# ERROR: Registration token is expired. Please generate a new registration token on the GitLab admin area.

- **ID:** `cicd/gitlab-ci-runner-registration-token-expired`
- **Domain:** cicd
- **Category:** auth_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 92%

## Root Cause

The GitLab Runner registration token used to register the runner has expired, typically due to a token rotation policy or manual revocation in GitLab settings.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| GitLab 16.8 | active | — | — |
| GitLab Runner 16.7.0 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Generate a new registration token from GitLab admin area: go to Admin > CI/CD > Runners, click 'Register a runner', copy the new token. Then re-register the runner: `sudo gitlab-runner unregister --name my-runner && sudo gitlab-runner register --url https://gitlab.com --registration-token NEW_TOKEN --non-interactive --executor docker --description my-runner`.** (95% success)
   ```
   Generate a new registration token from GitLab admin area: go to Admin > CI/CD > Runners, click 'Register a runner', copy the new token. Then re-register the runner: `sudo gitlab-runner unregister --name my-runner && sudo gitlab-runner register --url https://gitlab.com --registration-token NEW_TOKEN --non-interactive --executor docker --description my-runner`.
   ```
2. **If using GitLab CI/CD variables, update the `CI_REGISTRATION_TOKEN` variable in the project or group settings with the new token, then trigger a pipeline that re-registers the runner automatically.** (85% success)
   ```
   If using GitLab CI/CD variables, update the `CI_REGISTRATION_TOKEN` variable in the project or group settings with the new token, then trigger a pipeline that re-registers the runner automatically.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — The token is stored in the runner's config.toml and is expired on the server side; restarting does not refresh it. (95% fail)
- **** — Manually editing the token without proper registration can cause authentication failures; GitLab expects the token to be generated and associated with a specific runner. (80% fail)