documenso/apps/docs/content/docs/users/documents/advanced/recipient-expiration.mdx

---
title: Recipient Expiration
description: Set a signing deadline for recipients so document links expire after a configurable period.
---

import { Callout } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/callout';
import { Step, Steps } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/steps';
import { Tab, Tabs } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/tabs';

## Overview

Recipient expiration lets you set a deadline for how long recipients have to sign a document after it is sent. Once the deadline passes, the recipient can no longer access the signing link and the document owner is notified.

This is useful when:

- A business deal is contingent on being signed within a specific time frame
- A document is no longer relevant after a certain date
- You want to ensure recipients act promptly rather than leaving documents unsigned indefinitely

Expiration is tracked **per recipient**, not per document. If one recipient's deadline passes, other recipients can still sign. The document stays in a pending state so the owner can decide whether to resend or cancel.

## Default Behaviour

Every organisation has a default expiration period of **3 months**. This means that when you send a document, each recipient has 3 months from the time the document is sent to complete their signing.

You can change this default at the organisation or team level, or override it per document.

## Settings Cascade

Expiration settings follow a three-level cascade: **Organisation → Team → Document**. Each level can override the one above it.

<Tabs items={['Organisation', 'Team', 'Document']}>
<Tab value="Organisation">

Sets the default for all teams in the organisation. Options are a **custom duration** or **never expires**.

To configure, navigate to **Organisation Settings > Preferences > Document** and find **Default Envelope Expiration**.

</Tab>
<Tab value="Team">

Overrides the organisation default for documents created within this team. Options are a **custom duration**, **never expires**, or **inherit from organisation**.

New teams default to **inherit from organisation**.

To configure, navigate to **Team Settings > Preferences > Document** and find **Default Envelope Expiration**.

</Tab>
<Tab value="Document">

Overrides the team or organisation default for a single document. Options are a **custom duration** or **never expires**.

If you do not change the expiration when editing a document, the team or organisation default applies.

</Tab>
</Tabs>

## Set Expiration for a Document

{/* prettier-ignore */}
<Steps>
<Step>

### Open the document settings

In the document editor, open the **Settings** dialog and go to the **General** tab.

</Step>
<Step>

### Configure the expiration

Find the **Expiration** field. Choose one of:

- **Custom duration** — enter a number and select a unit (days, weeks, months, or years)
- **Never expires** — the recipient can sign at any time

If you leave it unchanged, the team or organisation default applies.

![Recipient Expiration Screenshot](/recipient-expiration/configure-expiration.webp)

</Step>
<Step>

### Send the document

When you send the document, the expiration deadline is calculated from that moment. For example, if you set a 7-day expiration and send the document on March 1st, the recipient has until March 8th to sign.

</Step>
</Steps>

<Callout type="info">
  You cannot change the expiration period after the document has been sent. To extend a recipient's
  deadline, resend the document to them — this resets the clock.
</Callout>

## Set a Default Expiration Period

{/* prettier-ignore */}
<Steps>
<Step>

### Navigate to document preferences

Go to **Organisation Settings > Preferences > Document** (or **Team Settings > Preferences > Document** for team-level overrides).

</Step>
<Step>

### Configure the default

Find **Default Envelope Expiration** and choose:

- **Custom duration** — enter a number and unit
- **Never expires** — no deadline for recipients
- **Inherit from organisation** (team level only) — use whatever the organisation has configured

</Step>
<Step>

### Save

Click **Save** to apply. New documents created after this change use the updated default.

</Step>
</Steps>

<Callout type="info">
  Changing the default expiration does not affect documents that have already been sent. Only new
  documents use the updated setting.
</Callout>

## What Happens When a Recipient Expires

When a recipient's signing deadline passes:

1. The recipient can no longer access the signing link. They see a message explaining that the signing deadline has expired and to contact the document owner.
2. The document owner receives an email notification with a link to view the document.
3. An audit log entry is created recording the expiration.
4. The document remains in a **pending** state — other recipients who have not expired can still sign.

![Recipient Expired Signing Page](/recipient-expiration/recipient-expired.webp)

## Resending to Extend a Deadline

If a recipient's deadline has passed (or is about to), you can resend the document to them. Resending recalculates the expiration from the current time, effectively extending the deadline.

{/* prettier-ignore */}
<Steps>
<Step>

### Open the document

Navigate to the document page and find the recipient whose deadline has expired. Expired recipients are marked with an **Expired** badge.

</Step>
<Step>

### Resend

Click the resend option for the recipient. This sends a new signing link and resets the expiration clock based on the document's configured expiration period.

</Step>
</Steps>

## Expiration Options Reference

| Unit   | Example         | Description                                 |
| ------ | --------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Days   | 7 days          | Recipient has 7 days from when the document is sent |
| Weeks  | 2 weeks         | Recipient has 2 weeks from when the document is sent |
| Months | 3 months        | Recipient has 3 months from when the document is sent (default) |
| Years  | 1 year          | Recipient has 1 year from when the document is sent |

You can also set expiration to **never expires**, which means the signing link remains valid indefinitely.

---

## See Also

- [Send Documents](/docs/users/documents/send) - Send documents for signing
- [Document Preferences](/docs/users/organisations/preferences/document) - Configure default document settings
- [Add Recipients](/docs/users/documents/add-recipients) - Add signers and other recipients to a document