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California’s amended Automatic Renewal Law took effect on July 1, 2025. It covers more than a cancellation button: businesses must obtain express affirmative consent, provide specified notices in certain situations, and make cancellation straightforward and available through appropriate channels. The California Attorney General summarized the requirements in a consumer alert dated September 4, 2025.
Who and what the California law covers
The California Attorney General describes the law as applying to consumer services, subscriptions, and plans that continue until a customer cancels or automatically renew. It also covers free or discounted trials that turn into paid service unless the customer cancels. The amendment is AB 2863 (Schiavo, 2024).
The rules are not limited to paid plans from the outset. A trial that later starts charging can bring notice and cancellation obligations into play. The Attorney General’s alert is a practical overview; it does not resolve every statutory exception or how a particular contract should be treated.
What companies must do
Get express affirmative consent
Before enrolling a consumer in an automatic-renewal or continuous-service plan, a business must obtain the consumer’s express affirmative consent to those terms. Consent to a purchase should not be treated as a substitute for consent to recurring charges.
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Give advance notice in specific situations
The Attorney General’s alert describes different advance-notice windows depending on what is about to happen:
| Trigger | When notice is due | What the notice must include, as summarized by the Attorney General |
|---|---|---|
| Automatically renewing initial term of one year or longer | 15 to 45 days before renewal | Renewal period and terms, charge amount or range, charge frequency, and cancellation instructions |
| Free or discounted trial longer than 31 days | 3 to 21 days before the trial ends | Renewal duration and terms, charge amount or range, charge frequency, and cancellation instructions |
| Consumer accepts a fee change | 7 to 30 days before the change takes effect | Notice of the change and cancellation instructions |
| Annual reminder | Annually; the alert does not give a specific advance window | Product or service, charge amount and frequency, and how to cancel |
For the annual reminder, the alert says businesses should use the enrollment communication method or the method the customer generally uses with the business. It likewise says fulfillment timing and method can vary, so the alert should not be read as a complete account of every scenario.
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Make cancellation practical
A consumer must be able to cancel using the communication method used to enroll or the method they generally use to interact with the business. For online enrollment, cancellation must be available online at will, without obstructive or delaying steps. The alert also says businesses must offer a toll-free phone number, email address, or another easy-to-use cancellation method.
In practical terms, an online signup cannot be paired with an online cancellation path that is buried or made unnecessarily difficult. The precise method and fulfillment timing can depend on the circumstances described by the Attorney General.
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- Check the renewal terms. Review the account page, signup confirmation, or service terms for the renewal date, charge, and cancellation instructions.
- Use an appropriate channel. If you enrolled online, look for an online cancellation option. You can also use the enrollment communication method or the method you generally use to contact the company.
- Keep a record. Save the cancellation confirmation or other communication showing when and how you requested cancellation. This is a practical recordkeeping step, not an additional requirement stated in the alert.
- Report a concern. If you believe a business violated your rights, the Attorney General directs consumers to its complaint reporting page: California Attorney General consumer resources.
Who enforces the law
The California Attorney General’s alert identifies the Attorney General’s Office, district attorneys, and city attorneys as enforcers. It directs consumers who believe their rights were violated to the Attorney General’s complaint reporting page. For a dispute tied to a specific agreement, the alert alone does not determine whether an exception applies or what remedy may be available.
Source: California Attorney General, September 4, 2025 consumer alert.
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