# Refund and Cancellation Policy: [Product or store name]

> Format for a public refund and cancellation policy for an online
> subscription, digital product or online shop: how to cancel, when
> refunds are given, how they are paid, statutory withdrawal rights for
> consumers, automatic renewal and exceptions. Based on common online
> trading practice, with EU consumer clauses from Directive 2011/83/EU
> (Consumer Rights Directive) as amended, including the online
> withdrawal function inserted as Art. 11a by Directive (EU) 2023/2673
> (applying from 19 June 2026), and dated UK and US examples on
> cancellation and automatic renewal. Replace every `[bracketed]` value
> and every row marked *Example*.
> **This is a documentation format, not legal advice.** It makes no claim that any rule
> below meets the law where you sell. Consumer law is national and
> changes often. Check the current official texts and have a qualified
> professional review the policy before you publish it.

<!--
Guidance: How to use this template
- Decide first whether you sell to consumers, businesses or both.
  Statutory withdrawal and auto-renewal rules protect consumers; your
  own refund promise can be more generous but never less than the law.
- Keep this policy consistent with your terms of service
  (legal-lite/terms-of-service, section 9 and the model withdrawal form
  in section 19). Link instead of repeating long legal text.
- Fill the summary table in section 2 last, from the detailed sections,
  and check that every number matches.
- Remove guidance comments and document control from the published
  page.
-->

## Document control

<!-- Guidance: Internal record. Keep every published version: a customer's refund rights are judged by the policy in force when they bought. -->

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Document ID | [LEGAL-REF-001] |
| Seller (legal entity) | [Registered name, address, registration number] |
| Products covered | [Subscriptions / Digital content / Physical goods / Services] |
| Customer types | [Consumers / Businesses / Both] in [countries] |
| Version | [0.1] |
| Status | [Draft / Legal review / Approved / Published] |
| Owner | [@owner, Legal or Customer support] |
| Approvers / reviewers | [Legal counsel], [Finance], [Support lead] |
| Effective date | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Next review | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Classification | Public once published |

### Approvals

| Role | Name | Decision | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal counsel | [@name] | [Approved / Changes requested] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Finance | [@name] | [Approved refund rules] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Customer support lead | [@name] | [Approved process] | YYYY-MM-DD |

### Revision history

| Version | Date | Author | Change summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | YYYY-MM-DD | [@name] | First draft |
| 1.0 | YYYY-MM-DD | [@name] | *Example:* Published with withdrawal function for EU consumers |
| 1.1 | YYYY-MM-DD | [@name] | *Example:* Annual plans: pro rata refund window extended from 14 to 30 days after renewal |

## 1. Scope

<!-- Guidance: Say which products, customers and countries this covers and which document wins if it conflicts with the terms. Common pitfall: one policy that silently mixes business and consumer rules, so neither group knows its rights. -->

This policy applies to purchases made from [Seller] through
[website, app, app stores]. It forms part of our
[Terms of Service](link). If you are a consumer, you also have rights
under the law of the country where you live; this policy does not limit
them.

Purchases made through [Apple App Store / Google Play] are refunded by
that store under its own rules. [Explain how to request them.]

## 2. Summary

<!-- Guidance: One table that a customer can read in under a minute. Each row must match a detailed section below. -->

| What you bought | Can I cancel? | Refund | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Monthly subscription] | Any time, effective at the end of the paid month | [No refund for the current month] | 3, 4 |
| [Annual subscription] | Any time, effective at the end of the paid year | [Pro rata refund if you cancel within (30) days of a renewal] | 3, 4 |
| [One-off digital download] | [No, once download has started, if you agreed to that] | [Only if faulty] | 5, 7 |
| [Physical goods] | [Return within (N) days] | [Full refund including standard delivery] | 4, 5 |
| EU or UK consumer, any online purchase | 14-day withdrawal period, subject to the exceptions in section 7 | Within 14 days of your withdrawal | 5 |

## 3. Cancelling a subscription

<!-- Guidance: Make cancelling as easy as signing up. Several jurisdictions require an online cancellation method where the contract was made online, and clear disclosure of renewal terms before purchase. State when cancellation takes effect and what happens to data. -->

3.1 **How to cancel.** Go to [Account > Billing > Cancel subscription]
and press **[Cancel subscription]**. You do not need to call us or give
a reason. We confirm the cancellation by email right away.

3.2 **When it takes effect.** Your subscription ends at the end of the
current billing period. You keep access until then. We do not charge
you again.

3.3 **Automatic renewal.** Subscriptions renew automatically for the
same period at the price shown at checkout [or the new price notified
under 3.4]. We tell you before you buy, and again in the order
confirmation, that the plan renews, how often, the price, and how to
cancel. [For annual plans we send a reminder (N) days before renewal.]

3.4 **Price changes.** We give at least [(N)] days' notice of a price
change before your next renewal. You can cancel before it applies.

3.5 **Free trials.** [Say whether a payment method is needed, the trial
length, the date the first charge happens, the reminder you send, and
how to cancel before it.]

