If you’ve ever tried to cancel a subscription and found it way harder than it should be, you’re not alone. California just passed a new law—AB 2863—and starting July 1, 2025, it’s going to make things a lot easier for people like you.
Let me walk you through what is going on and what you can now expect in terms of subscriptions.
Cancel the same way you signed up
This bill requires that if you sign up for a subscription online, by phone, or even through an app, the company has to let you cancel it the same way.
So if you signed up for your Netflix subscription with a few mouse clicks on the internet, ending it should be a matter of a few clicks on the internet—not a long phone call, not an email, and not a sales pitch to try to persuade you otherwise.
This applies to such things as:
- Streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Spotify)
- Monthly deliveries (like meal kits or shaving kits)
- Programs or software that automatically charge you
It’s making it as easy to stop as it was to start.
You’ll be reminded yearly
Another thing about this legislation is that companies must send you a yearly reminder. That reminder will:
- Tell you how frequently you’re being billed
- Tell you how much you’re paying
- Show you how you can cancel if you need to
This is useful if you’ve forgotten about a subscription quietly drawing money out of your card each month. You won’t need to rummage around to try and work out what’s occurring—it’ll be passed on to you every year.
Who does this help?
This new law helps you, especially if you’ve ever:
- Felt tricked into staying with a subscription
- Been baffled over how to cancel
- Missed a charge and thought, “Wait, I’m still paying for that?”
It makes businesses more honest and makes your life easier.
When does it start?
This law goes into effect on July 1, 2025, but only for new subscriptions or any renewals or extensions after that date. So if you’re already subscribing to something, the old rules still hold—until you renew it or extend it after July 1.
What should you do now?
You don’t need to do anything yet, but here’s what you can do:
- Make a list of your current subscriptions and determine which ones you really use.
- Keep an eye out for that yearly reminder from next year.
- Know your rights—if a company won’t allow you to cancel the easy way, that could be against the law after July 1, 2025.
Read this later: Which U.S. president has lived the longest and who have been the longest-lived in history?
Why did the Tesla Cybertruck explode in the vicinity of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas?
Would a government shutdown affect the TSA or air travel?
California is making it easier to stay in control of your money. Canceling a subscription is no longer difficult or cumbersome—it’s simple, clear, and fair under AB 2863.
