diff --git a/authority/config.go b/authority/config.go
index 8cc742e4..75f55a12 100644
--- a/authority/config.go
+++ b/authority/config.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ var (
 		MaxVersion:    1.2,
 		Renegotiation: false,
 	}
+	defaultBackdate         = time.Minute
 	defaultDisableRenewal   = false
 	defaultEnableSSHCA      = false
 	globalProvisionerClaims = provisioner.Claims{
@@ -65,10 +66,11 @@ type Config struct {
 
 // AuthConfig represents the configuration options for the authority.
 type AuthConfig struct {
-	Provisioners         provisioner.List    `json:"provisioners"`
-	Template             *x509util.ASN1DN    `json:"template,omitempty"`
-	Claims               *provisioner.Claims `json:"claims,omitempty"`
-	DisableIssuedAtCheck bool                `json:"disableIssuedAtCheck,omitempty"`
+	Provisioners         provisioner.List      `json:"provisioners"`
+	Template             *x509util.ASN1DN      `json:"template,omitempty"`
+	Claims               *provisioner.Claims   `json:"claims,omitempty"`
+	DisableIssuedAtCheck bool                  `json:"disableIssuedAtCheck,omitempty"`
+	Backdate             *provisioner.Duration `json:"backdate,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Validate validates the authority configuration.
@@ -91,6 +93,17 @@ func (c *AuthConfig) Validate(audiences provisioner.Audiences) error {
 	if c.Template == nil {
 		c.Template = &x509util.ASN1DN{}
 	}
+
+	if c.Backdate != nil {
+		if c.Backdate.Duration < 0 {
+			return errors.New("authority.backdate cannot be less than 0")
+		}
+	} else {
+		c.Backdate = &provisioner.Duration{
+			Duration: defaultBackdate,
+		}
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/authority/provisioner/sign_options.go b/authority/provisioner/sign_options.go
index 53921a3c..ddc985e3 100644
--- a/authority/provisioner/sign_options.go
+++ b/authority/provisioner/sign_options.go
@@ -15,10 +15,12 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/ed25519"
 )
 
-// Options contains the options that can be passed to the Sign method.
+// Options contains the options that can be passed to the Sign method. Backdate
+// is automatically filled and can only be configured in the CA.
 type Options struct {
-	NotAfter  TimeDuration `json:"notAfter"`
-	NotBefore TimeDuration `json:"notBefore"`
+	NotAfter  TimeDuration  `json:"notAfter"`
+	NotBefore TimeDuration  `json:"notBefore"`
+	Backdate  time.Duration `json:"-"`
 }
 
 // SignOption is the interface used to collect all extra options used in the
@@ -189,12 +191,22 @@ func (v emailAddressesValidator) Valid(req *x509.CertificateRequest) error {
 type profileDefaultDuration time.Duration
 
 func (v profileDefaultDuration) Option(so Options) x509util.WithOption {
+	var backdate time.Duration
 	notBefore := so.NotBefore.Time()
 	if notBefore.IsZero() {
 		notBefore = time.Now()
+		backdate = -1 * so.Backdate
 	}
 	notAfter := so.NotAfter.RelativeTime(notBefore)
-	return x509util.WithNotBeforeAfterDuration(notBefore, notAfter, time.Duration(v))
+	return func(p x509util.Profile) error {
+		fn := x509util.WithNotBeforeAfterDuration(notBefore, notAfter, time.Duration(v))
+		if err := fn(p); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		crt := p.Subject()
+		crt.NotBefore = crt.NotBefore.Add(backdate)
+		return nil
+	}
 }
 
 // profileLimitDuration is an x509 profile option that modifies an x509 validity
@@ -208,10 +220,12 @@ type profileLimitDuration struct {
 // certificate to one that is superficially imposed.
 func (v profileLimitDuration) Option(so Options) x509util.WithOption {
 	return func(p x509util.Profile) error {
+		var backdate time.Duration
 		n := now()
 		notBefore := so.NotBefore.Time()
 		if notBefore.IsZero() {
 			notBefore = n
+			backdate = -1 * so.Backdate
 		}
 		if notBefore.After(v.notAfter) {
 			return errors.Errorf("provisioning credential expiration (%s) is before "+
@@ -232,7 +246,7 @@ func (v profileLimitDuration) Option(so Options) x509util.WithOption {
 			}
 		}
 		crt := p.Subject()
-		crt.NotBefore = notBefore
+		crt.NotBefore = notBefore.Add(backdate)
 		crt.NotAfter = notAfter
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -255,9 +269,10 @@ func (v *validityValidator) Valid(crt *x509.Certificate) error {
 	var (
 		na  = crt.NotAfter
 		nb  = crt.NotBefore
-		d   = na.Sub(nb)
 		now = time.Now()
 	)
+	// Get duration from to not take into account the backdate.
+	var d = na.Sub(now)
 
 	if na.Before(now) {
 		return errors.Errorf("NotAfter: %v cannot be in the past", na)
diff --git a/authority/tls.go b/authority/tls.go
index 0dd4f323..eb7cb86a 100644
--- a/authority/tls.go
+++ b/authority/tls.go
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ func (a *Authority) Sign(csr *x509.CertificateRequest, signOpts provisioner.Opti
 		certValidators = []provisioner.CertificateValidator{}
 		issIdentity    = a.intermediateIdentity
 	)
+
+	// Set backdate with the configured value
+	signOpts.Backdate = a.config.AuthorityConfig.Backdate.Duration
+
 	for _, op := range extraOpts {
 		switch k := op.(type) {
 		case provisioner.CertificateValidator:
@@ -136,14 +140,17 @@ func (a *Authority) Renew(oldCert *x509.Certificate) ([]*x509.Certificate, error
 	// Issuer
 	issIdentity := a.intermediateIdentity
 
-	now := time.Now().UTC()
+	// Durations
+	backdate := a.config.AuthorityConfig.Backdate.Duration
 	duration := oldCert.NotAfter.Sub(oldCert.NotBefore)
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
+
 	newCert := &x509.Certificate{
 		PublicKey:                   oldCert.PublicKey,
 		Issuer:                      issIdentity.Crt.Subject,
 		Subject:                     oldCert.Subject,
-		NotBefore:                   now,
-		NotAfter:                    now.Add(duration),
+		NotBefore:                   now.Add(-1 * backdate),
+		NotAfter:                    now.Add(duration - backdate),
 		KeyUsage:                    oldCert.KeyUsage,
 		UnhandledCriticalExtensions: oldCert.UnhandledCriticalExtensions,
 		ExtKeyUsage:                 oldCert.ExtKeyUsage,