---
name: "sq-key-subkey-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-subkey-expire"
---

# sq-key-subkey-expire(1)

Change a subkey's expiration time

## NAME

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

## SYNOPSIS

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

## DESCRIPTION

Change a subkey's expiration time.

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

Changing the expiration time of the primary key is equivalent to changing the certificate's expiration time.  The expiration time of a subkey is bound by the expiration of the certificate.

## OPTIONS

### Subcommand options

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

  Change the expiration of the specified (sub)keys on the key with the specified fingerprint or key ID

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

  Change the expiration of the specified (sub)keys on the key where a user ID includes the specified email address

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

  Change the expiration of the specified (sub)keys on the key read from PATH

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

  Change the expiration of the specified (sub)keys on 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.

-

  \[default: **never**\]

- **--key**=*FINGERPRINT\|KEYID*

  Use the key with the specified fingerprint or key ID

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

  Write to the specified FILE

-

  If not specified, and the certificate was read from the certificate store, imports the modified certificate into the cert store.  If not specified, and the certificate was read from a file, writes the modified certificate to stdout.

### Global options

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

## EXAMPLES

Change Alice's authentication subkey to expire in 6 months.

```
sq key subkey expire --expiration 6m \
--cert=EB28F26E2739A4870ECC47726F0073F60FD0CBF0 \
--key=0D45C6A756A038670FDFD85CB1C82E8D27DB23A1
```

## SEE ALSO

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

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

## VERSION

1\.4.1