Managing SSL Certificates in DirectAdmin
Summary
This guide explains how to enable, issue, and manage SSL certificates in DirectAdmin. SSL ensures your website loads securely over HTTPS and protects data exchanged between visitors and your server.
Overview
The SSL Certificates section allows you to generate free Let’s Encrypt certificates, upload custom certificates, and manage security settings for your domain. Most users will use Let’s Encrypt for automatic, renewable SSL protection.
Requirements
- DirectAdmin user-level access
- Domain must point to the server’s IP address
- DNS must be fully propagated
- “Secure SSL” must be enabled for the domain
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Enable SSL for Your Domain
- Log in to DirectAdmin
- Go to Account Manager → Domains
- Click your domain
- Ensure “Secure SSL” is enabled
- Save changes if needed
2. Issue a Let’s Encrypt SSL Certificate
- Go to Account Manager → SSL Certificates
- Select “Free & Automatic Certificate from Let’s Encrypt”
- Choose the domain(s) to secure:
• Domain.com
• www.domain.com
• Optional: mail.domain.com
- Click “Save” or “Issue Certificate”
- Wait for confirmation
3. Force HTTPS (Optional but Recommended)
- Go to Account Manager → SSL Certificates
- Look for “Force SSL with HTTPS redirect”
- Enable the option
- Save changes
4. Upload a Custom SSL Certificate (Advanced)
- Go to SSL Certificates
- Choose “Paste a pre-generated certificate and key”
- Paste:
• Certificate
• Private Key
• CA Bundle (if provided)
- Save changes
5. Renewing SSL Certificates
- Let’s Encrypt certificates renew automatically every 60–90 days
- If renewal fails:
• Ensure DNS still points to the server
• Re-issue the certificate manually
Troubleshooting
SSL Not Working
- Ensure “Secure SSL” is enabled for the domain
- Re-issue the Let’s Encrypt certificate
- Confirm DNS A records point to the server
- Remove conflicting AAAA (IPv6) records if unsupported
HTTPS Redirect Not Working
- Check .htaccess rules in the domain’s public_html folder
- Ensure no conflicting redirects exist in Site Redirects
Let’s Encrypt Errors
- Domain not resolving to the server
- DNS propagation incomplete
- Too many failed attempts (rate limit)
- Webroot not accessible (permissions or missing folder)
Related Articles
- Domains
- DNS Management
- Subdomain Management
- Site Redirects