---
title: CertificateRequest
description: 'cert-manager core concepts: CertificateRequests'
---

The `CertificateRequest` is a namespaced resource in cert-manager that is used
to request X.509 certificates from an [`Issuer`](./issuer.md). The resource
contains a base64 encoded string of a PEM encoded certificate request which is
sent to the referenced issuer. A successful issuance will return a signed
certificate, based on the certificate signing request. `CertificateRequests` are
typically consumed and managed by controllers or other systems and should not be
used by humans - unless specifically needed.

A simple `CertificateRequest` looks like the following:

```yaml
apiVersion: cert-manager.io/v1
kind: CertificateRequest
metadata:
  name: my-ca-cr
spec:
  request:  
  isCA: false
  usages:
  - signing
  - digital signature
  - server auth
  duration: 90d
  issuerRef:
    name: ca-issuer
    # We can reference ClusterIssuers by changing the kind here.
    # The default value is Issuer (i.e. a locally namespaced Issuer)
    kind: Issuer
    group: cert-manager.io
```

This `CertificateRequest` will make cert-manager attempt to request the `Issuer`
`ca-issuer` in the default issuer group `cert-manager.io`, return a
certificate based upon the certificate signing request. Other groups can be
specified inside the `issuerRef` which will change the targeted issuer to other
external, third party issuers you may have installed.

The resource also exposes the option for stating the certificate as CA, Key
Usages, and requested validity duration.

A successful issuance of the certificate signing request will cause an update to
the resource, setting the status with the signed certificate, the CA of the
certificate (if available), and setting the `Ready` condition to `True`.

Whether issuance of the certificate signing request was successful or not, a retry of the
issuance will _not_ happen. It is the responsibility of some other controller to
manage the logic and life cycle of `CertificateRequests`.

## Conditions

`CertificateRequests` have a set of strongly defined conditions that should be
used and relied upon by controllers or services to make decisions on what
actions to take next on the resource. Each condition consists of the pair
`Ready` - a boolean value, and `Reason` - a string. The set of values and
meanings are as follows:

| Ready | Reason  | Condition Meaning                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-------|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| False | Pending | The `CertificateRequest` is currently pending, waiting for some other operation to take place. This could be that the `Issuer` does not exist yet or the `Issuer` is in the process of issuing a certificate.                                       |
| False | Failed  | The certificate has failed to be issued - either the returned certificate failed to be decoded or an instance of the referenced issuer used for signing failed. No further action will be taken on the `CertificateRequest` by it's controller. |
| True  | Issued  | A signed certificate has been successfully issued by the referenced `Issuer`.                                                                                                                                                                 |
