Apple warns developers of 2027 expiration for original Developer ID certificate authority

Apple Developer has warned that the original Developer ID Certification Authority (Sub-CA) expires on February 1, 2027, and certificates issued by it will stop working on that date. Developers can check Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles for certificates expiring on or before the deadline and use Apple’s guidance to identify the issuing authority.

Apple recommends replacing affected certificates with ones issued by the current Developer ID Certification Authority (G2). The G2 authority is valid until 2031, but certificates it issues expire annually and must be renewed each year. Developers using Xcode 11.4 or earlier should update before creating a replacement; when prompted, they should select G2 Sub-CA, since another intermediary may issue a certificate that also expires in 2027.

The practical impact depends on how software is distributed. Starting February 1, 2027, .pkg files signed with an affected certificate will no longer install, so Apple advises re-signing those packages before the deadline. Previously signed and notarized Mac software with a secure timestamp will continue working, Apple says. Future updates should use a new certificate and include a secure timestamp for notarization.