Subscriptions, returns and warranties: how to cancel, return and claim in California

The short answer

Signed up online? You can cancel online. California's Automatic Renewal Law requires a cancel link or button in your account or settings, or a ready-made cancellation email, with no extra steps.
You can refuse a "save" offer. On the phone, say "cancel." Online, use the "click to cancel" button that must appear beside any offer.
No federal click-to-cancel rule is in force. A federal appeals court struck down the Federal Trade Commission's 2024 rule in July 2025. California's law still protects you.
A return policy is not your only right. If a new product is defective, California's warranty law can give you a repair, a replacement or a refund after the return window closes.
Dispute a credit card billing error in writing, fast. Your letter must reach the card issuer within 60 days after it sent the first statement showing the error.
Hearing aids: 45 days. A hearing aid sold in California that is not fit for your needs can be returned within 45 days of delivery for an adjustment, a replacement or a full refund.

Which rule helps you

Your problem	What can help	Where the rule comes from
A subscription or trial keeps charging you	Cancel online or the way you signed up; advance notices	Automatic Renewal Law, Business and Professions Code section 17600 and following
You changed your mind about something that works	The store's return policy	The store; Civil Code section 1723 on posting refund policies
A product is defective	Warranty repair, replacement or refund	Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, Civil Code section 1790 and following
You bought an extended warranty	The contract, plus state disclosure and cancellation rules	Civil Code section 1794.4
A card charge is wrong, or the seller won't fix a problem	A written dispute with your card issuer	Song-Beverly Credit Card Act, Civil Code section 1747 and following; the federal Fair Credit Billing Act
A hearing aid or assistive device does not fit your needs	Return within 45 days (hearing aids) or 30 days (other devices)	Civil Code section 1793.02

California's Automatic Renewal Law

The law covers businesses that offer California consumers an automatic renewal, including a free trial that turns into a paid plan, or a "continuous service" that runs until you cancel. Assembly Bill 2863 (Chapter 515, Statutes of 2024, approved September 24, 2024) tightened it for contracts entered into, amended or extended on or after July 1, 2025. The Attorney General explained the changes in a consumer alert on September 4, 2025.

Before you are charged

Clear terms beside the "agree" step, in larger, contrasting or set-off type. On a call, they must come close in time to the request for your consent.
Your express consent before any charge. Nothing else in the contract may undercut it.
An acknowledgment you can keep, such as an email, with the terms, the cancellation policy and how to cancel. With a free gift or trial, it must say how to cancel before you pay.
Proof kept. The business must keep proof of your consent for at least 3 years, or 1 year after the contract ends, whichever is longer.

Notices you should get

If…	You should get	When
A free trial, free gift or promotional price lasts more than 31 days	A notice before it ends	3 to 21 days before it ends
Your first term is 1 year or longer	A notice before renewal	15 to 45 days before renewal
The fee is changing	A clear notice of the change and how to cancel	7 to 30 days before the change
Another material term is changing	A clear notice of the change and how to cancel	No number of days is set
You have an "annual automatic renewal agreement or continuous service agreement"	A reminder naming the product, how often and how much you pay, and how to cancel	Once a year, in the way you signed up or usually deal with the business

The Attorney General's alert says trial and renewal notices must give the renewal terms, the charge, how often you pay and how to cancel. The trial notice is not required if you did not sign up electronically and the business has no electronic way to reach you.

Your right to cancel

Online sign-up, online exit. If you accepted online, you must be able to cancel "exclusively online, at will," with no steps that obstruct or delay it. The business must offer a prominent link or button in your account, profile or settings, or a ready-to-send cancellation email. It may ask you to sign in; if you cannot, you may cancel another way.
The same way you signed up. You can cancel in the medium you used to sign up, or the one you usually use with the business: in person, by phone, mail or email. If you signed up by phone, you get a phone number you can keep.
Phone lines. A toll-free cancellation line must be answered promptly during normal business hours. A voicemail asking to cancel must be acted on, or returned, within one business day.
"Save" offers. A discount is allowed only if you can still cancel. By phone, the business must first tell you that you can cancel at any time by saying "cancel." Online, a "click to cancel" button must appear beside the offer. Either way, it must then promptly process the cancellation.

