Does a Website Alias Have Its Own SSL Certificate?

No. A website alias does not have its own SSL certificate because it is not treated as a separate website by the hosting platform.

An alias is typically a server-level redirection that points one domain or subdomain to another address. Since no separate website instance exists for the alias itself, SSL certificates cannot be generated or installed directly for the alias.

Why Does This Matter?

Modern web browsers attempt to establish a secure HTTPS connection before processing a redirect. If the alias domain does not have a valid SSL certificate, visitors may see a security warning before the redirection can occur.

For example:

• https://example-alias.com → redirects to https://example.com

Even though the destination website has a valid SSL certificate, the browser must first establish a secure connection with example-alias.com. Without a certificate, the connection may fail or display a warning.

Recommended Solution

If you need HTTPS support on the source domain, create a separate website entry for the domain instead of using a simple alias.

Once the website has been added:

1. Allow an SSL certificate to be generated for the domain.
2. Create a redirection rule that forwards visitors to the destination address.
3. Test both HTTP and HTTPS connections to ensure the redirect works correctly.

This approach allows visitors to access the source domain securely before being redirected to the target website.

When Is an Alias Sufficient?

A standard alias may be sufficient when:

• HTTPS support is not required on the source address.
• The alias is used only for internal or temporary purposes.
• Browser security warnings are not a concern.

In most public-facing scenarios, however, creating a separate website and configuring a proper HTTPS redirect is the recommended solution.

Summary

Website aliases do not have their own SSL certificates because they are not treated as independent websites. If secure HTTPS redirection is required, create a separate website for the domain, allow an SSL certificate to be issued, and then configure a redirect to the destination address.