# Can I use Let’s Encrypt for local development SSL provider?

**URL:** https://discourse.roots.io/t/can-i-use-let-s-encrypt-for-local-development-ssl-provider/12448
**Category:** trellis
**Tags:** letsencrypt
**Created:** 2018-05-13T00:33:47Z
**Posts:** 3

## Post 1 by @bdanzer — 2018-05-13T00:33:47Z

AnsibleUndefinedVariable: ‘letsencrypt\_cert\_ids’ is undefined  
failed: [default] ([item=danzerpress.com](http://item=danzerpress.com)) =\> {“changed”: false, “item”: “[danzerpress.com](http://danzerpress.com)”}

I have this set in my wordpress\_sites.yml

ssl:  
enabled: true  
provider: letsencrypt

Can I not use letsencrypt on a local dev site?

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## Post 2 by @knowler — 2018-05-13T05:04:11Z

> [@bdanzer](#):
>
> Can I not use letsencrypt on a local dev site?

:slight_smile: Hi Britt. No you cannot. You can only do self-signed for local development — which isn’t unique to Trellis. If this is confusing, you can read the following article to gain more understanding:

> **[Certificates for localhost - Let's Encrypt](https://letsencrypt.org/docs/certificates-for-localhost/)**
>
> Sometimes people want to get a certificate for the hostname “localhost”, either for use in local development, or for distribution with a native application that needs to communicate with a web application. Let’s Encrypt can’t...

Also, I changed the topic name for less ambiguity and to help others with the same question find it easier.

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## Post 3 by @bdanzer — 2018-05-13T17:43:39Z

Ok that makes sense, I appreciate the clarification!