Your Step-by-Step Guide to Check SSL Certificate Validity  

SSL/TLS certificates are digital certificates that prove a website’s identity and enable a secure, encrypted connection between your browser and the website’s server. When you visit an HTTPS site, the server presents its TLS certificate, and your browser checks that it’s valid (not expired), matches the website’s domain name, and is trusted through a recognized Certificate Authority.

What is an SSL Certificate?

An SSL certificate (more accurately, a TLS certificate) is an X.509 digital certificate that binds a website identity (usually a DNS name) to a public key, and it is signed by a Certificate Authority (CA). In practice, this certificate is the website’s machine-verifiable “ID card.” Notably, browsers and operating systems can validate that ID card by building a chain of trust from the site’s certificate through intermediate CAs up to a trusted root CA in the client’s trust store.

The certificate primarily enables authentication, as it allows the client (browser, API consumer, service) to verify that the server it is connected to is authorized for the domain name it requested and that the certificate is currently valid (not expired or otherwise invalid). The client validates at least four items: the domain name must match the certificate’s permitted names (typically in the Subject Alternative Name), the certificate must be within its validity window, the certificate must be allowed for server authentication, and the signature chain must terminate at a trusted root.

A common misconception is that “HTTPS means the site is safe.” Importantly, HTTPS means the connection is secured to the holder of that domain’s certificate; it does not, by itself, prove the organization is reputable or non-malicious.

For example, when a user navigates to https://portal.company.com, the server presents its certificate during the TLS handshake. If the browser validates that the certificate is issued by a trusted CA, matches portal.company.com, and is within date, the browser proceeds. If any of those checks fail, expired certificate, hostname mismatch, or unknown issuer, the browser will warn or block because it cannot safely assert endpoint authenticity. 

Different SSL Certificate Validation Levels

SSL certificates are issued at three main validation levels, and while all three provide the same strength of encryption, they differ significantly in how thoroughly the CA verifies the identity of the certificate holder. These levels, Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV), and Extended Validation (EV), define how much trust a user can place in the website’s identity, which has important implications for security assurance, user confidence, and compliance verification.

Domain Validation (DV)

This level only confirms that the applicant controls the domain name associated with the certificate. The CA typically verifies this control through automated methods, such as confirming an email sent to the domain’s administrative address or requiring a specific DNS record or HTTP file to be added to the domain. Because this process involves no human identity verification, DV certificates can be issued within minutes to a few hours.

Organization Validation (OV)

Organization Validation (OV) certificates add a layer of identity verification. In addition to confirming domain control, the CA performs manual checks of the organization’s legitimacy, verifying the company name, physical address, phone number, and official business registration details. This process generally takes one to three business days and results in a certificate that includes the organization’s name and location, viewable by users in the certificate details.

Extended Validation (EV)

EV certificates follow a rigorous, standardized process defined by the CA/Browser Forum’s EV Guidelines, which require the CA to verify the organization’s legal, physical, and operational existence. The CA typically reviews official registration documents, obtains an independent legal opinion letter, and performs a final verification call with the organization. Because of this thorough process, issuance typically takes one to five business days or longer.

The following table summarizes key differences across the three validation levels:

Feature	Domain Validation (DV)	Organization Validation (OV)	Extended Validation (EV)
Validation Level	Minimal (domain ownership only)	Moderate (domain + basic organization info)	Highest (in-depth business vetting)
Identity in Certificate	No organization details	Organization name and address included	Full organization details included
Issuance Time	Minutes to hours	1–3 business days	1–5 business days or more
Cost	Lowest	Moderate	Highest
Best Use	Blogs, personal sites, internal systems	Business sites, login pages	Banks, e-commerce, government services

Checking an SSL Certificate’s Validity

Checking SSL certificates is both a security hygiene practice and a trust verification step. For users, it prevents exposure to spoofed or unsafe sites. For administrators, it confirms that encryption and authentication controls are properly configured. 

The simplest first step is to confirm that the website use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) instead of plain HTTP. This is visible at the beginning of the site’s URL. HTTPS indicates that traffic between your browser and the website is encrypted using SSL/TLS. Most browsers also display a padlock or lock icon next to the address bar. Clicking or hovering over this icon typically shows whether the connection is secure. If a site is not protected, the browser usually warns you with a message like “Not Secure” or blocks the page before loading.

