GoHighLevel domain not connecting? Fix Pending and SSL errors

Work out which problem you have

A stuck domain is nearly always one of two things: a DNS record problem, or the domain already being attached to another product. HighLevel's troubleshooting guide deals with them separately, because changing DNS will not fix the second one. If you set the domain up manually and HighLevel spots a known DNS error, it shows a Troubleshoot This Issue link next to the message. Read the wording on the setup screen first, then match it below.

Pending by itself is not always a fault. HighLevel says DNS changes can take from a few minutes up to 24 hours to spread, and its troubleshooting guide allows 24 to 48 hours for some changes. If you changed the records recently and there is no error message, check them once using Fix 1, then give them time before you change anything else. If a domain still says Pending after 24 hours, HighLevel's advice is to double-check the DNS values or contact support.

Fix 1: Check you edited the right DNS host and the record matches

This is the most common cause and the quickest to rule out.

1. Find out who runs the DNS. The company that runs a domain's DNS can be different from the one it was bought from. Look up the domain's nameservers: the company they belong to is where the records have to go. If the domain was bought through HighLevel, its DNS is in the sub-account under Settings > Domains > Purchased Domains, as described in HighLevel's purchased domains guide.
2. See the exact records HighLevel wants. In the client's sub-account, go to Settings > Domains (called Domains & URL Redirects in some accounts), click + Connect a domain, choose Connect under Funnel/Website/Store/Blog/Webinar, enter the domain and choose Add record manually.
3. Compare type, host and value. At the time of writing, HighLevel's setup article lists an A record with host @ and value 162.159.140.166 for a root domain. For a subdomain such as www, it lists a CNAME with the subdomain as the host and sites.ludicrous.cloud as the target, or an A record with the same IP. Always copy what your own setup screen shows.
4. Check the host field. Many providers want only the prefix (www), not www.clientdomain.com. Do not swap the values HighLevel generates for your own domain name.
5. Use one record type per name. HighLevel says not to create both an A record and a CNAME record for the same hostname.

If the domain is with a provider that supports Domain Connect (HighLevel's help centre names GoDaddy and Cloudflare among them), you can choose Continue instead, click Authorize, approve on the provider's site and close that tab. It adds the records for you, but HighLevel notes it cannot delete an existing www CNAME or A record that points somewhere else, so check for those yourself.

How to check: use a public DNS lookup tool such as MXToolbox (the one HighLevel's guide suggests) to look up the A or CNAME record for the exact name. When it returns HighLevel's value, go back to the domain in HighLevel and verify again.

Fix 2: Remove extra A records

A multiple A records error means the name is pointing to more than one place at once, so some visitors reach HighLevel and others reach an old server. The extra record is often left over from a previous website or a parking page.

1. At the DNS host, list every A record on the name you are connecting: @ for the root domain, or the prefix such as www.
2. Keep only the A record whose value matches HighLevel's setup screen.
3. Delete or edit the other A records on that same name. Also remove any CNAME on that name that points elsewhere.
4. Leave MX, TXT and other unrelated records alone. They usually run the client's email and verification.
5. Save, then verify again in HighLevel.

How to check: a DNS lookup on the name should return one IP address only, the one HighLevel gave you. Some changes verify in minutes, but HighLevel says others can take 24 to 48 hours.

Fix 3: Delete AAAA records on that name

An AAAA record points a name to an IPv6 address. HighLevel explains that an AAAA record conflicts with the IPv4 routing its sites need. It often shows up as an SSL or privacy error even when the A record is correct.

1. At the DNS host, sort or filter by type and look for AAAA records on the exact root domain or subdomain you are connecting.
2. Delete all of them for that name. AAAA records on other names can stay.
3. Save and verify again in HighLevel.

How to check: an AAAA lookup on the name should return nothing.

Fix 4: On Cloudflare, set the record to DNS only

If the domain's DNS runs on Cloudflare, HighLevel needs its A or CNAME record set to DNS only, not Proxied. A proxied record (orange cloud) sends traffic through Cloudflare's network instead of straight to HighLevel, and HighLevel lists it as a cause of both failed connections and SSL errors.

1. In Cloudflare, open the domain and go to the DNS Records page.
2. Find the HighLevel A or CNAME record and select Edit.
3. Change Proxy status to DNS only (grey cloud) and select Save, as shown in Cloudflare's DNS records guide.
4. Do the same for any records Domain Connect created, then retry in HighLevel.

How to check: the record shows a grey cloud in Cloudflare, and a lookup returns HighLevel's value instead of a Cloudflare address.

Fix 5: Allow HighLevel's certificate provider in CAA records

CAA records list which certificate authorities are allowed to issue SSL certificates for a domain. Many small business domains have none, and if yours has none, this is not your problem. If the client's domain has CAA records that leave out HighLevel's provider, the certificate cannot be issued and the site stays without a padlock.

1. At the DNS host, look for records of type CAA on the domain.
2. Either remove all CAA records for the affected domain, or add pki.goog as an allowed issuer, which is the value HighLevel's guide names.
3. If the client has an IT team or strict security rules, ask them before you touch CAA records. They may have been added on purpose.
4. Save and verify again.

