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Set up multi-signer DNSSEC

Last updated Apr 16, 2026Copy as MarkdownView as MarkdownAgent setup
OverviewBefore you begin1. Set up Cloudflare zoneCloudflare as Primary (full setup)Cloudflare as Secondary2. Set up external provider3. Set up registrar

This page explains how you can enable multi-signer DNSSEC with Cloudflare, using the model 2 as described in RFC 8901 .

Before you begin

Note that:

  • This process requires that your other DNS provider(s) also support multi-signer DNSSEC.
  • Although you can complete a few steps via the dashboard, currently the whole process can only be completed using the API.
  • Enabling DNSSEC and Multi-signer DNSSEC on the DNS Settings page only replaces the first step in 1. Set up Cloudflare zone. You still have to follow the rest of this tutorial to complete the setup.

1. Set up Cloudflare zone

Cloudflare as Primary (full setup)

If you use Cloudflare as a primary DNS provider, meaning that you manage your DNS records in Cloudflare, do the following:

  1. In the Cloudflare dashboard, go to the DNS Settings page.

    Go to Settings ↗

  2. Select Enable DNSSEC and Confirm.

Note

For the purpose of this tutorial, you will update your registrar with the DS record later, in Step 3.

  1. Also enable Multi-signer DNSSEC and Multi-provider DNS.
  2. Go to the DNS Records page and create the following records at your zone apex (meaning you should use @ in the record Name field):
    • A DNSKEY record with the zone signing key(s) (ZSKs) of your external provider(s).
    • An NS record with your external provider nameservers.
  1. Use the Edit DNSSEC Status endpoint to enable DNSSEC and activate multi-signer DNSSEC for your zone. Set status to active and dnssec_multi_signer to true, as in the following example.

Required API token permissions

At least one of the following token permissions is required:
  • DNS Write
Edit DNSSEC Statusbash
curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/zones/$ZONE_ID/dnssec" \
	--request PATCH \
	--header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
	--json '{
		"status": "active",
		"dnssec_multi_signer": true
	}'
  1. Add the ZSK(s) of your external provider(s) to Cloudflare by creating a DNSKEY record on your zone.

Required API token permissions

At least one of the following token permissions is required:
  • DNS Write
Create DNS Recordbash
curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/zones/$ZONE_ID/dns_records" \
	--request POST \
	--header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
	--json '{
		"type": "DNSKEY",
		"name": "<ZONE_NAME>",
		"data": {
				"flags": 256,
				"protocol": 3,
				"algorithm": 13,
				"public_key": "<PUBLIC_KEY>"
		},
		"ttl": 3600
	}'
  1. Add your external provider(s) nameservers as NS records on your zone apex.

Required API token permissions

At least one of the following token permissions is required:
  • DNS Write
Create DNS Recordbash
curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/zones/$ZONE_ID/dns_records" \
	--request POST \
	--header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
	--json '{
		"type": "NS",
		"name": "<ZONE_NAME>",
		"content": "<NS_DOMAIN>",
		"ttl": 86400
	}'
  1. Enable the usage of the nameservers you added in the previous step by using the API request below.

Caution

This step is required. Without turning on this setting, Cloudflare will ignore any NS records created on the zone apex. This means that responses to DNS queries made to the zone apex and requesting NS records will only contain Cloudflare nameservers.

Required API token permissions

At least one of the following token permissions is required:
  • Zone DNS Settings Write
  • DNS Write
Update DNS Settingsbash
curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/zones/$ZONE_ID/dns_settings" \
	--request PATCH \
	--header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
	--json '{
		"multi_provider": true
	}'

Cloudflare as Secondary

If you use Cloudflare as a secondary DNS provider, do the following:

  1. In the Cloudflare dashboard, go to the DNS Settings page.

    Go to Settings ↗

  2. For DNSSEC with Secondary DNS select Live signing.

Note

For the purpose of this tutorial, you will update your registrar with the DS record later, in Step 3.

  1. Also enable Multi-signer DNSSEC.
  2. Add the zone signing key(s) (ZSKs) of your external provider(s) to a DNSKEY record at your primary DNS provider. This record should be transferred successfully to Cloudflare.
  3. Add your external provider(s) nameservers as NS records on your zone apex at your primary DNS provider. These records should be transferred successfully to Cloudflare.
  1. Use the Edit DNSSEC Status endpoint to enable DNSSEC and activate multi-signer DNSSEC for your zone. Set status to active and dnssec_multi_signer to true, as in the following example.

Required API token permissions

At least one of the following token permissions is required:
  • DNS Write
Edit DNSSEC Statusbash
curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/zones/$ZONE_ID/dnssec" \
	--request PATCH \
	--header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
	--json '{
		"status": "active",
		"dnssec_multi_signer": true
	}'

  1. Add the ZSK(s) of your external provider(s) to a DNSKEY record at your primary DNS provider. This record should be transferred successfully to Cloudflare.

  2. Add your external provider(s) nameservers as NS records on your zone apex at your primary DNS provider. These records should be transferred successfully to Cloudflare.

2. Set up external provider

  1. Get Cloudflare's ZSK using either the API or a query from one of the assigned Cloudflare nameservers.

API example:

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/zones/{zone_id}/dnssec/zsk" \
--header "X-Auth-Email: <EMAIL>" \
--header "X-Auth-Key: <API_KEY>"

Command line query example:

$ dig <ZONE_NAME> dnskey @<CLOUDFLARE_NAMESERVER> +noall +answer | grep 256
  1. Add Cloudflare's ZSK that you fetched in the previous step to the DNSKEY record set of your external provider(s).
  2. Add Cloudflare's nameservers to the NS record set at your external provider(s).

3. Set up registrar

  1. Add DS records to your registrar, one for each provider. You can see your Cloudflare DS record on the DNS Settings page, under DS Record.

  2. Update the nameserver settings at your registrar to include the nameservers of all providers you will be using for your multi-signer DNSSEC setup.

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