The Law
California's Automatic Renewal Law, in plain English.
California Business & Professions Code §§ 17600–17606 regulates any subscription that automatically renews or continues after a free trial. Here's what it requires.
Requirement 1
Clear and conspicuous disclosure
Before you're charged, the auto-renewal terms — that it renews, how often, and at what price — must be presented in a way you can actually see and read: visually distinct, close to the request for your payment, not buried in a wall of terms.
Requirement 2
Affirmative consent to the recurring charge
You must actively agree to the auto-renewal itself, separately from agreeing to the general terms of service. A pre-checked box does not count. A single "Place order" button that also silently opts you into a subscription does not count.
Requirement 3
Post-signup acknowledgment
After you sign up, the company must send you an acknowledgment — typically email — that repeats the auto-renewal terms, describes the cancellation policy, and gives you the information you need to cancel. For free trials that convert to paid, this acknowledgment must be sent in a way you can keep.
Requirement 4
Easy online cancellation
If you can sign up online, you must be able to cancel online — in the same medium, without calling, without a retention gauntlet, without a mailed letter. As of 2025 amendments, the cancellation path must be at least as easy to find and use as the signup path was.
Requirement 5
Notice before material changes
If the price, term, or other material condition of the subscription changes, the company must give you clear and conspicuous notice before the change takes effect, along with information on how to cancel.
What happens when a company doesn't comply?
Under § 17603, any product sent to a California consumer in violation of the ARL is treated as an unconditional gift. Consumers may also have remedies under California's Unfair Competition Law (§ 17200) and the Consumers Legal Remedies Act.
This page is a summary written for consumers, not legal advice. Statutes and cases change. If you think a company charged you in violation of the ARL, consult a licensed California attorney about your specific situation.