Technical Tip: FortiGate is displaying a grace period even when the license has been activated and is marked as valid

[sdebnath]

Description	This article describes the grace period of FortiGate when the license is showing valid.
Scope	All FortiGates.
Solution	The FortiGate grace period means FortiGate firewall's service contract has reached the end of its service contract but will continue to function for a designated period. This will allow to renew the subscription without losing functionality right away. The grace period usually lasts 60 to 90 days, depending on the location and contract terms. Refer to this useful link for more information. Fortinet’s Service Contract Activation and Grace Period Policy  The way a FortiGate device behaves when a license expires depends on the type of license and configuration. Here is what usually happens: Grace Period: Some licenses include a grace period, allowing the device to keep working with limited functionality or reduced security features. This gives time to renew the license without immediate service interruption. Service Disruption: If a license expires, certain features like antivirus, intrusion prevention, web filtering, or VPN services may stop working, depending on the license type. Limited Functionality: Even if the license expires, basic network routing and connectivity may still work, but advanced security features requiring a valid license will be disabled or restricted. Notifications: FortiGate devices usually send warnings before a license expires. These alerts help network administrators take action before services are affected. It can be noted that if FortiGate has a valid license but still shows a 'Warning' status and is in a grace period (see the below screenshot), it is necessary to manually update it with the FortiGuard server to refresh the license status. Follow this useful guideline to fix the issue FortiGate - FortiGuard communication: If all of the above have been checked and the issue still persists, try upgrading the unit to the next available release. This will resolve the 'in-grace period' issue immediately.