---
title: "Enable Let’s Encrypt for Sites and Stores"
source: "https://docs.nexcess.com/hosting/security/ssl/nexcess/enable-lets-encrypt/"
description: "Learn how to enable and manage free, automated Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates for your site and pointer domains via the Liquid Web portal dashboard."
vertical: "Hosting"
date: "2026-05-07"
last_modified: "2026-07-23"
---

# Enable Let’s Encrypt for Sites and Stores

## What is Let’s Encrypt?

[Let’s Encrypt](https://letsencrypt.org/) is an automated certificate authority (CA) that provides a free and easy way to generate the [SSL certificates](https://docs.nexcess.com/hosting/security/ssl/) required for enabling HTTPS for your website.

**Let’s Encrypt certificates automatically renew every 3 months.**

## Prerequisites

You will need to login to the [portal](https://sites-portal.nexcess.com/) for the site to check on the SSL tab.

## Enabling Let’s Encrypt

1. Select the site and then go to **Site Dashboard**.
2. Scroll down and then select the **SSL** tab in the portal.
3. The SSL certificate status will show as **installed** if the Let’s Encrypt certificate has been installed for the site when your [site went live](https://docs.nexcess.com/sites-stores/managed-magento/store-management/launch-store/). If Let’s Encrypt is not installed, click the Enable button to create and active your Let’s Encrypt SSL.

If you have set up [Pointer domains](https://docs.nexcess.com/sites-stores/control-panel/interworx/siteworx/website-management/pointer-domains/) in the portal you can also enable SSL certificates for those sub-domains as well also in the **SSL** tab of the portal.