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AWS Certificate Manager (ACM)

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description AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) Overview

ACM is not a DNS provider, but it is fundamentally linked to DNS management because it provides the necessary SSL/TLS certificates for secure connections (HTTPS). When managing DNS records, you must pair them with a certificate. ACM automates the provisioning and renewal of these certificates within AWS, preventing costly downtime due to expired SSLs, which is a critical operational concern.

help AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) FAQ

What DNS record does AWS Certificate Manager ask me to create?

For DNS validation, ACM supplies a CNAME name and value for each domain requiring proof of control. The validation record can remain in public DNS so ACM can reuse it during managed renewals.

Does my DNS have to be hosted in Route 53 to use ACM?

No, the required CNAME can be created with another public DNS provider. Route 53 is simply more convenient because the ACM console can offer to create the validation record automatically.

Why can CloudFront not see my ACM certificate?

CloudFront requires its ACM certificate to be requested or imported in the US East (N. Virginia) region. Certificates used with a regional Application Load Balancer or API Gateway endpoint normally need to be in the same AWS region as that resource.

Are ACM public certificates free?

Non-exportable public certificates used with integrated AWS services such as CloudFront, Elastic Load Balancing, and API Gateway are issued without a separate certificate charge. Exportable certificates, Private CA usage, and the AWS resources serving the application can incur charges.

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