How to Automate Free SSL Certificates on Namecheap (cPanel)

The Problem: Standard free SSLs require manually copying keys into cPanel every 60 days.
The Solution: We use a tool called acme.sh to issue the certificate and automatically push it to cPanel. It runs on a schedule, so you never have to touch it again.

Prerequisites

• Login access to cPanel.
• The domain name you want to secure.
• A valid email address (for renewal notifications).

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Step 1: Open the Terminal

You do not need to install any software on your computer. You can do this directly from the browser.

1. Log in to your Namecheap cPanel.
2. Use the search bar at the top to find "Terminal".
3. Click the Terminal icon to open the black command screen.
   • Note: If the screen doesn't load, go to "Exclusive for Namecheap Customers" > "Manage Shell" in cPanel and make sure SSH Access is toggled ON.

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Step 2: Install the Automation Tool

Copy and paste the command below into the terminal.
(Replace email@example.com with your actual email).

curl [https://get.acme.sh](https://get.acme.sh) | sh -s email=email@example.com

IMPORTANT: Once that finishes, you must run this command to activate the tool:

source ~/.bashrc

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Step 3: Find Your Website Folder

We need to tell the tool where your website files live.

• Main Domain: Usually /home/username/public_html
• Addon Domain: Usually /home/username/yourdomain.com

If you aren't sure, run this command to list your folders:

ls -d /home/$USER/*

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Step 4: Issue the Certificate

Replace yourdomain.com with your website URL and /path/to/folder with the folder you found in Step 3.

acme.sh --issue -d yourdomain.com -d [www.yourdomain.com](https://www.yourdomain.com) -w /path/to/folder

• Wait: You should see a progress bar.
• Success: Look for green text saying "Cert success".

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Step 5: Connect to cPanel (The "No Copy-Paste" Step)

This command links the certificate to the cPanel API so it updates automatically.
(Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain).

acme.sh --deploy -d yourdomain.com --deploy-hook cpanel_uapi

• Success: Look for the message: Successfully deployed certificate... via UAPI.

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Verification

1. Go to your website in a browser (e.g., https://yourdomain.com).
2. Click the Lock Icon in the address bar.
3. The certificate should show today's date.

Done! The system will now check every day and automatically renew and reinstall the certificate before it expires.