Information Security

Certificate Management Policy

A certificate management policy template defining issuance, renewal, revocation and inventory of TLS and internal PKI certificates, aligned to ISO 27001, NIST SP 800-53, NIST CSF.

14-20 pages|Updated 2026-09-12|3 frameworks

What's Included

1. Purpose & Scope

Objective and the certificate estate covered.

Policy ObjectiveCertificate TypesRoles and Responsibilities

2. Issuance

Who may request a certificate and on what evidence.

Approved Certificate AuthoritiesRequest and ApprovalValidation RequirementsNaming Standards

3. Inventory

Knowing every certificate you have before it expires.

DiscoveryCentral InventoryOwnershipExpiry Tracking

4. Renewal

Prevents outage by expiry.

Renewal Lead TimeAutomationEscalationEmergency Replacement

5. Revocation

Removes trust when a key is compromised.

Revocation TriggersCRL and OCSPNotificationVerification

6. Private Key Protection

Protects the material behind the certificate.

Storage RequirementsAccess ControlExportability Restrictions

7. Records & Review

Evidence and cadence.

Issuance RecordsExpiry ReportsAnnual Policy Review

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a certificate management policy include?

A comprehensive certificate management policy should include purpose & scope, issuance, inventory, renewal, and more. This template covers 7 key sections aligned to ISO 27001, NIST SP 800-53, NIST CSF requirements.

Which frameworks require a information security policy?

Major frameworks requiring information security policies include ISO 27001, NIST SP 800-53, NIST CSF. This template maps directly to their control requirements, making it easier to demonstrate compliance across multiple standards.

How often should a certificate management policy be reviewed?

Best practice is to review your certificate management policy at least annually, or whenever significant changes occur in your organisation, technology environment, or regulatory landscape. Most frameworks including ISO 27001 and NIST CSF require documented policy review cycles.

Build Your Compliance Programme

Pair this policy template with our compliance platform to map controls across 686+ frameworks, run self-assessments, and get AI-powered compliance advisory.

Get Started Free →

Free forever — no credit card required