diff --git a/acme/setup.py b/acme/setup.py
index 828bddb3b..c5214f7b9 100644
--- a/acme/setup.py
+++ b/acme/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 setup(
     version=version,
diff --git a/certbot-apache/setup.py b/certbot-apache/setup.py
index 76a42ef76..b5b675b73 100644
--- a/certbot-apache/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-apache/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     # We specify the minimum acme and certbot version as the current plugin
diff --git a/certbot-ci/setup.py b/certbot-ci/setup.py
index 828bddb3b..c5214f7b9 100644
--- a/certbot-ci/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-ci/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 setup(
     version=version,
diff --git a/certbot-compatibility-test/setup.py b/certbot-compatibility-test/setup.py
index 828bddb3b..c5214f7b9 100644
--- a/certbot-compatibility-test/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-compatibility-test/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 setup(
     version=version,
diff --git a/certbot-dns-cloudflare/setup.py b/certbot-dns-cloudflare/setup.py
index 6539669f4..c8337eb11 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-cloudflare/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-cloudflare/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     # for now, do not upgrade to cloudflare>=2.20 to avoid deprecation warnings and the breaking
diff --git a/certbot-dns-digitalocean/setup.py b/certbot-dns-digitalocean/setup.py
index 4a5e7a405..90e3d8d82 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-digitalocean/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-digitalocean/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'python-digitalocean>=1.15.0', # 1.15.0 or newer is recommended for TTL support
diff --git a/certbot-dns-dnsimple/setup.py b/certbot-dns-dnsimple/setup.py
index cbec7fa45..19e4c712b 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-dnsimple/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-dnsimple/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     # This version of lexicon is required to address the problem described in
diff --git a/certbot-dns-dnsmadeeasy/setup.py b/certbot-dns-dnsmadeeasy/setup.py
index fda2eb86f..e811970d5 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-dnsmadeeasy/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-dnsmadeeasy/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'dns-lexicon>=3.14.1',
diff --git a/certbot-dns-gehirn/setup.py b/certbot-dns-gehirn/setup.py
index fda2eb86f..e811970d5 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-gehirn/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-gehirn/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'dns-lexicon>=3.14.1',
diff --git a/certbot-dns-google/setup.py b/certbot-dns-google/setup.py
index 478b88fe3..1602a129e 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-google/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-google/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'google-api-python-client>=1.6.5',
diff --git a/certbot-dns-linode/setup.py b/certbot-dns-linode/setup.py
index fda2eb86f..e811970d5 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-linode/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-linode/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'dns-lexicon>=3.14.1',
diff --git a/certbot-dns-luadns/setup.py b/certbot-dns-luadns/setup.py
index fda2eb86f..e811970d5 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-luadns/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-luadns/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'dns-lexicon>=3.14.1',
diff --git a/certbot-dns-nsone/setup.py b/certbot-dns-nsone/setup.py
index fda2eb86f..e811970d5 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-nsone/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-nsone/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'dns-lexicon>=3.14.1',
diff --git a/certbot-dns-ovh/setup.py b/certbot-dns-ovh/setup.py
index 7ce628222..dd21660f2 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-ovh/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-ovh/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'dns-lexicon>=3.15.1',
diff --git a/certbot-dns-rfc2136/setup.py b/certbot-dns-rfc2136/setup.py
index 821e4909a..358ae573a 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-rfc2136/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-rfc2136/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     # This version was chosen because it is the version packaged in RHEL 9 and Debian unstable. It
diff --git a/certbot-dns-route53/setup.py b/certbot-dns-route53/setup.py
index 49348135b..4b57f1eec 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-route53/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-route53/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'boto3>=1.20.34',
diff --git a/certbot-dns-sakuracloud/setup.py b/certbot-dns-sakuracloud/setup.py
index fda2eb86f..e811970d5 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-sakuracloud/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-sakuracloud/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     'dns-lexicon>=3.14.1',
diff --git a/certbot-nginx/setup.py b/certbot-nginx/setup.py
index e65bc4dca..a6430df29 100644
--- a/certbot-nginx/setup.py
+++ b/certbot-nginx/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 install_requires = [
     # We specify the minimum acme and certbot version as the current plugin
diff --git a/certbot/CHANGELOG.md b/certbot/CHANGELOG.md
index e2b172716..6cdafe15a 100644
--- a/certbot/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/certbot/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,33 @@ Certbot adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
 <!-- towncrier release notes start -->
 
