State automatic-renewal laws
Every US state automatic-renewal law Checkbox evaluates — citation, effective date, status and notice timing — generated from the legal catalog, plus what most of them have in common.
Beyond federal law (ROSCA), most subscription obligations come from state automatic-renewal laws. They apply based on where the consumer is, not where the business is, so a business selling nationwide sells into all of them. Checkbox evaluates all of them at once (jurisdictions: "all", the default) and reports each finding once, with every jurisdiction it matters for and the strictest severity.
The catalog currently holds 196 requirements in 29 jurisdictions (catalog version 2026.10.31.1, last verified against primary sources on 2026-10-29; rules version 1.3.0).
What most of them require
- A clear and conspicuous disclosure of the automatic-renewal terms before the consumer agrees: that it renews until cancelled, the price and how often, the renewal term, how to cancel, and the trial terms.
- Affirmative consent to those terms before charging.
- An acknowledgment after sign-up, in a form the consumer can keep, repeating the terms and how to cancel.
- Reminders before a free trial converts, before longer terms renew, and before price changes — the timing differs by state (see the table below).
- Online cancellation for online sign-ups, without obstruction.
State by state
| State | Law | Citation | Effective | Status | Notice timing in the catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Alaska free trial period law | Alaska Stat. § 45.45.920; § 45.50.471(b)(47) | 2004-09-12 | in force | — |
| Arkansas | Arkansas automatic renewal and continuous service offers law (Act 652 of 2025) | Ark. Code Ann. § 4-86-112 | 2025-08-05 | in force | Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 3-21 days before the trial ends; Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 15-45 days before renewal; Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change; Gives advance notice of price changes: 7-30 days before the price change |
| California | California Automatic Renewal Law | Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17600-17606 | 2010-12-01 | in force | Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 3-21 days before the trial ends; Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 15-45 days before renewal; Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change; Gives advance notice of price changes: 7-30 days before the price change |
| Colorado | Colorado automatic renewal contracts law | C.R.S. § 6-1-732 | 2022-01-01 | in force | Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change; Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 25-40 days before renewal |
| Connecticut | Connecticut automatic renewal and continuous services law | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-158ff | 2023-10-01 | in force | Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 3 days before the trial ends; Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 15-45 days before the trial ends; Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change |
| Delaware | Delaware consumer contracts — automatic renewal provisions | 6 Del. C. §§ 2731-2737 | 2022-01-01 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline |
| District of Columbia | Automatic Renewal Protections Act of 2018 | D.C. Code §§ 28A-201 to 28A-204 | 2019-09-11 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline; Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 15-30 days before the trial ends |
| Florida | Florida automatic renewal of service contracts | Fla. Stat. § 501.165 | 2010-07-01 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline |
| Georgia | Georgia Online Automatic Renewal Transparency Act | O.C.G.A. §§ 10-1-439.5 to 10-1-439.13 | 2024-01-01 | in force | Sends a notice before (or promptly after) recurring charges where required: before the charge or up to 3 days after it; Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change |
| Hawaii | Hawaii automatic renewal and continuous service clauses law | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 481-9.5 | 2012-07-01 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline; Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change |
| Idaho | Idaho cancellation of subscriptions law | Idaho Code § 48-603G | 2023-01-01 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before renewal |
| Illinois | Illinois Automatic Contract Renewal Act | 815 ILCS 601 | 2005-01-01 | in force | Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: at least 3 days before the cancellation deadline; Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline |
| Kentucky | Kentucky automatic renewal and continuous service offers law | Ky. Rev. Stat. §§ 365.400-365.408 | 2024-01-01 | in force | Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change |
| Louisiana | Louisiana contracts with automatic renewal clauses | La. R.S. 9:2716 | 2011-01-01 | in force | — |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Click-to-Cancel Act | La. R.S. 51:3301-3305 (Act 830 of 2026, HB 750) | 2027-01-01 | enacted not yet effective | Gives advance notice of price changes: at least 3 days before renewal; Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: at least 3 days before renewal; Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: at least 3 days before the trial ends |
| Maine | Maine automatic subscription or health club membership renewal law | 10 M.R.S. §§ 1210-C, 1210-D (ch. 205-B) | 2020-01-02 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 0-30 days before renewal |
