Drupal 10 reaches end of life on 9 December 2026. After that date the Drupal project stops publishing security fixes for it, so any Drupal 10 website, including one running CiviCRM, needs a Drupal 10 to 11 upgrade to stay supported. The questions are simple: how much work is it, what will it cost, and what if you are not ready in time?
The good news is that this is an upgrade, not a rebuild. Drupal 11 is built the same way as Drupal 10, so your content, design and URLs carry over. Most of the effort goes into contributed modules, custom code and the server your site runs on. This guide covers what changes, the steps, and typical effort and UK costs at the time of writing.
In short: a Drupal 10 to 11 upgrade means updating to the latest Drupal 10 release, making every module and custom theme Drupal 11-ready, moving the server to PHP 8.3 or newer, then upgrading core with Composer and testing on a copy of the site. A well-kept site is often a few days’ work; sites with CiviCRM, integrations or lots of custom code take longer. Aim for Drupal 11.4, because Drupal 10 and Drupal 11.3 both lose security support in the week of 7 December 2026.
What changes in Drupal 11?
Drupal 11 looks and works much like Drupal 10 for editors; the changes are underneath, in the platform it needs, the old code it no longer includes and a few core modules it has dropped. The minimum requirements, from Drupal.org’s PHP requirements and database requirements pages, are:
| Requirement | Drupal 10 | Drupal 11 |
|---|---|---|
| PHP | 8.1 or later | 8.3 or later |
| MySQL | 5.7.8 or later | 8.0 or later |
| MariaDB | 10.3.7 or later | 10.6 or later |
| PostgreSQL | 12 or later | 16 or later |
| SQLite | 3.26 or later | 3.45 or later |
Drupal 11 also needs Composer 2.7 or later and Drush 13. Six modules were removed from core: Actions UI, Activity Tracker, Book, Forum, Statistics and Tour. If your site uses any of them, you switch to the contributed version while still on Drupal 10, before the core upgrade. Custom themes and modules may need changes too, as deprecated code has gone and Drupal 11 ships with jQuery 4.
Which Drupal 11 version should you upgrade to?
Upgrade to the latest Drupal 11 release, which is Drupal 11.4 at the time of writing, rather than stopping at 11.3. According to Drupal.org’s release schedule, security support for Drupal 10.6 and Drupal 11.3 ends in the same week of 7 December 2026, while Drupal 11.4 is supported until 21 April 2027. Drupal 11 as a whole is supported until early December 2028, provided you keep up with its minor releases.
Should you jump straight to Drupal 12? For most sites, no. Drupal 12 requires PHP 8.5, and many contributed modules will take months to support it. Move to Drupal 11 now and plan Drupal 12 for later in 2027. If you are changing your server anyway, choose the newest PHP version that your Drupal modules and CiviCRM version support, so the next upgrade is easier.
Does CiviCRM work on Drupal 11?
Yes. CiviCRM has supported Drupal 11 since CiviCRM 5.75, released in 2024, and current releases support it. The catch is order: CiviCRM must be on a Drupal 11-compatible version before you upgrade the website, so older installations need a CiviCRM upgrade first.
The parts that most often need attention are the ones joining Drupal and CiviCRM: Webform CiviCRM forms, CiviCRM Entity, payment processor extensions such as Stripe or GoCardless, Gift Aid and any custom integrations. Test donations, memberships and event bookings end to end before go-live.
Drupal 10 to 11 upgrade: the steps
The upgrade follows a predictable sequence, based on Drupal.org’s official upgrade guide:
- Back up and make a staging copy to work on.
- Update to the latest Drupal 10 release. Drupal 10.3 is the minimum.
- Run the Upgrade Status module. It lists everything not yet Drupal 11-ready.
- Update or replace contributed modules. Abandoned ones need a replacement.
- Fix custom code. Drupal Rector automates many changes; the rest is done by hand.
- Prepare the server. PHP 8.3 or later, a supported database version, Composer 2.7 or later and Drush 13.
- Upgrade core with Composer to Drupal 11, then run the database updates.
- Test thoroughly. Forms, logins, member areas, payments, search, emails, scheduled jobs and CiviCRM.
- Go live and keep it updated. Apply Drupal 11 minor releases as they arrive.
How long does it take and what does it cost?
The cost depends mainly on three things: how many contributed modules your site uses, how much custom code it has, and whether CiviCRM and payment integrations are involved. Hosting changes add to this if your server cannot run PHP 8.3. As a rough guide to help you budget, not a quote:
| Type of site | Typical effort | Indicative cost (+ VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Simple and up to date: few contributed modules, no custom code | 1 to 2.5 days | About £550 to £1,400 |
| Typical organisation site: custom theme, 20 to 60 contributed modules, some custom code | 2.5 to 5 days | About £1,400 to £2,800 |
| Complex: CiviCRM, memberships or donations, integrations, several custom modules | 5 to 10 days | About £2,800 to £5,600 |
These figures assume a working day of 7.5 hours at £75 an hour, at the time of writing. In practice we give a fixed price after a free review, so you know the full cost before any work starts. Afterwards, ongoing website care plans start from £65 a month + VAT, which keeps minor releases from piling up again.
What happens if you miss 9 December 2026?
Your site will keep working, but it stops receiving security fixes, so any weakness found in Drupal 10 after that date stays open. If it holds supporter or member data, unsupported software also makes it harder to show you are protecting that data properly.
If you cannot finish in time, put the site on the final Drupal 10 release, book the upgrade with a fixed date, and reduce risk in the meantime by removing unused modules and admin accounts. Our article on Drupal 10 end of life covers the deadline in more detail, and if you are still on Drupal 7 the route is different: see our Drupal 7 to Drupal 11 migration guide.
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Common questions
How long does a Drupal 10 to 11 upgrade take?
For a well-maintained site with little custom code, it is usually a few days of work including testing. Sites with CiviCRM, payment integrations or several custom modules take longer. A review of your modules and code gives a firm timeline.
Will my website look different after upgrading to Drupal 11?
No. The upgrade keeps your design, content and URLs. Your theme may need code changes behind the scenes, but visitors should not notice any difference.
Does CiviCRM work on Drupal 11?
Yes. CiviCRM has supported Drupal 11 since version 5.75, released in 2024, and current CiviCRM releases support it. Older CiviCRM installations need to be upgraded first.
What happens if we miss the 9 December 2026 deadline?
Your site keeps working, but Drupal 10 stops receiving security fixes, so any newly found weakness stays open. Plan the upgrade as soon as you can and keep the site on the final Drupal 10 release in the meantime.
Get help with your Drupal 10 to 11 upgrade
Mountev, a UK-based Drupal and CiviCRM consultancy and official CiviCRM partner, upgrades Drupal 10 sites to Drupal 11 for charities, membership bodies and businesses, with CiviCRM upgraded and tested in the same job. Our Drupal 10 to 11 upgrade service starts with a free review of your modules, custom code, server and CiviCRM, and ends with a fixed-price quote.
Request a free Drupal 10 upgrade review and we will tell you what needs work, the risks we see and what it will cost.