+## 5.2.1 - 2025-12-03
+
+### Added
+
+- Support for Python 3.14 was added.
+  ([#10477](https://github.com/certbot/certbot/issues/10477))
+
+### Changed
+
+- While nothing significant should have changed from the user's perspective,
+  we've been doing a lot of internal refactoring in preparation for soon adding
+  support for IP address certificates to Certbot.
+  ([#10468](https://github.com/certbot/certbot/issues/10468),
+  [#10478](https://github.com/certbot/certbot/issues/10478))
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Removed `vhost_combined` and `vhost_common` log formats from included Apache
+  configuration file. ([#9769](https://github.com/certbot/certbot/issues/9769))
+- Due to a mistake on our end playing with GitHub's new [immutable
+  releases](https://github.blog/changelog/2025-10-28-immutable-releases-are-now-generally-available/)
+  feature that prevented our CI from uploading additional release assets,
+  Certbot 5.2.0 was not and will not be uploaded to most platforms. Instead,
+  that version number will be skipped and we'll go straight to 5.2.1.
+  ([#10501](https://github.com/certbot/certbot/issues/10501))
+
+
 ## 5.1.0 - 2025-10-07
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/certbot/docs/cli-help.txt b/certbot/docs/cli-help.txt
index 8c3a3ee0c..231b1fd4b 100644
--- a/certbot/docs/cli-help.txt
+++ b/certbot/docs/cli-help.txt
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ options:
                         case, and to know when to deprecate support for past
                         Python versions and flags. If you wish to hide this
                         information from the Let's Encrypt server, set this to
-                        "". (default: CertbotACMEClient/5.1.0 (certbot;
+                        "". (default: CertbotACMEClient/5.2.1 (certbot;
                         OS_NAME OS_VERSION) Authenticator/XXX Installer/YYY
                         (SUBCOMMAND; flags: FLAGS) Py/major.minor.patchlevel).
                         The flags encoded in the user agent are: --duplicate,
diff --git a/certbot/src/certbot/__init__.py b/certbot/src/certbot/__init__.py
index 57e4a4773..571742ef6 100644
--- a/certbot/src/certbot/__init__.py
+++ b/certbot/src/certbot/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 """Certbot client."""
 
 # version number like 1.2.3a0, must have at least 2 parts, like 1.2
-__version__ = '5.2.0.dev0'
+__version__ = '5.3.0.dev0'
diff --git a/letstest/setup.py b/letstest/setup.py
index 828bddb3b..c5214f7b9 100644
--- a/letstest/setup.py
+++ b/letstest/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
-version = '5.2.0.dev0'
+version = '5.3.0.dev0'
 
 setup(
     version=version,
diff --git a/newsfragments/10468.changed b/newsfragments/10468.changed
deleted file mode 100644
index a3c055a4a..000000000
--- a/newsfragments/10468.changed
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-While nothing significant should have changed from the user's perspective, we've been doing a lot of internal refactoring in preparation for soon adding support for IP address certificates to Certbot.
diff --git a/newsfragments/10477.added b/newsfragments/10477.added
deleted file mode 100644
index 9e9393248..000000000
--- a/newsfragments/10477.added
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Support for Python 3.14 was added.
diff --git a/newsfragments/10478.changed b/newsfragments/10478.changed
deleted file mode 100644
index a3c055a4a..000000000
--- a/newsfragments/10478.changed
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-While nothing significant should have changed from the user's perspective, we've been doing a lot of internal refactoring in preparation for soon adding support for IP address certificates to Certbot.
diff --git a/newsfragments/10501.fixed b/newsfragments/10501.fixed
deleted file mode 100644
index b4958a737..000000000
--- a/newsfragments/10501.fixed
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Due to a mistake on our end playing with GitHub's new [immutable releases](https://github.blog/changelog/2025-10-28-immutable-releases-are-now-generally-available/) feature that prevented our CI from uploading additional release assets, Certbot 5.2.0 was not and will not be uploaded to most platforms. Instead, that version number will be skipped and we'll go straight to 5.2.1.
diff --git a/newsfragments/9769.fixed b/newsfragments/9769.fixed
deleted file mode 100644
index 8a36d7ca4..000000000
--- a/newsfragments/9769.fixed
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Removed `vhost_combined` and `vhost_common` log formats from included Apache configuration file.