonprofit certificate authority that gives websites free SSL certificates. Its ACME protocol lets tools like Certbot request and renew certificates on their own every 90 days.
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Let’s Encrypt problems reported in the last 24 hours
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Most reported locations
Where Let’s Encrypt reports are coming from in the last 24 hours.
No problem locations to show yet. Let’s Encrypt looks fine right now. Locations appear here as soon as users submit reports.
Latest Let’s Encrypt user reports
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Let’s Encrypt outage history
Our latest check and the live report status for Let’s Encrypt.
✓ Our latest check (8 November 2026, 3:50 AM PKT): letsencrypt.org answered normally in 96 ms.
Good news. Let’s Encrypt has no reported problems right now. If it is not working for you, report it above and your report will appear here.
Let’s Encrypt uptime and reports
Live report counts and the day by day record for the last 30 days.
User reports received in each period.
Last 30 days, day by day: 11 October 2026 to 9 November 2026
Green: up. Red: outage. Amber: some checks failed. Grey: no record yet.
The daily record builds from today as our checks run. Grey days have no saved record yet. A red day marks a confirmed outage.
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Let’s Encrypt on social media
An early signal from outside our site, watched in rotation.
Posts on Bluesky saying Let’s Encrypt is down. Checked 8 November 2026, 1:32 PM PKT.
Quiet right now. Nobody on Bluesky is saying Let’s Encrypt is down.
Guides that can fix it
Step by step fixes for the problems people report most.
→ An App Is Not Working? Fixes for Android and iPhone
→ Login Problems That Are Not an Outage
→ How to Clear the Cache in Firefox, Safari and Edge
Is Let’s Encrypt Down Right Now?
Almost never for long. Let’s Encrypt issues certificates around the clock, and big outages are rare. If you searched Let’s Encrypt down or is Let’s Encrypt down, your renewal failure is more likely a server or DNS problem on your side. This Let’s Encrypt status page shows live reports from other site owners.
Let’s Encrypt is the free certificate authority run by the nonprofit ISRG. Tools like Certbot use its ACME protocol to get certificates and renew them automatically. Most of the web’s free HTTPS runs through it.
When renewals fail across many servers at once, reports spike here quickly. Single-server failures, though, outnumber real Let’s Encrypt outage events by a wide margin.
Is Let’s Encrypt Down for Me or Everyone?
Try issuing a test certificate for a different domain on the same server. If that works, your server and network are fine and the first domain has the problem. If everything fails, check this page.
Admins ask, is Let’s Encrypt down for me or is my server blocked? A timeout from one IP with success elsewhere means your network or firewall is the blocker.
Why Did My Let’s Encrypt Renewal Fail?
The most common cause is the HTTP-01 challenge. Let’s Encrypt connects to your server on port 80 to prove you control the domain. A new firewall rule, a redirect loop, or IPv6 pointing at the wrong machine breaks it.
DNS changes are the second cause. If you moved hosts or changed nameservers, validation may still hit the old server. Wait for DNS to settle, then run the renewal again.
What Do Let’s Encrypt Rate Limits Mean?
Let’s Encrypt caps how many certificates you can issue. The big ones are 50 certificates per registered domain per week and 5 duplicate certificates per week. Failed validations are capped at 5 per hour per hostname.
Test setups hit these limits fast. Always test with the staging environment, which has far higher limits, and switch to production only when the setup works.
Why Does My Browser Still Say the Certificate Is Expired?
Your server may be serving the old certificate because the web server never reloaded after renewal. Restart or reload the web server, then test again in a private window.
Old devices add noise. Very old Android phones distrust the modern chain after the DST Root CA X3 expiry in 2021. That is a device problem, not a new Let’s Encrypt outage.
Common Let’s Encrypt Problems and Fixes
HTTP-01 challenge fails
Open port 80 in the firewall and check that the domain resolves to this server on both IPv4 and IPv6. Remove forced redirects for the .well-known path.
DNS-01 record not found
Add the TXT record exactly as shown and wait for it to appear in a public DNS checker. DNS-01 is slower but works for wildcards and closed servers.
Rate limit reached error
Stop retrying and read which limit you hit in the error link. Most limits reset within an hour to a week, and duplicate-cert limits reset weekly.
Certbot will not renew on its own
Check the certbot timer or cron job is active, then run a dry-run renewal. A failed dry run prints the real error while your current certificate still works.
Browser shows the old certificate
Reload the web server so it picks up the new files, and confirm the config points at the fullchain file. Clear any CDN cache that serves the old chain.
Having a problem with Let’s Encrypt?
Comments are public and help others understand the issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Let’s Encrypt certificates last?
Every certificate lasts 90 days. The standard advice is to renew after 60 days, and tools like Certbot can do it automatically long before expiry becomes a problem.
Why does Let’s Encrypt validation need port 80 open?
The HTTP-01 challenge proves domain control by fetching a file over plain HTTP on port 80. If port 80 must stay closed, use the DNS-01 challenge instead.
How many certificates can I issue with Let’s Encrypt per week?
The main limit is 50 certificates per registered domain per week, plus 5 duplicate certificates for the same name set. Failed validation attempts are limited to 5 per hour.
Is Let’s Encrypt really free and trusted by browsers?
Yes. It is run by the nonprofit ISRG and funded by sponsors and donations. All major browsers and operating systems trust its certificates by default.
What is the difference between HTTP-01 and DNS-01 challenges?
HTTP-01 places a file on your web server and needs port 80 open. DNS-01 places a TXT record in your DNS and is the only option for wildcard certificates.
Can I revoke a Let’s Encrypt certificate?
Yes, your ACME client can revoke a certificate if a key leaks or a domain changes hands. Revocation is instant at the authority, though browsers may cache status for a while.