How to check: once the domain is linked, open the site in a private browser window and look for the padlock. HighLevel sets up SSL automatically after linking, which can take a few minutes.

Fix 6: Free the domain if it is connected elsewhere

Product conflict and domain connected elsewhere are not DNS problems, so editing records will not clear them. HighLevel may run this check before it looks at DNS at all.

Product conflict means the domain is already attached to another product in the account: a website, funnel, WordPress site, webinar or client portal.

1. Read the error to see which product is using the domain.
2. Go to that product and remove the domain if it is no longer needed there. To delete a domain from a sub-account, go to Settings > Domains, click Manage on the domain, open the three-dot menu, select Delete and confirm. Only do this if nothing live still needs that address.
3. Go back to the product you want, reconnect the domain and verify.

If the existing product should keep the domain, use a different subdomain for the new one. For example, keep the main site on www and put the funnel on offers.clientdomain.com.

Domain connected elsewhere means it may be attached in another sub-account, location, agency or account. Check every sub-account you can access first. A common case is a client who has moved from another agency that still has the domain connected. If you cannot find it or get access, ask the old account owner to remove it, or contact HighLevel support with the details listed below.

Fix 7: Link the domain to the right funnel or site

If the domain verifies and has SSL but shows a 404 or the wrong page, the DNS is fine. The domain just is not pointing at the right content.

1. After verification, select the Funnel or Website, choose the funnel step or website page that should load first, and click Link Domain.
2. Go to Settings > Domains, click Manage on the domain and open Connected Products. If you see an Action Required reminder, click it and pick a page in Default Page and Default 404/Error Page.
3. The reminder only appears in the sub-account where the domain was first connected, so switch to that one if you cannot see it.
4. If the 404 comes and goes, visitors are probably using both clientdomain.com and www.clientdomain.com. Set a 301 redirect so one always goes to the other. When you connect a root domain, HighLevel can add the www version with a 301 redirect to the root for you.

How to check: open both versions of the address in a private window. Both should land on the default page you chose.

If none of this worked

If the domain is still Pending after 24 hours with records that look right, or you cannot get it removed from another account, contact HighLevel. Collect this first so support does not have to ask for it:

• The exact domain or subdomain, the sub-account it should be in, and the product (funnel, website, store and so on).
• A screenshot of the error on the setup screen, and one of the records at the DNS host.
• The domain's current nameservers and roughly when you last changed DNS.
• For a connected elsewhere error: proof that you manage the domain, and any previous account, agency or location where it may have been used.

In HighLevel, click the blue question mark in the top-right corner (desktop only) to start a live chat with AI or an agent, or to ask for a Zoom support call. Chats that are not resolved become a ticket. Only agency admins and agency users see that button, so if you log in at sub-account level, ask your agency admin. HighLevel has no general support email. Its support options page lists the other routes, including phone lines for billing and login problems.

Once the domain is live, if funnel forms are not starting your automations, see our guide to HighLevel workflows not triggering. If you look after a lot of client domains, a simple record of which domain is connected in which sub-account saves a lot of hunting later. Our guide to managing multiple client websites covers that.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a HighLevel domain take to connect?

With Domain Connect, HighLevel says changes can take 30 seconds or more to appear. For records added by hand, it says DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to spread, and its troubleshooting guide allows 24 to 48 hours for some. If the domain still says Pending after 24 hours, check the DNS values again or contact HighLevel support.

Do I need to buy an SSL certificate for a HighLevel domain?

No. HighLevel sets up SSL automatically once the domain is connected and the records are correct, which can take a few minutes after you link it. If the site still shows a privacy warning, check for AAAA records, a CAA record that does not allow pki.goog, or a Cloudflare record set to Proxied.

Can one domain point to a HighLevel funnel and a website at the same time?

HighLevel does not support conflicting connections, because a hostname can only route to one place. The simplest answer is a separate subdomain for each, for example the website on www and the funnel on offers. HighLevel also notes that several funnels and websites can share one domain using paths and default page settings.

Should I connect the root domain or a subdomain like www?

If the root domain already runs a live site or service you want to keep, HighLevel recommends using a free subdomain instead. A root domain uses an A record with host @, and a subdomain usually uses a CNAME. When you connect a root domain, HighLevel can add the www version with a 301 redirect, so both addresses reach the same page.

Is it safe to delete DNS records I don't recognise?

Not as a rule. HighLevel's guide warns that unfamiliar records may support email, websites or verification services. Only remove A, AAAA, CNAME or CAA records on the exact name you are connecting, and leave MX and TXT records alone unless you know what they do.

If you would rather have hosting and SSL in one place

If you only need to fix this one domain, the steps above are all you need, and there is no reason to change platform over it. Most of these problems come from records left behind by old hosts. For new client sites, WebNewBiz includes hosting and SSL on every plan, and agencies can run the client dashboard under their own brand on their own domain, such as app.youragency.com. A domain registered elsewhere still has to be pointed at the new site, so the DNS basics in this guide still apply. It is also a younger, smaller platform than GoHighLevel, with a much smaller app ecosystem and no public agency price list.

Create your website for $1: the first month is $1, then the plan's normal price (from $9 a month), and you can cancel any time. If you run an agency, talk to us about white-label.