diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2dddb4a..2bd940d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -113,11 +113,37 @@ A summary of available commands are outlined below. Note that if the command req
 | `build` | Builds required images (frontend and backend) for production | No
 | `start` | Runs all services in production mode including the frontend, backend and postgres database | No
 
-## Running application for production
+## Setting up and running the application for production
 
 1. Ensure the prerequisites are met as defined in [#Initial Setup]
-2. Create an `.env` file (if not done prior) in the root directory using `default.env` as an example. Fill in the values as appropriate
-3. Update `frontend/config.js` with values as appropriate
-4. Run a production build using `./dev build_production`
-5. Initialise the database using `./dev init_database`
-6. Run the production application using `./dev start_production`
\ No newline at end of file
+2. Create an `.env` file (if not done prior) in the root directory using `default.env` as an example. Uncomment values relating to production and fill in the values as appropriate.
+3. Build backend image `sudo ./dev build_production`
+4. Create the database `sudo ./dev create_database`
+5. Manually create postgres user with password and add the user to the `righttree` database with all permissions.
+
+Create an interactive terminal into the postgres container
+```bash
+sudo docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yaml up postgres
+sudo docker exec -it postgres bash
+```
+
+Within the interactive terminal. Connect to the database, add the righttree_admin user and give permissions. Please use the same credentials as defined in .env.
+```bash
+psql -U postgres
+/c righttree
+CREATE USER righttree_admin;
+ALTER USER righttree_admin with encrypted password 'YOUR PASSWORD';
+GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE righttree TO  righttree_admin;
+```
+
+6. Populate the database using `sudo ./dev populate_database`
+7. Build optimised frontend build and collect together staticfiles `sudo ./dev create_staticfiles`
+8. Create a django superuser for access to the admin interface. Please use the same credentials as defined in .env `sudo ./dev createsuperuser`
+9. Run the production application using `sudo ./dev start_production`
+
+### Setting up certificates
+
+Create certificate using certbot and letsencrypt, choose option 1 and provide an appropriate email.  Ensure port 80 and 443 are externally exposed for the domain before running this command. To retrieve a staging certificate, use the `--test-cert` flag.
+```
+sudo docker run -i --rm --name certbot -p 443:443 -p 80:80 -v /etc/letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt/ certbot/certbot certonly -d [YOUR DOMAIN] --logs-dir /etc/letsencrypt/logs
+```
diff --git a/backend/right_tree/settings.py b/backend/right_tree/settings.py
index 40ad1a8..b7c0ace 100644
--- a/backend/right_tree/settings.py
+++ b/backend/right_tree/settings.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ DATABASES = {
         'NAME': os.getenv("RIGHTTREE_DB", "postgres"),
         'USER': os.getenv("RIGHTTREE_DB_USER", "postgres"),
         'PASSWORD': os.getenv("RIGHTTREE_DB_PASSWORD", "postgres"),
-        'HOST': os.getenv("POSTGRES_DB", "postgres"),
+        'HOST': "postgres",
         'PORT': 5432,
     }
 }
diff --git a/dev b/dev
index a9b526c..dc76aaa 100755
--- a/dev
+++ b/dev
@@ -123,6 +123,16 @@ cmd_stop_production() {
     docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yaml stop  --remove-orphans
 }
 
+cmd_stop_production() {
+    docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yaml stop  --remove-orphans
+}
+
+cmd_renew_certifcate() {
+    cmd_stop_production
+    sudo docker run -i --rm --name certbot -p 443:443 -p 80:80 -v /etc/letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt/ certbot/certbot renew --dry-run -d $BASE_URL --logs-dir /etc/letsencrypt/logs
+    cmd_start_production
+}
+
 # Run the command
 cmd="$1"
 "cmd_$cmd" "$@"
diff --git a/docker-compose.production.yaml b/docker-compose.production.yaml
index b742d1d..546589b 100644
--- a/docker-compose.production.yaml
+++ b/docker-compose.production.yaml
@@ -25,12 +25,13 @@ services:
       - postgres
       - backend
     volumes:
-      - ./nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+      - ./nginx.production.conf:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf
       - ./backend/right_tree/staticfiles:/etc/nginx/html/staticfiles
       - ./frontend/build:/etc/nginx/html/build
-      - ./keys:/etc/ssl/private/nginx
+      - /etc/letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt
     ports:
       - "80:80"
+      - "443:443"
 
   postgres:
     image: postgis/postgis:13-3.0
diff --git a/nginx.production.conf b/nginx.production.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c831f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nginx.production.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+http {
+  server {
+    listen 80;
+    listen 443 ssl;
+    index index.html;
+    include       /etc/nginx/mime.types;
+    proxy_set_header        Host $http_host;
+
+    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/righttree.maps.net.nz/fullchain.pem;
+    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/righttree.maps.net.nz/privkey.pem;
+    ssl_trusted_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/righttree.maps.net.nz/chain.pem;
+
+    location / {
+        root /etc/nginx/html/build;
+    }
+    
+    location /staticfiles {
+        root /etc/nginx/html/;
+    }
+
+    location ~* ^/(api|admin) {
+      proxy_pass http://backend:8000;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+
+events {
+    # configuration of connection processing
+}