Import an Existing Certificate

Import and manage an existing certificate

1. Open Certificates → Import certificate. Enter a domain name covered by the certificate.
2. Enable Deploy immediately and manage with SSLNexus when SSLNexus should deploy it and manage future renewal. Select a deployment target with a configured CA adapter and, where needed, a deployment plugin.
3. Paste the certificate PEM and its matching private key PEM. Include the required certificate chain in the supplied material.
4. Set the renewal rules, groups, tags and metadata, then choose Import certificate. Review the result and confirm the certificate presented by the destination.

Managed import validates the certificate and key pair and deploys the supplied certificate without requesting a new one. Future renewals use the selected target CA, which must permit the certificate names. The supplied key is protected in customer-controlled storage and is not returned by the API.

Record a certificate without managed deployment

Leave managed deployment disabled to record the supplied certificate without deploying it immediately. The private key is required for managed deployment, not for a certificate-only inventory record. Inventory registration does not transfer deployment or renewal responsibility to SSLNexus.

Configure renewal and ownership

Review Renew before expiry, automatic or approval-required renewal, retries and the UTC maintenance window. Use groups, tags and metadata to record ownership and reporting context. See renewal policies and deployment ownership.

Verify and resolve import failures

If validation fails, confirm the PEM blocks are complete, the private key matches the certificate, and the selected domain is covered by its SANs. If deployment fails, review the job result and target connection before retrying. Verify the live binding after deployment; a successful inventory import alone does not establish that the endpoint changed. See deployment troubleshooting.