Defer a Remediation task

---
title: Defer a Remediation task
description: If you identify a finding or remediation task for which a fix is not yet available and can be safely deferred without additional analysis, you can use the Request Exception feature.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/security-management/sem-defer-rem-task.html
release: brazil
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-11-06"
reading_time_minutes: 2
breadcrumb: [Exception Management Overview, Use, Unified Security Exposure Management, Security Operations]
---

# Defer a Remediation task

If you identify a finding or remediation task for which a fix is not yet available and can be safely deferred without additional analysis, you can use the **Request Exception** feature.

## Before you begin

Role required: sn\_sec\_exception.admin

## About this task

You can defer a finding or remediation task directly from its respective form in the Security Exposure Management workspace. Once submitted, the request is sent for approval.

A scheduled job runs every day checking for deferred remediation tasks that have reached their reopen date. On the day the task's deferral is set to expire, the task is reopened.

**Note:** You can manually move change requests and remediation tasks through the states of their life cycles on their respective records with state synchronization enabled, but when the system registers that a CHG has changed its state, or you add a CHG or remove it from a remediation task, state synchronization potentially can override your manual intervention. However, change request states do not automatically move remediation tasks from the Closed or Deferred states.

## Procedure

1.  Navigate to **Security Exposure Management Workspace** > **List** > **Remediation Tasks**.

2.  Open a record.

3.  Click **Request Exception**.

    **Note:** If the matching approval rule has a questionnaire configured, a **Take Questionnaire** modal appears before the deferral form. Complete the questionnaire and select **Submit**; the deferral request remains in **Draft** state until the questionnaire is submitted. The questionnaire response is attached to the approval record and is visible to the approver during review.

4.  Fill in the fields on the form, as appropriate.

<table id="table_s52_yvn_r6"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Until

</td><td>

Select the date when the Defer state expires and the remediation task is reactivated.

 The maximum deferral period is determined by the **Duration** setting in the Exception Management Configuration \(default: 365 days\).

 After the record is submitted, if [email notifications](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/security-management/vulnerability-response/t_DefineEmailNotifications.md) are defined, members of the group receive an email when the expiration date is within one week. When the defer date expires, the remediation task is set back to **Open** and a second email notification is sent out.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Reason

</td><td>

Enter the reason for deferring the issue. Choices include:

-   Awaiting maintenance window
-   False positive
-   Fix unavailable
-   Risk accepted
-   Mitigating control in place
-   Other


</td></tr><tr><td>

Additional information

</td><td>

Enter any other relevant information.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>5.  Click **Submit**.

    The group is marked In Review. A **Reopen** related link appears. The reopen date and reason appear in work notes under the **Change Approvals** tab.