For audit purposes, organizations should ensure that all public-facing endpoints enforce HTTPS and use valid, non-expired certificates. An expired or mismatched certificate is both a user-experience issue and a control failure under most security frameworks.

Performing the above-mentioned checks confirms that:

• The certificate is valid (not expired or revoked).
• It is issued by a trusted CA.
• It matches the domain name you are visiting.
• The connection uses TLS encryption, preventing eavesdropping and tampering.

For site owners, regularly reviewing SSL details ensures that certificates are correctly deployed, renewed before expiry, and aligned with compliance standards like NIST SP 800-52r2, ISO 27001, or PCI DSS requirements for “encryption in transit.” For visitors, these same checks provide confidence that sensitive data—such as credentials or payment details- is transmitted securely and only to the legitimate site.

The simple act of inspecting a site’s certificate, across Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, can quickly distinguish a secure, standards-compliant website from one that poses unnecessary risk.

Google Chrome

1. Look for the tune icon (or padlock, depending on your version) on the left side of the address bar.
2. Click it and select “Connection is secure.”
3. A brief summary will appear, confirming that your information is protected.
4. To view more details, click “Certificate is valid.”
5. Here you can see the issuing CA, the validity period, and the subject name (the domain or organization the certificate was issued to).
6. Advanced users can also inspect the full certificate chain (server, intermediate, root).

In Microsoft Edge

Edge’s process mirrors Chrome’s because both are built on the Chromium engine.

1. Click the padlock to the left of the URL.
2. Choose “Connection is secure.”
3. The browser will display a short explanation: 

“This site has a valid certificate, issued by a trusted authority… information (such as passwords or credit cards) will be securely sent.”

Click the small information or certificate icon in this window to open full certificate details, where you can view the CA, validity, and encryption details.

Regularly verifying certificates on production sites ensures you detect expired or misconfigured certificates before customers do, helping maintain continuous compliance and uptime.

In Mozilla Firefox

Firefox uses its own security UI but follows the same basic approach.

1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
2. Select “Connection Secure.”
3. Then click “More Information.”
4. In the pop-up, select “View Certificate.”
5. You will see detailed information about the server certificate, any intermediate certificates, and the root CA.
6. The panel also shows the validity dates and the validation type (DV, OV, or EV).

How to Ensure Personal SSL Certificate Details?

Finding and understanding your own SSL certificate details is an essential part of maintaining a secure and compliant web presence. Once you have obtained and installed an SSL/TLS certificate, ongoing visibility into its configuration and validity ensures both customer trust and regulatory compliance. Here is how to review your certificate information, from simple browser checks to centralized management approaches.

Viewing your SSL Certificate in a Browser

If you only manage a few websites, you can quickly verify your SSL certificate directly through your browser:

• In Chrome or Edge:
  Visit your site using https://. Click the padlock or tune icon on the left side of the address bar, select “Connection is secure,” then choose “Certificate is valid.” You’ll see details about the issuing CA, the validity period, the encryption algorithm, and the domain name(s) covered by the certificate.
• In Firefox:
  Click the padlock icon → “Connection Secure” → “More Information” → “View Certificate.” This displays the server, intermediate, and root certificates, along with validity and ownership information.

This method is useful for quick checks, but it becomes cumbersome if you administer many certificates across environments or domains.

Using your Certificate Authority’s Dashboard

Most commercial CAS, such as Microsoft, provide a centralized management console where you can log in and review all your certificates in one place.
A CA dashboard typically shows:

• Certificate status (active, expired, pending renewal)
• Issuance and expiration dates
• Validation type (DV, OV, or EV)
• Subject and SANs (domain names covered)
• Certificate chain and key length
• Renewal and revocation options

This centralized visibility helps you confirm at a glance that your SSL/TLS assets are valid and properly configured. 

Monitoring Certificate Expiration and Renewal Status

Expired SSL certificates can cause service interruptions, security warnings, and loss of customer trust. From a governance and compliance standpoint, an expired certificate is also a control failure, since encryption-in-transit requirements are no longer met.

To prevent this:

• Set up automated expiry alerts within your CA portal or a monitoring tool.
• Enable renewal automation wherever possible; a modern CLM (Certificate Lifecycle Management) solution, e.g., CertSecureManager, supports full automation through ACME or API integration.
• Document renewal workflows as part of your security operations procedures to demonstrate continuous control during audits.

