When to use manual renewal
Use manual renewal when:
- Auto-renewal is set to Alert only mode and you have received the reminder email
- Auto-renewal is disabled and you want to extend the contract
- You want to renew on your own schedule, outside the automatic cycle
Manual renewal is available on Starter, Pro, and Enterprise plans.
How to manually renew a contract
- Open the contract from your dashboard. The contract must have Signed status.
- Locate the Renew now button. It appears in the expiry warning banner that shows when the contract is within 60 days of expiry, or in the contract action menu.
- Click Renew now.
- In the modal, review the list of signatories who will receive a new signing request.
- Pick the new expiry date for the renewed contract. Use the calendar or one of the quick-select shortcuts (in a month, in 3 months, in a year, and so on).
- Click Renew.
DottSign creates a new contract version and immediately sends signing requests to all non-owner signatories.
What the manual renewal creates
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| New contract status | Pending signature — signatories must sign again |
| Document | Same PDF as the original |
| Signatories | Same list, reset to awaiting signature |
| Expiry date | The date you selected in the modal |
| Original contract | Stays in history as a previous version, still accessible |
| AI analysis | Carried over automatically |
Difference between manual and automatic renewal
| Auto-renew (NOTIFY_AUTO) | Manual renewal | |
|---|---|---|
| Who triggers it | DottSign, on schedule | You, on demand |
| New contract status | Signed (immediately active) | Pending signature |
| Signing requests sent | No | Yes, to all signatories |
| Expiry date | Calculated from previous expiry + renewal period | You choose |
Can I renew a contract that has already expired?
No. Manual renewal is only available on contracts with Signed status. If the contract has already expired and its status changed, contact support for options.