Localist’s custom domain feature is an essential component of your overall brand identity being applied to your platform as it changes the display of your Localist URL to a subdomain of your current website. Once you have your Custom Domain in place, you'll need to get SSL setup for the most secure browsing experience.
Localist supports automatic SSL certificate management through DNS-based validation. This means that, once the required DNS records are in place, Localist can issue and renew SSL certificates without requiring you to manually generate, upload, or replace certificate files each time a certificate expires.
Required DNS Records
Custom domains require two CNAME records:
| Record | Type | Points to |
| calendar.example.edu | CNAME | platform-slug.enterprise.localist.com |
| _acme-challenge.calendar.example.edu | CNAME | platform-slug.acme-challenge.localist.com |
Replace calendar.example.edu with your calendar's custom domain, and replace platform-slug with your Localist platform slug.
The first CNAME directs traffic to your Localist platform. The second CNAME is used for SSL certificate validation and automatic certificate renewal.
Do not point your custom domain to a Localist IP address. Custom domains must use a CNAME record.
Set Up a Custom Domain
Your calendar's custom domain must be set up as a subdomain of your website, such as `events.example.edu`. It cannot be set up as a subdirectory, such as `example.edu/events`.
To configure a custom domain:
1. Create a CNAME record for your custom domain that points to your Localist platform:
calendar.example.edu CNAME platform-slug.enterprise.localist.com
2. Create a second CNAME record for SSL certificate validation:
_acme-challenge.calendar.example.edu CNAME platform-slug.acme-challenge.localist.com
3. In Localist, navigate to Settings > Platform Settings > Domain & Security.
4. Add your custom domain to the Custom Domain field.
5. Save your changes.
DNS changes can take 24-72 hours to propagate. Confirm that your DNS records have propagated before expecting the custom domain and SSL certificate to fully validate. You can check propagation with a DNS lookup tool such as dnschecker.org.
Automatic SSL Management
For most customers, Localist manages SSL certificates automatically after the required DNS records are configured. The `_acme-challenge` CNAME allows Localist to validate the domain and renew the certificate without requiring a manual certificate upload.
Localist uses the ACME protocol to communicate with Let's Encrypt and automate SSL certificate issuance and renewal. Let's Encrypt is an automated certificate authority that issues SSL certificates.
This automatic process replaces the previous manual workflow of generating a CSR, sending it to a certificate authority, and uploading certificate files into Localist.
Custom ACME Issuers
Most customers can use the default automatic SSL setup through Let's Encrypt. If your organization requires a specific ACME certificate issuer, such as InCommon, you can use a custom ACME issuer instead.
If you need to use a custom ACME issuer, gather the following information from your certificate issuer before updating your Localist settings:
| Field | Details |
| Issuer URL | The ACME directory URL provided by your certificate issuer. |
| Key ID | The external account binding key identifier provided by your certificate issuer. |
| HMAC key | The external account binding HMAC key provided by your certificate issuer. If you are updating an existing custom ACME issuer, leave this blank to keep the existing HMAC key. |
| Contact email | The email address used for certificate registration and issuer communication. Use a monitored address owned by your organization. |
To configure a custom ACME issuer:
1. In Localist, navigate to Settings > Platform Settings > Domain & Security > Certificates.
2. Enable Use custom ACME issuer.
3. Enter the issuer URL, key ID, HMAC key, and contact email provided by your certificate issuer.
4. Save your changes.
5. Add or update your `_acme-challenge` CNAME after the custom ACME issuer settings are saved: _acme-challenge.calendar.example.edu CNAME platform-slug.acme-challenge.localist.com
Configure and save the custom issuer before adding the _acme-challenge DNS record. This ensures validation is routed to the correct issuer.
Existing Custom Domains
If your platform already has a custom domain and an active SSL certificate, add the _acme-challenge CNAME before your current certificate expires. Once the DNS record is in place and validated, Localist can transition the domain to automatic SSL renewal.
Most customers are not expected to experience downtime. Some custom DNS, proxy, or CDN configurations may require additional review.
Contact support@concept3d.com if:
* Your SSL certificate has already expired.
* Your DNS setup points to a Localist IP address instead of a CNAME.
* Your organization uses a proxy, CDN, or another custom DNS configuration.
* Your organization requires manual certificate handling.
Manual certificate uploads should only be used when automatic SSL management is not available for your setup. If you believe your organization requires manual certificate handling, contact support@concept3d.com before proceeding.
Domain Security Settings
| Field | Details |
| Force HTTPS | Automatically redirects HTTP requests to HTTPS. |
| Stricter Transport Security | Tells browsers to use HTTPS instead of HTTP after the first redirect. Once set, this setting cannot be fully undone for individual users because browsers may retain the STS header. |
| Content Security Policy | Blocks JavaScript from third-party domains when enabled. Do not enable this if you have added your website's header or footer template to the HTML Theme Editor. |
| Extra Content Security Policy | Allows deeper control over which third-party assets are allowed. For example, setting img-src https://images.localist.com restricts image loading to that source. |
| Referrer Policy | Tells the browser to include the URL of the page a user is initially on when navigating to another page. Turned on by default. |
| Feature Policy | Turns off computer microphone and camera access except for platforms using Localist Register's Organizer Check-In QR code scanning. Turned on by default. |
FAQ
Is SSL required?
Yes. SSL is required for custom domains.
Who manages the SSL certificate?
Localist manages SSL automatically for standard custom domain setups once the required DNS records are in place. Manual certificate uploads are not required for most customers.
Are we required to use Let's Encrypt?
Most customers can use the default automatic SSL setup through Let's Encrypt. If your organization requires a specific ACME certificate issuer, you can configure a custom ACME issuer before adding your _acme-challenge DNS record. You will need the issuer URL, key ID, HMAC key, and contact email from your certificate issuer.
When do existing customers need to add the new DNS record?
Existing customers with custom domains should add the _acme-challenge CNAME before their current SSL certificate expires. This allows automatic SSL renewal to take over before the existing certificate reaches its expiration date.
Will this cause downtime?
Most customers are not expected to experience downtime. Some custom DNS, proxy, or CDN configurations may require additional review.
Can we point our custom domain to a Localist IP address?
No. Custom domains must use a CNAME record. Do not hardcode a Localist IP address in your DNS configuration.