---
title: "Order a free SSL certificate"
description: "The OVHcloud Load Balancer service can be configured to support SSL termination."
url: https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/network/load-balancer/order-freecertificate
lang: en
---
> For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms-full.txt.

# Order a free SSL certificate

The OVHcloud Load Balancer service can be configured to support SSL termination.

The purpose of SSL termination is to decrypt the incoming encrypted stream before forwarding it to the appropriate service, such as a web server.

Handling SSL termination on the Load Balancer reduces the computational load on your backend servers and centralizes certificate management. This makes maintenance and security updates easier.

 

## Requirements

- An [OVHcloud Load Balancer](https://us.ovhcloud.com/network/load-balancer/) service in your OVHcloud account.
- Access to the [OVHcloud Control Panel](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/) or [OVHcloud API](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/)

 

## Instructions

### Configure the frontend for SSL termination

To enable SSL termination, you must first configure your frontend.

#### Via the OVHcloud Control Panel

You can configure your SSL termination in the [OVHcloud Control Panel](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/) via the `Network` and then `Load Balancer` menus.

**Warning:** **NOTE:** If you are not using the [beta version](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/account/account-information/console-navigation.md) of the OVHcloud Control Panel, you can find the OVHcloud Load Balancer via the `Bare Metal Cloud` or `Hosted Private Cloud` sections.

After selecting the Load Balancer you wish to modify, create a new frontend or edit an existing one.
In the `Front-ends` tab, click on the `Add a front-end` button to create a new frontend.
In the configuration window that opens, select the `HTTPS` protocol. Then, select the `Default server cluster`.
Finally, open the **Advanced settings** and fill in the `HTTPS Redirection` field.

Once the frontend has been created, a banner will appear prompting you to `Apply configuration` to deploy your changes in the appropriate zone.

#### Via the OVHcloud API

From the [OVHcloud API](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/), the SSL termination is specified by the `ssl` boolean. To enable SSL termination, set this parameter to `true`, then set the `defaultFarmId` or `redirectLocation` to the corresponding values.

**Note:** To find your defaultFarmId, use the

[GET /ipLoadbalancing/{serviceName}/http/farm](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/ipLoadbalancing&branch=v1#get-/ipLoadbalancing/-serviceName-/http/farm)

API call.

Create a front-end:

[POST /ipLoadbalancing/{serviceName}/http/frontend](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/ipLoadbalancing&branch=v1#post-/ipLoadbalancing/-serviceName-/http/frontend)

Then apply the changes:

[POST /ipLoadbalancing/{serviceName}/refresh](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/ipLoadbalancing&branch=v1#post-/ipLoadbalancing/-serviceName-/refresh)

 

### Order the free SSL certificate

#### OVHcloud Control Panel

From the `SSL certificates` tab, click `Order an SSL certificate`.
In the pop-up window, select `Free`, enter a `FQDN`, and click `Order`.

#### OVHcloud API

From the [OVHcloud API](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/), use the following command.
For the order to be finalized, the chosen domain name must point to your OVHcloud Load Balancer service.

[POST /ipLoadbalancing/{serviceName}/freeCertificate](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/ipLoadbalancing&branch=v1#post-/ipLoadbalancing/-serviceName-/freeCertificate)

 

### Follow up on the order

#### Via the OVHcloud Control Panel

Select the `Tasks` tab, and look at the **Task** column for those labeled as `orderFreeCertificate`.

#### Via the OVHcloud API

- Get a task list, and specify `orderFreeCertificate` as the action type:

  `GET /ipLoadbalancing/{serviceName}/task`
- Get the status of a particular task:

  `GET /ipLoadbalancing/{serviceName}/task/{id}`

 

## Go further

Browse all the [Load Balancer guides](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/network/load-balancer/landing-page-load-balancer.md).

Browse the rest of the [OVHcloud US documentation](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/index.md) for guides on our other products and services.

Learn more about [Load Balancer](https://us.ovhcloud.com/network/load-balancer/) on the OVHcloud US website.