The free timeshare cancellation guide
Every US state gives you a legally mandated window to cancel a new timeshare. This costs $0. No lawyer needed. No exit company needed. Here’s exactly how.
The most important thing you need to know
The rescission clock starts the moment you sign the contract — not when you get home, not when you read this guide, not when you decide you want out. It started at signing. Every hour counts.
Step-by-step: how to cancel
- 1
Find your state's rescission window right now
Look at your contract — it must disclose your cancellation rights by law. Or check our state guide. Windows range from 3 days (Alabama, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota) to 15 days (Alaska, Wyoming). If you signed within that window, you can cancel free.
- 2
Write a cancellation letter — today
Your letter must include: (1) your full legal name and address, (2) the contract number, (3) the date you signed, (4) the resort name, (5) a clear statement that you are canceling, and (6) your signature. Do not add apologies or explanations — the law gives you this right unconditionally.
- 3
Go to the post office — not UPS, not FedEx, not email
Send via USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested (green card). This creates a timestamped legal record that your letter was mailed within the window and received by the developer. Do not trust email, fax, or phone.
- 4
Use the cancellation address in your contract
Your contract must list an address for sending cancellations. Use that specific address — not the resort's general address, not the salesperson's email. If no cancellation address is listed, use the developer's registered agent address.
- 5
Keep everything — forever
Scan or photograph: the letter you sent, the USPS receipt, the tracking number, and the signed green return receipt card when it arrives. Developers sometimes claim they never received the cancellation. Your certified mail paper trail proves otherwise.
- 6
If they ignore you, escalate immediately
If the developer ignores your cancellation or refuses to refund your deposit: (1) send a second certified letter, (2) file a complaint with your state AG, (3) file with the CFPB, (4) dispute the charge with your credit card company if you paid by card, and (5) consult a consumer protection attorney.
Sample rescission letter
[Your Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Phone Number]
[Date]
[Developer / Resort Company Name]
[Cancellation Address from Your Contract]
[City, State ZIP]
Re: Notice of Cancellation of Timeshare Purchase Agreement
Contract/Confirmation Number: [XXXXXX]
Property: [Resort Name and Unit Number]
Date of Contract Execution: [Date You Signed]
Dear Sir or Madam:
Pursuant to [State] law, I am hereby canceling the above-referenced timeshare purchase agreement. I am within the legally mandated rescission period. I request an immediate full refund of all amounts paid, including my deposit of $[amount].
Please confirm receipt of this cancellation in writing.
Sincerely,
________________________
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]
Keep this short. Do not apologize. Do not explain your reasons. The law gives you this right unconditionally — no justification is required.
States with the shortest windows (3–4 days)
If you signed in one of these states, you may have already missed your window. Check your contract date immediately.
States with the longest windows (10+ days)
What if the developer ignores my rescission?
It happens. Timeshare developers sometimes ignore, delay, or dispute rescission letters — especially if your letter had any technical deficiency. Here’s what to do:
- 1.File a complaint with your state Attorney General — specifically the consumer protection division
- 2.File with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint — federal record
- 3.If you paid by credit card, dispute the charge as "services not rendered" — you have strong protections under the Fair Credit Billing Act
- 4.Contact a consumer protection attorney — many take timeshare rescission cases on contingency
- 5.File with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- 6.Post factual reviews on Google and BBB — companies often respond faster when reputation is at stake
Key complaint resources
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — File complaints about financial products and services including timeshare loans
- FTC Report Fraud — Reports feed the FTC's law enforcement database
- BBB Scam Tracker — Report exit companies and search for existing complaints