Other protections and exceptions

Goods you did not agree to. If a business ships products under a subscription without the consent the law requires, you may keep them as an unconditional gift and owe nothing, including return shipping.
Who is not covered. Businesses regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission, the Federal Communications Commission or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or operating under a local franchise; insurers; alarm companies; banks, credit unions and other licensed financial institutions; and certain regulated service-contract sellers (section 17605).
Who enforces it. The Attorney General, district attorneys and city attorneys. A violation is not a crime, but civil remedies apply (section 17604).

The federal "click-to-cancel" rule is not in force

You may have read that a nationwide click-to-cancel rule protects you. It does not. Two law-firm summaries published in October 2026, by Clark Meyers PC and The Bezinover Law Firm, describe what happened:

October 2024: the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) amended its Negative Option Rule with stricter consent and cancellation requirements.
July 8, 2025: the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated those amendments in Custom Communications, Inc. v. FTC, holding that the FTC skipped a required preliminary regulatory analysis.
February 12, 2026: the FTC restored its older rule, which covers only "prenotification" plans such as old-style book clubs.
March 2026: the FTC asked for public comment on whether to try again. Comments were due in April 2026, and no timeline for a new rule was set.

A federal law, the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA), still applies, and the FTC still brings cases under it. In September 2025 it announced a settlement with Amazon over Prime that included a $1 billion civil penalty and $1.5 billion in refunds. For your own cancellation, California's law is the one with specific steps and deadlines.

How to cancel, step by step

Find who bills you. Check your statement. It may be the company or the app store you subscribed through. Cancel with whoever bills you.
Find the acknowledgment email from when you signed up. It must say how to cancel.
Signed up online? Use the cancel link or button in your account or settings, or the cancellation email.
Screenshot each screen, including the final confirmation.
Calling? Use the script below. Note the date, time, the name of the person and any confirmation number.
Refuse a pause or discount unless you want it. Say "cancel" again.
Get written confirmation that shows the date of your last charge.
Check your next statement. If you are charged again, ask for a refund and send your confirmation. If the business refuses, dispute the charge (see below) and file a complaint.

Phone script

"I am calling to cancel my [service] subscription today. The account is under [name and email or phone]. I do not want a discount or a pause. Please cancel the automatic renewal now and email me a confirmation with the date of my last charge."

If you are pushed to stay: "I am a California consumer. Under Business and Professions Code section 17602, once I say I want to cancel, you must promptly process it. I want to cancel."

By email or letter: "I am cancelling my [service] subscription, account [name, email or number], effective immediately. Please confirm in writing that I will not be charged again."

Be wary of an unexpected "your subscription renewed" text or email. Do not call its number or tap its link; sign in to your account yourself. See fake delivery, toll and bank texts.

Store return policies and your legal rights

A return policy is the store's promise about taking back things you no longer want. Read it before you buy, and keep the receipt or a photo of it.
The posting rule. California has a law on posting store refund policies, Civil Code section 1723. We could not open its official text when sources were checked, so this guide does not summarize it. Read it at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, or ask one of the agencies below.
A warranty covers defects. It comes from the law and the written warranty, not the return policy. A "no returns" sign is not the "as is" notice described next.
"As is." To sell without the implied warranty, the seller must attach a conspicuous written notice before the sale. It must say the item is sold "as is" or "with all faults," that the entire risk as to quality and performance is yours, and that you pay for all repairs.
What the warranty act leaves out. It does not cover clothing or "consumables." For those, the store's policy is your main guide.

Before you buy online, see how to spot fake reviews. If the problem is a safety defect, the remedy may come from a recall; see how to check for product recalls.

Warranties under California and federal law

California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act covers new goods bought mainly for personal, family or household use, and new and used assistive devices sold at retail (section 1791).

Warranty	What it promises	How long
Express	A written promise by the maker, distributor or retailer to keep the product working or pay if it fails; or that the goods match a sample or model	As written
Implied warranty of merchantability	Comes with every retail sale of consumer goods in California, from both maker and store, unless properly disclaimed. The goods must be fit for ordinary use, properly packaged and labeled, and match the label.	As long as the written warranty, if reasonable, but at least 60 days and no more than 1 year
Implied warranty of fitness	Applies when the seller has reason to know your particular purpose and you rely on its skill or judgment to choose the item	Same as above
Used goods sold with a written warranty	The seller's implied warranties	At least 30 days and no more than 3 months; 3 months if no length is stated

Sources: section 1791.1, section 1791.2, section 1792 and section 1795.5.

