Expiry and Renewal Register
A one-page register for every date with a consequence, with columns for the real deadline after notice periods, the owner and backup, the reminder ladder, and the action to take when a reminder fires.
Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.
This register is the single source of truth our guide keeps coming back to: one row per item, one owner, one backup, and a reminder ladder scaled to how much effort renewal takes. The column that matters most is the last safe action date, which is the expiry date minus any notice period, approval time, or installation work. For a domain on auto-renew that is the expiry date itself. For a lease with a long notice window it can fall months earlier, which is exactly the kind of date that gets missed when only the end date is recorded. Our article on contract renewals at /blog/contract-renewals-dates-that-cost/ explains why that gap costs so much.
The rows below are examples to replace with your own items; the reminder ladders shown are typical starting points rather than rules, and you should stretch them wherever a purchase order or legal review is involved. Use the lead time planner at /tools/renewal-lead-time-planner/ to work out a ladder for each row, and the missed renewal cost calculator at /tools/missed-renewal-cost/ if you need to justify the time this takes. Keep the register in a shared place, review it monthly or quarterly, and add a row the day anything new is bought or signed.
| Item | Category | Expiry or renewal date | Last safe action date | Owner and backup | Reminder ladder | Action when the reminder fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary company domain | Domain | Your date | Expiry date, or earlier if auto-renew is off | Your name and your backup | 60, 30, and 7 days out | Confirm auto-renew and the card on file at the registrar; check the renewal receipt arrived |
| Old brand or redirect domain | Domain | Your date | Expiry date | Your name and your backup | 60, 30, and 7 days out | Decide whether to keep it; renew if yes, let it lapse deliberately if no |
| Public website certificate | SSL or TLS certificate | Your date | A few days before expiry | Your name and your backup | 30, 14, and 3 days out | Verify the automated renewal deployed; open the live site and check the certificate dates |
| Wildcard or manually issued certificate | SSL or TLS certificate | Your date | A week or more before expiry | Your name and your backup | 45, 21, and 7 days out | Request the new certificate, install it on every server that uses it, and test each one |
| Annual software plan (name the tool) | Subscription | Your renewal date | Cancellation deadline from the terms | Your name and your backup | 45, 21, and 7 days out | Review seats and usage; renew, downgrade, or cancel in the billing portal |
| Free trial in progress | Subscription | Conversion date | The day before conversion | Your name and your backup | 7, 3, and 1 days out | Decide to keep or cancel; remove the card if canceling and confirm the account status |
| Office lease | Contract | End date | End date minus the notice period | Your name and your backup | 180, 120, and 90 days out | Start renegotiation or send written notice; keep proof the landlord received it |
| Vendor or agency agreement | Contract | End date | End date minus notice period minus a buffer | Your name and your backup | 90, 60, and 30 days out | Review performance and pricing; give notice or agree new terms in writing before the deadline |
| Software license or key | License | Your date | Expiry date minus purchasing time | Your name and your backup | 60, 30, and 14 days out | Raise the purchase order, install the new key, and confirm activation on every machine |
| Support and maintenance plan | License | Your date | Expiry date minus approval time | Your name and your backup | 60, 30, and 14 days out | Confirm you still need it; renew, or plan for running unsupported |
| Your item | Your category | Your date | Your calculation | Your name and your backup | Your ladder | Your action note |
https://latepinger.com/templates/expiry-renewal-register/Use it in your business, share it with your team, or link to it from your own site.
Also from LatePinger
- Renewal Tracking Setup Checklist: A step-by-step checklist for finding every domain, certificate, subscription, contract, and license your business depends on and getting each date into one calendar with an owner and a reminder ladder.
- Free calculators