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GoDaddy DNS

GoDaddy uses a Production API key + secret pair. The API is eligibility-gated — accounts below certain tiers are refused, so verify access in a browser before wiring it up here.

API eligibility

As of 2024, GoDaddy restricts API access to customers holding 10+ domains or on a Discount Domain Club membership. The API may return 401/403 despite a valid key on accounts that don't meet the tier. If in doubt, check developer.godaddy.com or call GoDaddy support before debugging CertAutoPilot.

Create the key​

  1. Sign in at developer.godaddy.com.
  2. Navigate to API Keys → Create New API Key.
  3. Environment: Production. (Not OTE — the Over-The-Edge sandbox is for testing and does not affect real DNS.)
  4. Copy the Key and Secret. The secret is shown once.

Add the credential​

  1. Settings → DNS Credentials → New → GoDaddy.
  2. Name: godaddy-example-prod.
  3. API key + API secret: paste.
  4. Test connectivity → Save.

Config fields​

FieldRequiredPurpose
api_keyyesProduction API key.
api_secretyesProduction API secret.

Propagation​

GoDaddy can be slow — typically 30–90 seconds for the TXT record to propagate to external resolvers. Slow propagation is absorbed by the phased flow's propagation gate — if issuance times out, raise DNS Propagation Deadline under Settings → General (default 1800 s, range 300–14400).

Troubleshooting​

Frequent 401 Unauthorized​

Either the key is wrong, or your account tier doesn't grant API access. Log into developer.godaddy.com and hit any endpoint — if that 401s too, your account is not eligible.

422 Unprocessable Entity on Present​

The domain is registered at GoDaddy but its nameservers point elsewhere (common after a migration). The API accepts the record write but it has no effect. Either repoint NS back to GoDaddy, or use the actual DNS host as the provider.

DNS-01 timing out even with longer timeout​

GoDaddy occasionally has propagation outliers well above the norm. For production-critical issuance consider a faster DNS provider for the validation zone (CNAME _acme-challenge.example.com to a fast-propagating zone you control elsewhere).

See also​