FAIR OR NOTYour consumer rights with charges and subscriptions
When you pay for subscriptions, apps, tickets, and services, several federal and state rules give you protection, but they have limits. This page gives a plain-language overview of the main ones: online subscription rules, state auto-renewal laws, credit and debit card dispute rights, app store refunds, and the federal fee rule. It is general information, not legal advice, and details vary by state and situation.
Your Rights With Automatic Renewals
Automatic renewals are legal, but there are rules about how businesses must handle them. This guide gives a general overview of federal and state protections as of October 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.
Read guide →How to Dispute a Charge
If you were charged for something you did not agree to, or for a subscription you already canceled, you have options. Start with the business, then move to your card company or bank if needed. Acting quickly matters, because some protections have deadlines.
Read guide →Hidden Fees and Junk Fees: What to Watch For
A price that looks good at first can grow by the time you reach checkout. Extra charges that show up late, or that are hard to understand, are often called junk fees. Here is how to spot them and what rules apply.
Read guide →Where to Report Unfair Charges and Business Practices
Reporting a bad experience can feel pointless, but reports help government agencies spot patterns and decide where to act. Reporting usually does not get your money back by itself, so also try the business and your card company. Here is where to send different kinds of complaints.
Read guide →Online subscriptions: ROSCA
The Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act, often called ROSCA, is a federal law that covers subscriptions and other recurring charges sold online. Before charging you, a seller must clearly disclose the important terms, get your express informed consent, and provide a simple way to stop recurring charges. The FTC enforces this law and has brought cases against companies over sign-up and cancellation practices.
In 2024 the FTC updated its Negative Option Rule with a broad click-to-cancel requirement, but a federal appeals court vacated those changes in July 2025. In March 2026 the FTC began a new rulemaking process. ROSCA itself remains in effect.
State automatic renewal laws
Many states have their own automatic renewal laws, and some are stricter than federal law. Depending on the state, a business may have to show renewal terms clearly near the sign-up button, get your clear agreement, send a confirmation you can keep, and offer an easy way to cancel. Some states, such as California, require businesses to let people who signed up online also cancel online.
Because these laws differ, check your state's attorney general website or our state directory to see what applies where you live. Even where a state has no specific auto-renewal law, general state consumer protection laws against unfair or deceptive practices may still apply.
Credit card vs. debit card protection
Credit cards generally give you stronger protection. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you can dispute billing errors, such as a charge you did not authorize, the wrong amount, or something you paid for but did not receive. You must send a written notice to your card issuer within 60 days after the statement showing the charge was sent. The issuer must acknowledge it and investigate.
Debit cards and bank transfers fall under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. It protects you against unauthorized transfers, but how much you can lose depends on how quickly you report. For recurring payments you approved, you can tell your bank to stop them at least three business days before the next scheduled payment.
- Report problems quickly, especially on debit cards.
- Put credit card disputes in writing.
- Telling your bank to stop payment does not cancel the contract itself.
App store refunds and the federal fee rule
App store refunds are mostly a matter of store policy rather than law. Apple lets you request a refund online for purchases and subscriptions, and decides each request. Google Play may refund some purchases requested within 48 hours; after that, you are usually directed to the app's developer. Canceling an app subscription stops future charges but does not automatically refund past ones.
The FTC's fee rule, effective May 12, 2025, requires businesses selling live-event tickets and short-term lodging to show the total price, including mandatory fees, up front. It does not ban fees, and it does not cover every industry. For other purchases, such as restaurant meals or rental housing, state and local rules may apply instead.
App store refunds → · Hidden and junk fees → · Event ticket fees → · Hotel and travel fees →
Using your rights in practice
Rights help most when you act early and keep records. Save sign-up confirmations and screenshots of the terms you agreed to. When you cancel, keep the confirmation. If a charge appears after you canceled, contact the company first, then use your card dispute or bank stop-payment rights if needed. If you believe a business broke the rules, report it to the FTC and your state attorney general, even if you already got your money back.
- Keep proof of sign-up terms and cancellations.
- Check statements every month for surprise charges.
- Report rule-breaking even after your own problem is fixed.
Rights you may not have
Knowing the limits helps you avoid surprises. There is no general federal right to a refund just because you changed your mind or forgot to cancel. There is no general cap on how much a business can charge or how often it can raise prices. Many fees outside tickets and lodging are legal as long as they are disclosed. And a price that seems too high is not illegal by itself.
- No automatic refund for a forgotten subscription.
- No federal limit on most prices or price increases.
- No ban on most fees, if they are disclosed.
- Store refund policies can change at any time.
Did this happen to you? Sharing what you were charged helps others avoid it.
Report itCommon questions
Is the FTC click-to-cancel rule in effect?
No. The FTC finalized click-to-cancel changes to its Negative Option Rule in 2024, but a federal appeals court vacated them in July 2025. The FTC started a new rulemaking in March 2026, which may take a long time. Meanwhile, ROSCA and many state auto-renewal laws still require clear terms, consent, and a way to cancel.
How long do I have to dispute a credit card charge?
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you should send a written billing error notice to your card issuer within 60 days after the statement showing the charge was sent. Calling first is fine, but the written notice protects your rights. Your issuer may also have its own dispute process, so check its website or card agreement.
Can I stop a recurring payment from my bank account?
Yes. For preauthorized electronic payments, you can tell your bank to stop payment at least three business days before the next scheduled charge. Your bank may ask you to confirm in writing. This stops the payment, but it may not end your contract, so cancel with the company too and keep proof that you did.
Related guides
- Your Rights With Automatic Renewals
- How to Dispute a Charge
- Hidden Fees and Junk Fees: What to Watch For
- Where to Report Unfair Charges and Business Practices
General consumer information, not legal or financial advice. Reports are the experiences and opinions of their writers, not AblePro, Inc.; we check them against our posting rules but do not verify them.