3.6 **Your data after cancellation.** [Your account stays readable for
(N) days so you can export your data, then we delete it as described in
our Privacy Policy.]

## 4. Refunds

<!-- Guidance: State your voluntary refund rules, how the amount is worked out and how fast you pay. Show a worked example for any pro rata rule. Pay statutory refunds by the same payment method unless the customer agrees otherwise. -->

4.1 **Our refund promise.** [Describe what you refund beyond the law,
for example: "If you cancel an annual plan within 30 days of a renewal,
we refund the unused days of that year."]

4.2 **How we calculate pro rata refunds.** Refund = price paid x unused
days / days in the billing period.

*Example:* An annual plan of USD 120 renews on 1 March. The customer
cancels 12 days later. Used: 120 x 12 / 365 = USD 3.95. Refund: 120 x
353 / 365 = USD 116.05.

4.3 **How and when we pay.** We refund to the original payment method
within [(N)] days of approving the refund [and within 14 days for
statutory withdrawals, section 5]. Your bank may take longer to show
it.

4.4 **What we do not refund.** [Partial months on monthly plans; usage
fees already incurred; add-ons consumed.] This does not affect your
statutory rights.

4.5 **Faulty products.** If a product or digital content is faulty or
not as described, you may have legal rights to a repair, replacement,
price reduction or refund, whatever this policy says. Contact
[support link].

## 5. EU and UK consumers: right of withdrawal

<!-- Guidance: EU: Directive 2011/83/EU gives consumers 14 days to withdraw from distance and off-premises contracts (Art. 9). If the trader fails to give the withdrawal information, the period is extended by up to 12 months (Art. 10). Refunds are due within 14 days of being informed (Art. 13). For services started on request during the period, the consumer pays a proportionate amount (Art. 14(3)). Art. 16 lists exceptions, including fully performed services and digital content where the conditions are met. UK: the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give a comparable 14-day cancellation right. National transposition can differ in detail, so check the law of each country you sell to. -->

5.1 **Your right.** If you are a consumer in the EU [or the UK], you
can withdraw from a contract you made with us online within 14 days
without giving a reason.

5.2 **When the 14 days start.** For services and for digital content
not on a tangible medium: from the day the contract is made. For goods:
from the day you, or someone you name other than the carrier, receive
them (for several goods in one order delivered separately, the last
one).

5.3 **How to withdraw.** Use the withdrawal function described in
section 6, the model withdrawal form in our Terms of Service, or any
other clear statement sent to [withdrawal email or address]. It is
enough to send it before the 14 days end.

5.4 **Refund.** We refund all payments received from you, including
standard delivery costs, without undue delay and at the latest within
14 days of being told of your withdrawal, using the same payment method
unless you agree otherwise. For goods, we may wait until we receive them
back or you show proof of return. [You pay the direct cost of return /
We pay the cost of return.]

5.5 **Services you asked us to start.** If you asked us to start a
service during the 14 days and then withdraw, you pay for what we
provided until you told us, in proportion to the whole contract.

*Example:* A consumer buys an annual plan for EUR 240, asks for
immediate access, and withdraws on day 9. Amount for the service
provided: 240 x 9 / 365 = EUR 5.92. Refund: EUR 234.08. This assumes a
time-based calculation; if the value of the service is not spread
evenly over time, a different method may be needed. Check national
guidance.

5.6 **When the right does not apply.** See section 7.

5.7 **Business customers.** Sections 5 and 6 do not apply to business
customers.

## 6. Withdrawal function

<!-- Guidance: Art. 11a of Directive 2011/83/EU, inserted by Directive (EU) 2023/2673 and applying from 19 June 2026, requires traders to offer a withdrawal function on the online interface for contracts concluded through it. It must be clearly labelled, prominently placed and available throughout the withdrawal period, let the consumer give or confirm identifying details and send the statement through a confirmation step, and the trader must acknowledge receipt on a durable medium without undue delay. The directive sets the labels "withdraw from contract here" and "confirm withdrawal" or an unambiguous corresponding formulation; check the wording in each national transposing law and language. Pre-contract information must also say where the function is placed (Art. 6(1)(h) as amended). -->

For contracts made on our [website / app], you can withdraw with the
button **"[Withdraw from contract here]"** at [Account > Orders]. It is
available throughout the withdrawal period.

