Maryland Automatic Renewal Cancellation Letter

Introduction

Key Things to Know

1. 1

   Maryland's automatic renewal section, Commercial Law 14-1329, covers any contract, plan, or agreement between a consumer and a seller in which a paid subscription or purchasing agreement is automatically renewed for a subsequent term, and the cancellation letter is the consumer's dated, written record of ending one. Chapters 204 and 205 of 2025 enacted it, and it took effect June 1, 2026.

2. 2

   Before you consent, subsection (b)(1) bars the offer unless the seller presents its terms clearly and conspicuously, in visual proximity to the request for consent or, for an oral offer, at the same time, including the price after the initial term or how the agreement will change. It must also give an easily accessible disclosure of the methods you may use to cancel, and must let you terminate in a manner that does not unreasonably delay, hinder, or obstruct you.

3. 3

   Subsection (b)(3) sets the mechanism. It must be cost-effective, timely, and easy to use, letting you cancel, avoid being charged or charged an increased amount, and immediately stop any recurring charges. It must be at least as easy to use as the mechanism you used to consent and available through the same medium. By electronic medium it must be easy to find and include a prominently placed direct link or button, in your account, profile, device or user settings, or an immediately accessible termination e-mail you may send without additional information.

4. 4

   Telephone and in-person routes have their own terms. A phone cancellation must be promptly performed through calls received at a number that is answered or records messages during normal business hours. If you consented in person, cancellation must be performed in a similar in-person manner, which may include mail to a postal address where the seller bills you by mail, and the electronic and telephone alternatives must also be offered. A business may ask you to authenticate your account online, but if you are unwilling or unable, you may not be precluded from using another method it provides.

5. 5

   Notice duties depend on the plan. Under subsection (c)(1), before the renewal or a free gift or trial lasting more than 14 days ends, the seller shall give clear and conspicuous notice that the offer renews unless you cancel, the duration and terms including the price, the various methods to cancel, a link to the cancellation process if sent electronically, and its contact information. For such a trial the window is 3 to 21 days before renewal; for an initial term of at least 1 year it is 15 to 45 days.

6. 6

   Subsection (d) adds a card rule. Where the initial definite term is more than 1 month, the seller may not automatically charge your credit card unless clear and conspicuous notice is provided and you consent to the automatic charge. A letter disputing a renewal charge can say whether you were ever asked for that consent.

7. 7

   Enforcement runs through the Consumer Protection Act framework in Title 13. Subsection (g) makes a violation an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice, subject to Title 13 enforcement and penalty provisions except Sections 13-408 and 13-411, and Section 13-301(14)(xlix) lists Section 14-1329 among those practices. Subsection (h) says nothing in the section may be construed to authorize a private right of action. Section 13-410 sets fines up to $10,000 per violation, recoverable by the State.

Maryland Requirements for Automatic Renewal Cancellation Letter

• Confirmation the Plan Is an Automatic Renewal Under Section 14-1329(a)

  Section 14-1329(a) covers any contract, plan, or agreement between a consumer and a seller in which a paid subscription or purchasing agreement is automatically renewed for a subsequent term. Name the plan and state that it renews on its own unless you cancel.

• Exemption and Deemed Compliance Check Under Subsections (e) and (f)

  Check whether the seller's renewal practices fall under the Maryland Insurance Administration, the Maryland Service Contracts and Consumer Products Guaranty Act, or the Public Service Commission, Federal Communications Commission or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or whether it follows its own regulator's renewal procedures or holds a Title 18 Business Occupations and Professions license.

• The Medium You Used to Consent, Against the Medium You Used to Cancel

  Section 14-1329(b)(3)(ii) requires a mechanism at least as easy to use as the one you used to consent and available through the same medium. Record the medium and date of consent and of each cancellation step.

• Online Link, Button or Termination E-mail, and Any Representative Requirement

  Electronic cancellation must be easy to find, must include a prominently placed direct link or button or an immediately accessible termination e-mail you may send without additional information, and must not require a live or virtual representative unless you used one to consent. Note what you found and when, including any account authentication step.

• Trial Length and the 3 to 21 Day Notice

  For a free gift or trial lasting more than 14 days, Section 14-1329(c)(2) provides for notice not less than 3 and not more than 21 days before the renewal takes effect. Give the trial's start and end dates and the date any notice arrived.

• Initial Term and the 15 to 45 Day Notice

  For an initial term of at least 1 year, Section 14-1329(c)(3) provides for notice not less than 15 and not more than 45 days before renewal, disclosing the renewal, its terms and price, the cancellation methods, a link if electronic, and contact information.

• Credit Card Consent Under Subsection (d)

  Where the initial definite term was more than 1 month, Section 14-1329(d) bars automatic credit card charges without clear and conspicuous notice and your consent to the automatic charge. List each card charge by date and amount and say whether you gave that consent.

• The Title 13 Reference, Stated Without a Private Claim

  Subsection (g) makes a violation an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice under Title 13, enforced by the State, while subsection (h) authorizes no private right of action. Cite this factually and note any complaint to the Consumer Protection Division. Attorney review is available as an option.