In compliance with frameworks such as ISO/IEC 27001, PCI DSS, and NIST SP 800-52r2, encryption controls require operational assurance that keys and certificates remain valid. Regular monitoring satisfies both security and audit evidence requirements.

Using Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) Solutions

For organizations managing dozens or thousands of certificates, manual tracking is not sustainable. CLM solutions such as Encryption Consulting’s CertSecureManager centralize all certificate data and automate the entire lifecycle, including issuance, discovery, renewal, and revocation.
These platforms can:

• Automatically discover certificates across servers and applications.
• Map owners and dependencies for governance visibility
• Trigger renewal workflows before expiration
• Integrate with DevOps and CI/CD tools for automated provisioning.
• Produce audit-ready reports showing certificate status and compliance posture.

Automation is increasingly critical as validity periods shorten (currently limited to 398 days for publicly trusted certificates per CA/Browser Forum requirements). Continuous renewal automation ensures security continuity and avoids the human errors that lead to downtime.

Checking your SSL certificate is more than a one-time validation; it is an ongoing governance task. You can view certificate details manually through your browser, but at scale, rely on your CA’s dashboard or a dedicated CLM solution for centralized visibility and automation. Always ensure you have:

• A full inventory of all certificates
• Expiration monitoring and renewal automation
• Documented lifecycle procedures for audits

By combining visibility, automation, and trusted CA services, you can maintain secure, compliant, and uninterrupted encrypted communications, protecting both your users and your organization’s reputation.

CertSecure Manager: Your Compliance Partner in a Changing Cryptographic Landscape 

CertSecure Manager has been at the forefront of supporting organizations in staying up-to-date with the latest cryptographic policy transitions. As compliance standards evolve—whether through NIST recommendations, PCI DSS updates, or new industry mandates—CertSecure Manager ensures businesses remain compliant without disruption.

How CertSecure Manager Keeps You Ahead 

• Proactive Compliance Adaptation: CertSecure Manager continuously updates its compliance framework to align with evolving regulations like HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, and NIST 800-131A.
• Automated Updates for Cryptographic Transitions: As cryptographic policies shift, such as the transition to stronger hashing algorithms, key sizes, and rotation intervals, CertSecure Manager automates certificate updates and renewals to ensure uninterrupted compliance.
• Real-Time Monitoring and Policy Enforcement: Organizations receive instant alerts on expiring certificates and non-compliant cryptographic configurations, preventing security lapses and regulatory penalties.
• Seamless Integration with New Standards: Whether it’s post-quantum cryptography adoption, TLS certificate validity reductions, or emerging cryptographic best practices, CertSecure Manager is designed to integrate with new standards effortlessly. With extended reporting capabilities, your organization stays ahead of vulnerabilities and outages.

With CertSecure Manager, your organization significantly reduces the risk of service disruptions due to non-compliant certificates, saves time and resources in the transition to Strong Certificate Mapping, and ensures ongoing compliance with all evolving security requirements. Our solution not only addresses the immediate needs for the February 2025 enforcement but also provides a robust platform for long-term certificate lifecycle management.

In addition to CertSecure Manager, Encryption Consulting’s PKI Assessment Service provides a comprehensive evaluation of your PKI infrastructure. Our service helps your organization identify security gaps and vulnerabilities in your PKI. Our expert team prepares a customized roadmap to help you optimize your cryptographic policies and ensure compliance with industry standards. Whether you are preparing for upcoming regulatory changes or strengthening your overall certificate management strategy, a PKI assessment delivers expert insights and actionable recommendations.

Conclusion

SSL/TLS certificate validity is not a one-time deployment check; in fact, it is an ongoing operational and compliance control that directly affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability. In practice, a certificate that is expired, mis-issued, mismatched to the hostname, or improperly chained cannot be relied upon for endpoint authentication, and browsers and clients will typically warn, block, or fail the connection, creating immediate business impact and weakening security assurances.

Importantly, because many frameworks and audits depend on demonstrable “encryption in transit” and sound key management, certificate lapses can translate into failed control assertions, reputational harm, and avoidable incident response. In summary, organizations should treat certificates as governed assets: maintain an accurate inventory, enforce standards-based TLS configurations, protect private keys, monitor validity continuously, and automate renewal wherever possible. The bottom line is that if you cannot prove your certificates are valid today, you cannot credibly claim secure communications today.