Your Right to Cancel a Purchase in California
When you can cancel a purchase or contract in California, the deadline, and what stores must tell you about refunds.
Short answer: A buyer may cancel a home solicitation contract or offer (a sale of $25 or more of goods or services made somewhere other than the seller's business premises) until midnight of the third business day after signing, or the fifth business day if the buyer is 65 or older. Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1689.5, 1689.6
| Right to cancel (cooling-off) | A buyer may cancel a home solicitation contract or offer (a sale of $25 or more of goods or services made somewhere other than the seller's business premises) until midnight of the third business day after signing, or the fifth business day if the buyer is 65 or older. Longer periods apply to personal emergency response units (seventh business day) and to contracts to repair or restore a home damaged by a disaster (seventh business day). Cancellation is by written notice to the address or email address in the contract, in any form that shows the buyer does not want to be bound. Source: Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1689.5, 1689.6 |
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| Store refund policies | A retail seller whose policy is not to give full cash or credit refunds or equal exchanges for at least seven days after purchase (with proof of purchase) must conspicuously post that policy at registers and sales counters, at each public entrance, on tags on each item, or on its order forms, stating whether it gives cash, credit or exchanges, the time period, the merchandise covered and any conditions. If a store violates this rule, the buyer can return the goods within 30 days for the full purchase price. Food, plants, flowers, perishables, items marked "as is" or "all sales final," customized goods and certain other items are excluded. Source: Cal. Civ. Code § 1723 |
Where to get help in California
- California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General (Public Inquiry Unit)
- File a complaint or claim
More California consumer protection
- The Lemon Law in California
- Contractors and Repair Shops in California
- Filing a Consumer Complaint in California
- All California consumer protection rules
FAQ
Can you cancel a contract after signing it in California?
A buyer may cancel a home solicitation contract or offer (a sale of $25 or more of goods or services made somewhere other than the seller's business premises) until midnight of the third business day after signing, or the fifth business day if the buyer is 65 or older. Longer periods apply to personal emergency response units (seventh business day) and to contracts to repair or restore a home damaged by a disaster (seventh business day). Cancellation is by written notice to the address or email address in the contract, in any form that shows the buyer does not want to be bound.
Do stores have to give refunds in California?
A retail seller whose policy is not to give full cash or credit refunds or equal exchanges for at least seven days after purchase (with proof of purchase) must conspicuously post that policy at registers and sales counters, at each public entrance, on tags on each item, or on its order forms, stating whether it gives cash, credit or exchanges, the time period, the merchandise covered and any conditions. If a store violates this rule, the buyer can return the goods within 30 days for the full purchase price. Food, plants, flowers, perishables, items marked "as is" or "all sales final," customized goods and certain other items are excluded.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.