---
name: "sq-key-expire"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "sequoia-sq"
version: "1.4.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sq-key-expire"
---

# sq-key-expire(1)

Change a certificate's expiration time

## NAME

sq-key-expire - Change a certificate's expiration time

## SYNOPSIS

**sq key expire** \[*OPTIONS*\]

## DESCRIPTION

Change a certificate's expiration time.

This subcommand changes a certificate's expiration time.  To change the expiration time of an individual subkey, use the \`sq key subkey expire\` subcommand.

## OPTIONS

### Subcommand options

- **--cert**=*FINGERPRINT\|KEYID*

  Change the expiration of the key with the specified fingerprint or key ID

- **--cert-email**=*EMAIL*

  Change the expiration of the key where a user ID includes the specified email address

- **--cert-file**=*PATH*

  Change the expiration of the key read from PATH

- **--cert-userid**=*USERID*

  Change the expiration of the key with the specified user ID

- **--expiration**=*EXPIRATION*

  Sets the expiration time

-

  EXPIRATION is either an ISO 8601 formatted date with an optional time or a custom duration.  A duration takes the form \`N\[ymwds\]\`, where the letters stand for years, months, weeks, days, and seconds, respectively. Alternatively, the keyword \`never\` does not set an expiration time.

-

  \[default: **never**\]

- **--output**=*FILE*

  Write to FILE or stdout if omitted

### Global options

See [**sq**(1)](/sq/1.md) for a description of the global options.

## EXAMPLES

Change Alice's certificate to expire in a year.

```
sq key expire --expiration 1y --cert \
EB28F26E2739A4870ECC47726F0073F60FD0CBF0
```

Change Alice's certificate to never expire.

```
sq key expire --expiration never --cert \
EB28F26E2739A4870ECC47726F0073F60FD0CBF0
```

## SEE ALSO

[**sq**(1)](/sq/1.md), [**sq-key**(1)](/sq-key/1.md).

For the full documentation see \<https://book.sequoia-pgp.org/\>.

## VERSION

1\.4.1