New York subscription auto-renewal law

The statute prohibits a business making an automatic renewal or continuous service offer from failing to present to the consumer, in a clear and conspicuous manner, the material terms of the offer — including a description of the product or service subject to renewal, the amount of costs that will be charged, the frequency of charges, the deadline by date or frequency by which the consumer must act to prevent or stop further charges, and the cancellation mechanisms — before consent to the offer or billing information has been requested, and in visual proximity (or, for voice offers, temporal proximity) to the request for consent. If the offer also includes a free gift or trial, or the price is temporary, the offer must include a clear and conspicuous explanation of how and when the price will change and the price or prices that will subsequently be charged.

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 527-a(1)(a)Read the statute →

The statute prohibits a business from charging the consumer or the consumer's account with a third party for the initial term of an automatic renewal or continuous service without first obtaining the consumer's affirmative consent to the agreement containing the terms of the automatic renewal or continuous service offer, including terms of an offer made at a promotional or discounted price for a limited period of time. (Added/clarified by November 5, 2025 amendment.)

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 527-a(1)(b)Read the statute →

The statute requires a business to provide a notice promptly following the consumer's affirmative consent, in a manner capable of being retained by the consumer. The notice must include: (i) the terms of the automatic renewal or continuous service agreement; (ii) the amount of costs that will be charged; (iii) the frequency of charges; (iv) the deadline by date or frequency by which the consumer must act to prevent or stop further charges; and (v) the cancellation mechanisms described in paragraphs d and d-1.

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 527-a(1)(c)Read the statute →

The statute requires a business to provide the consumer with the option to cancel at any time using a simple cancellation mechanism that is as easy to use as the mechanism the consumer used to provide consent and that is through the same medium the consumer used to provide consent (§ 527-a(1)(d)). The statute also requires providing the option to cancel through any other medium by which a consumer can consent to the subscription or any price increase (§ 527-a(1)(d-1)). Additionally, the statute prohibits imposing unreasonable or unlawful conditions on cancellation, refusing to acknowledge cancellation, obstructing, or unreasonably delaying a cancellation request. The statute provides examples of unreasonable conditions including hanging up on consumers who call to cancel or misrepresenting the reasons for delays. A business may present a discounted offer, retention benefit, or information about the effect of cancellation during the process, provided it does not obstruct or unreasonably delay cancellation (§ 527-a(1)(e)). (Provisions d, d-1, and e added/expanded by November 5, 2025 amendment.)

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 527-a(1)(d), (d-1), (e)Read the statute →

The statute requires a business to notify a consumer of an automatic renewal or continuous service charge when the offer carries an initial paid term of one year or longer and the renewal term is six months or longer. Notice must be sent at least fifteen days before, but not more than forty-five days before, the cancellation deadline for such automatic renewal, in the manner selected by the consumer (which may include text, email, app notification, or any other notification channel offered by the business). The notice must include instructions on how to cancel. (Originally added effective December 13, 2023; carried forward in November 5, 2025 amendment.)

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 527-a(1)(f)Read the statute →

The statute requires a business to notify a consumer of an upcoming automatic renewal or continuous service charge when the offer includes a free gift or trial period of more than one month followed by a paid period. Notice must be sent at least three days before, but not more than twenty-one days before, the cancellation deadline for the first chargeable period, in the manner selected by the consumer. The notice must include cancellation instructions. (Added by November 5, 2025 amendment.)

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 527-a(1)(h)Read the statute →

The statute imposes two related obligations when a price increases. First (§ 527-a(1)(g)): the business must provide the consumer who accepted the offer with a clear and conspicuous notice of any material change to the terms — expressly including any price increases — at least five business days before, but no more than thirty days before, the date of the change, in the same manner required by paragraph f (i.e., via the channel selected by the consumer). Second (§ 527-a(1)(b-1)): the business may not charge the consumer a price higher than what was disclosed, or charge following a price increase, without either (i) first obtaining the consumer's affirmative consent to the increased price, or (ii) allowing the consumer to cancel within at least fourteen days after such charge and refunding the consumer the price of the remaining term on a pro rata basis. The statute provides that a business is not required to obtain affirmative consent to a price increase more than once before charging the increased price. (Both provisions added by November 5, 2025 amendment.)

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 527-a(1)(b-1) and (g)Read the statute →