1. Choose the order you want to withdraw from.
2. Give or confirm your name, the contract, and the email address for
   our confirmation.
3. Press **"[Confirm withdrawal]"**.
4. We email you an acknowledgement of receipt with the content of your
   statement and the date and time it was sent.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  A["Consumer opens Orders page"] --> B["Presses Withdraw from contract here"]
  B --> C["Gives or confirms name, contract and email"]
  C --> D["Presses Confirm withdrawal"]
  D --> E["Acknowledgement of receipt sent by email"]
  E --> F{"Service started on request?"}
  F -- "No" --> G["Full refund within 14 days"]
  F -- "Yes" --> H["Refund minus proportionate amount, within 14 days"]
```

## 7. Exceptions

<!-- Guidance: List only exceptions that apply to your products and that the law allows. Some exceptions require the consumer's prior express consent and acknowledgement, plus confirmation on a durable medium. If you did not collect those, the exception does not apply. -->

| ID | Exception | Condition | Applies to us? |
|---|---|---|---|
| REF-EXC-001 | Service fully performed | For paid contracts, performance started with the consumer's prior express consent and acknowledgement that the right is lost once fully performed (Art. 16(a)) | [Yes / No] |
| REF-EXC-002 | Digital content not on a tangible medium | For paid contracts, supply has begun with prior express consent, acknowledgement of loss of the right, and confirmation on a durable medium (Art. 16(m)) | [Yes / No] |
| REF-EXC-003 | Goods made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalised | Art. 16(c) | [Yes / No] |
| REF-EXC-004 | Sealed goods unsealed after delivery, not suitable for return for health or hygiene reasons | Art. 16(e) | [Yes / No] |
| REF-EXC-005 | [Other exception confirmed by counsel] | [Condition] | [Yes / No] |

## 8. United States: automatic renewal and cancellation

<!-- Guidance: There is no single federal refund law. Automatic renewal is regulated by state laws (for example California Business and Professions Code sections 17600 to 17606) and, for online negative option sales, by the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (15 U.S.C. 8401 to 8405), which the FTC enforces. The FTC's 2024 "click-to-cancel" amendments to its Negative Option Rule were vacated by the Eighth Circuit in July 2025; the FTC revised the rule text in February 2026 to conform and opened a new advance notice of proposed rulemaking in March 2026. Check the current status on ftc.gov and each state's law. -->

Use these questions to check your US subscription flow:

| ID | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| REF-US-001 | Before the customer pays, do you show clearly and near the payment button that the plan renews, how often, the price, and how to cancel? | [Yes / No] |
| REF-US-002 | Do you get the customer's express consent to the renewal terms before charging? | [Yes / No] |
| REF-US-003 | Do you send an acknowledgement with the renewal terms and the cancellation method in a form the customer can keep? | [Yes / No] |
| REF-US-004 | Can a customer who signed up online cancel online, without having to call or chat with a retention agent? | [Yes / No] |
| REF-US-005 | For free trials and promotional prices, do you say when the trial ends, what the regular price is and how to cancel before the first charge? | [Yes / No] |
| REF-US-006 | Do you send renewal reminders where a state you sell to requires them (for example before an annual renewal or a price change)? | [Yes / No, states] |
| REF-US-007 | Which states' auto-renewal laws apply to your customers, and when did you last check each? | [List with dates] |

## 9. Disputes and contact

<!-- Guidance: Give a direct route before customers go to their bank. Say how fast you answer. In the EU, the Online Dispute Resolution platform was discontinued on 20 July 2025; do not link to it. Name any alternative dispute resolution body you are committed to use. -->

9.1 Contact us first at [support link or email]. We answer within
[(N)] business days.

9.2 [If you are not satisfied, you can refer the dispute to (named
alternative dispute resolution body), which we have agreed to use.]
*or* [We are not obliged to use an alternative dispute resolution
body.]

9.3 Opening a chargeback with your bank does not cancel your
subscription; please also cancel it under section 3.

## References

<!-- Guidance: Sources checked on the date shown. Keep this internal or replace it with a short legal-basis note when publishing. -->

| Source | Status / date checked | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Directive 2011/83/EU (Consumer Rights Directive), Arts. 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/83/oj | Consolidated text; check the latest | 14-day withdrawal, refunds, exceptions |
| Directive (EU) 2023/2673, inserting Art. 11a into Directive 2011/83/EU | Applies from 2026-06-19 (European Commission, Consumer Rights Directive page, read 2026-10-30) | Withdrawal function |
| European Commission, Consumer redress page on the ODR platform | Read 2026-10-30: platform discontinued on 20 July 2025, following Regulation (EU) 2024/3228 | Section 9 |
| UK Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/3134) | Check legislation.gov.uk; check whether the subscription contract rules in Part 4 Chapter 2 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 are in force for your date | UK cancellation |
| Federal Trade Commission, Negative Option Rule page, ftc.gov | Read 2026-10-30: rule revised 2026-02-12 to conform to court decisions; ANPRM published 2026-03-13 | US status |
| Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act, 15 U.S.C. 8401 to 8405 | Check the current text | US online negative option sales |
| California Business and Professions Code sections 17600 to 17606 (Automatic Renewal Law) | Check the current text on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov | US state example |
| Terms of Service (legal-lite/terms-of-service) | This collection | Model withdrawal form, fees section |

## Standard and licence note

Based on common online trading practice, with EU clauses based on
Directive 2011/83/EU as amended (including Art. 11a inserted by
Directive (EU) 2023/2673) and dated UK and US examples, all paraphrased
in original words. Check the current consolidated texts, national
transposing laws and state laws before use. This is a documentation
format, not legal advice: it does not create a lawyer-client
relationship and makes no claim that the policy complies with the law
where you sell. Original text written for this collection; examples are
fictional.
Template licence: MIT.