The federal layer

California requires written warranties to use plain language and to meet the disclosure standards of the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty–Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act (15 U.S.C. 2301 and following) and the FTC's rules under it (section 1793.1). The deadlines below come from California law.

Getting a warranty repair

Take the product to a service center in California. If that is not reasonable because of its size, weight, installation or the defect, notifying the maker counts as returning it (section 1793.2).
Expect the repair within 30 days, unless you agree in writing to longer. Delays beyond the maker's control extend that time.
Keep every work order. It must state in bold type that "A buyer of this product in California has the right to have this product serviced or repaired," and that you may seek a replacement or refund if repairs fail.
Still broken after a reasonable number of attempts? The maker must replace the product or reimburse you, minus an amount for your use before you found the defect. New cars have separate, more detailed rules, California's "lemon law."
Watch the clock. For goods costing $50 or more, the warranty clock stops while the product is out for repair. If a repair did not work, report it within 60 days so the warranty is not treated as expired (section 1795.6).

A registration card is optional. Cards must say that not returning them does not reduce your warranty rights.
Parts must stay available to repair shops for at least 7 years after a model is made if its wholesale price is $100 or more, and 3 years for $50 to $99.99 (section 1793.03).
If you sue, you can seek damages. For a willful violation, a court may add a penalty of up to twice your damages, and a buyer who wins may recover attorney's fees (section 1794).

Service contracts and extended warranties

What stores call an "extended warranty" or "protection plan" is often, in California law, a service contract: a written contract to maintain or repair a product for a fixed period (section 1791). It may be sold in addition to, or instead of, a written warranty (section 1794.4).

Clear terms. It must disclose its terms, conditions and exclusions in simple language, and state the product covered, the term, transfer limits, what the provider must do, how to claim and how disputes are settled.
Parts and labor. Unless the contract says otherwise, the provider must supply the services and parts needed to keep the product working, at no extra charge.
Month-to-month plans need your affirmative consent. You must be able to cancel by toll-free number, email or mail; cancellation takes effect when received, and unearned amounts must be refunded (except for vehicle service contracts).

Before you buy, compare it with what you already have: the maker's warranty and the implied warranty, which lasts 60 days to 1 year on new goods. A plan that mostly duplicates them may not be worth the price.

Disputing a charge with your card issuer

Two laws apply: the federal Fair Credit Billing Act and California's Song-Beverly Credit Card Act. The deadlines below come from the California law, which separates two kinds of problems.

A billing error

A billing error is a mistake in posting or calculating a charge or credit. It does not include a disagreement about the value, quality or quantity of what you bought (section 1747.02).

Step	Deadline
The issuer sends the first statement showing the error	Day 0
Your written dispute must be received at the address where you send payments, or the address the statement gives for disputes	No later than 60 days after that statement was sent
The issuer must correct its billing error	Within two complete billing cycles, and no later than 90 days after receiving your dispute
If the issuer misses that deadline	It may not collect the overstated amount or the interest and fees tied to it

Your letter must identify you and the account, identify the error, and explain why you believe it is wrong (section 1747.50). Mail it in a way that proves the date, and keep a copy.

A problem with what you bought

If the seller will not fix a problem with something you bought by credit card, you may be able to raise it with the card issuer (section 1747.90). Usually you must first have tried in good faith to resolve it with the seller, the purchase must be over $50, and it must have taken place in California or within 100 miles of your California address. The $50 and distance limits do not apply when the seller is the issuer or closely tied to it, or the order came from a mail offer the issuer made or joined. Your claim is limited to what you still owed on that purchase when you first notified the issuer or seller.

These rules are for credit cards. If you paid by debit card, call your bank as soon as you see the charge and ask about its dispute process.

Hearing aids, medical devices, gyms and health apps

Hearing aids

Every new or used hearing aid sold in California must come with the seller's written warranty that it is "specifically fit for the particular needs of you, the buyer" (section 1793.02).

45 days. If it is not initially fit for your needs, you may return it within 45 days of first delivery. The seller must adjust or replace it, or promptly refund the total you paid. A seller may offer longer.
Dates in writing. On delivery, the seller must add the delivery date and the warranty's expiration date.
No fees. If the sale is undone under this law, no charge or penalty may be imposed for the purchase, fitting, financing or return.
Catalog and online sales. The law's exemption for catalog-type sales does not apply to hearing aids.
After a repair, the warranty clock restarts on delivery or 5 days after you are told it is ready, whichever is earlier, and the seller must give you the new expiration date.