| Maine | Maine charges after free trial period | 10 M.R.S. §§ 1210-1210-B (ch. 205-A) | 2009-09-12 | in force | — |
| Maryland | Maryland Consumer Protection — Automatic Renewals (2025 chs. 204, 205) | Md. Code Ann., Com. Law § 14-1329 | 2026-06-01 | in force | Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 3-21 days before the trial ends; Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 15-45 days before renewal |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Attorney General regulation — Unfair and Deceptive Fees (recurring fees and trial offers) | 940 CMR 38.05 (940 CMR 38.00) | 2025-09-02 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 5-30 days before the cancellation deadline; Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 5-30 days before the cancellation deadline; Sends a notice before (or promptly after) recurring charges where required: up to 30 days before the charge or up to 3 days after it |
| Minnesota | Minnesota automatic renewal and continuous service law | Minn. Stat. §§ 325G.56-325G.63 | 2025-01-01 | in force | Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change; Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 5-30 days before the trial ends |
| New Mexico | New Mexico rule — Automatic Renewal of Service Contracts | 12.2.11 NMAC | 2009-09-15 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline |
| New York | New York Automatic Renewal Law (Prohibited Service Offer Practices) | N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §§ 527, 527-a (Art. 29-BB) | 2021-02-09 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 15-45 days before the cancellation deadline; Gives advance notice of price changes: 7-30 days before the price change; Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 3-21 days before the cancellation deadline |
| New York | New York City "Click to Cancel" Rule (DCWP) | 6 RCNY § 5-110.1 | 2026-10-01 | not cataloged (see summary) | — |
| North Carolina | North Carolina contracts with automatic renewal clauses | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-41 | 2016-07-26 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 15-45 days before renewal; Gives advance notice of price changes: 15-45 days before renewal |
| North Dakota | North Dakota customer contract clauses and automatic renewals | N.D. Cent. Code ch. 51-37 | 2019-08-01 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline; Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change |
| Oregon | Oregon automatic renewal and continuous service offers law | Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 646A.292-646A.295 | 2012-01-01 | in force | Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change |
| Oregon | Oregon free offer law | Or. Rev. Stat. § 646.644 | 2012-01-01 | in force | — |
| South Carolina | South Carolina automatic renewal provisions in service contracts | S.C. Code Ann. § 37-6-120 (2024 Act No. 159) | 2024-05-20 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline |
| Tennessee | Tennessee automatic renewal of subscription services (Consumer Protection Act) | Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-133; § 47-18-103 | 2023-01-01 | in force | Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: any time before the trial ends; Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: any time before the charge; Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change |
| Utah | Utah Automatic Renewal Contracts Act | Utah Code Ann. §§ 13-70-101 to 13-70-301 | 2025-01-01 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before renewal; Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: at least 3 days before the trial ends |
| Vermont | Vermont consumer contracts; automatic renewal | 9 V.S.A. § 2454a | 2019-07-01 | in force | Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline |
| Virginia | Virginia Automatic Renewal Offers and Continuous Service Offers | Va. Code Ann. §§ 59.1-207.45 to 59.1-207.49 | 2018-07-01 | in force | Gives advance notice of price changes: any time before the price change; Sends a reminder before a free trial converts to a paid subscription: 0-30 days before the trial ends; Sends a renewal reminder before long-term (e.g. annual) subscriptions renew: 30-60 days before the cancellation deadline |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin renewals and extensions of business contracts | Wis. Stat. § 134.49 (2009 Wis. Act 192) | 2011-05-01 | not cataloged (see summary) | — |
Requirement-level detail for the two most demanding states: California and New York. Any state's requirements are also in every check result (requirements[], with citation and source_url).
Conflicting windows
Where two states' windows do not overlap — for example one requiring a trial reminder exactly 3 days before the trial ends and another 15 to 30 days before — one email cannot satisfy both. Checkbox's notice schedule returns the fewest sends that put one inside every applicable window:
Shell
checkbox check notice-schedule --price 19.99 --interval month --trial-days 45 \
--jurisdictions US-CA,US-NY,US-CT,US-DC --start-date 2026-11-02 --jsonLaws taking effect later
Laws enacted with a future effective date are in the catalog already and start applying on their effective date (each result's as_of decides). The table's "enacted not yet effective" rows are those.
Checkbox is compliance software, not a law firm; nothing in these docs is legal advice (details). For AI agents: every page is available as Markdown at the same URL plus .md; the index is /llms.txt.