Buying an over-the-counter hearing aid without a fitting? Get the seller's written return policy before you pay. We could not confirm from an official source how California's 45-day warranty applies to every such sale. If a hearing aid does not help as you hoped, raise it with the seller inside the return window, and ask your own clinician whether a hearing evaluation makes sense.

Other assistive and medical devices

The same section gives a fitness warranty for "assistive devices": equipment that helps a person with a disability treat or manage an injury or disease, or supports or replaces a body function. If one is not fit for your needs, you may return it within 30 days of receiving it or of the seller finishing the fitting, whichever is later, for an adjustment, a replacement or a full refund. Used devices are covered too. The 30-day rule does not apply to catalog-type sales where no one connected with the seller helps diagnose, select or fit the device; to items under $15; to surgical implants placed by a physician or dental prostheses from a dentist; or to prescription lenses, unless sold to a blind person to help limited vision.

If a device your clinician prescribed is not working well, ask your clinician before you stop using it or send it back. Check first whether it has been recalled, because the notice may tell you what to do; see how to check for product recalls.

Gyms and health or fitness apps

The Automatic Renewal Law applies to a gym membership, class plan or health app that renews automatically. Joined online? You must be able to cancel online. Price increases need 7 to 30 days' notice.
Gyms have their own law too: Civil Code sections 1812.80 to 1812.98, "Contracts for Health Studio Services". Read your contract's cancellation terms, and cite both laws if a gym will not let you cancel.
App stores. If you subscribed through your phone's app store, it may be the one billing you. Cancel there.
Your data. Cancelling a health app may not delete what you shared. See sharing health records with apps.

Record-keeping checklist

Receipt or order confirmation, and a photo of the return policy.
Screenshots of the sign-up screen: price, renewal terms, trial end date.
The acknowledgment email, and every renewal or price-change notice.
Cancellation proof: screenshots, confirmation number, date, time and names.
The written warranty, model and serial numbers, and any service contract.
Every repair work order, with drop-off and return dates.
For a hearing aid or device: the warranty showing the delivery and expiration dates.
Card statements, your dispute letters and proof of the date you sent them.
Calendar reminders: trial end, the 60-day dispute window, the 45-day hearing aid window, warranty end.

Where to get free help

California Attorney General. File a complaint at oag.ca.gov/report. Its consumer page has a complaint referral table showing when a licensing agency is the better place to go.
Your district attorney or city attorney, who can also enforce the Automatic Renewal Law.
California Department of Consumer Affairs at dca.ca.gov, for complaints about many licensed businesses.
Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, to report subscription traps and unfair practices.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint, if a card company mishandles your dispute.
Need a lawyer? The Attorney General's consumer page lists the State Bar's lawyer referral line, (866) 442-2529, toll-free in California. Under the warranty act, a buyer who wins may recover attorney's fees.

Sources

Attorney General Bonta Issues Consumer Alert on California's Automatic Renewal Law — California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, September 4, 2025.
Consumer Protection — California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, accessed October 29, 2026.
AB 2863: Automatic renewal and continuous service offers (chaptered text, Chapter 515, Statutes of 2024) — CalMatters Digital Democracy, accessed October 29, 2026.
Business and Professions Code section 17601 and section 17602 (Automatic Purchase Renewals) — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
Business and Professions Code section 17603, section 17604 and section 17605 — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
Civil Code section 1791, section 1791.1 and section 1791.2 (Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act definitions) — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
Civil Code section 1792, section 1792.4 and section 1795.5 (implied warranties, "as is" sales, used goods) — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
Civil Code section 1793.1, section 1793.2, section 1793.03 and section 1795.6 (warranty terms, repairs, parts, repair periods) — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
Civil Code section 1793.02 (assistive devices and hearing aids) — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
Civil Code section 1794 and section 1794.4 (remedies; service contracts) — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
Civil Code section 1747.02, section 1747.50 and section 1747.90 (Song-Beverly Credit Card Act) — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
Civil Code, Division 3, Part 4: table of titles (including Title 2.5, Contracts for Health Studio Services) — California statutes as republished by Public.Law, accessed October 29, 2026.
California's Automatic Renewal Law: What Subscription Businesses Must Do — Clark Meyers PC (law firm), October 10, 2026.
Subscriptions and auto-renewals: California's stricter rules — The Bezinover Law Firm, P.C., October 13, 2026.