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Cooling-Off Deadline

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FTC 3-day rule + state timeshare windows The myths, called out Checked July 2026
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Your deadline, line by line

What you can actually cancel in the US

The honest table — the cooling-off right exists in far fewer places than the folklore says.

Cancelling so it sticks

How we calculate

What is included

The federal Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR 429): sales pitched at your home, workplace or dorm ($25+), or at the seller’s temporary venue — hotel room, fairground, pop-up ($130+) — cancel by midnight of the third business day after signing. The seller must give two copies of a cancellation form and a dated receipt; skip that, and the window stays open until they do. After you cancel: refund within 10 business days; if they don’t collect the goods within 20 days, they’re yours.

Timeshares: every state grants a rescission window — 3 to 15 calendar days from signing (Florida 10, Nevada 5, California 7, Hawaii 7, South Carolina 5, Missouri 5). The number must be printed in your contract, and the right cannot be waived, whatever the sales rep said.

Sources: 16 CFR Part 429 · FTC on the Cooling-Off Rule · your state’s timeshare act (the contract must cite it).

What is estimated or left out

Business days here exclude weekends but not federal holidays — if a holiday falls inside your window, you have a day more than shown, never less. The rule has exemptions the page flags but can’t adjudicate: real estate, insurance, securities, emergency repairs you requested, and cars sold at temporary lots by dealers with a permanent address. Some states extend the federal rule (longer windows, broader coverage) — this page shows the federal floor.

The formula, in plain words
door / event sale → cancel by midnight of the 3rd business day ($25+ at home · $130+ at temporary venues) timeshare → your state's window, 3–15 calendar days online / in store → no automatic right — store policy decides no forms given → the clock never started; cancel now after cancelling → refund ≤ 10 business days · pickup ≤ 20 days

Common questions

Is there really a 3-day right to cancel any purchase?
No — that’s the most expensive consumer myth in America. The federal 3-day rule covers only sales pitched at your home or a seller’s temporary venue. Online orders, store purchases and car deals have no automatic cooling-off; returns there are store policy, not law.
Can I return a new car within 3 days?
No. Vehicle purchases are exempt from the federal rule, and no state gives a general new-car cooling-off right. Once you sign and drive off, the car is yours. A used-car exception exists in California only — a 2-day cancellation option the dealer sells, not a built-in right.
How do I cancel a timeshare I signed last week?
Check the rescission clause in your contract for the exact window (3–15 calendar days by state), then send written notice before it closes — the method the contract names, or certified mail with return receipt. Sending in time is what counts, not their receiving it. Full deposit back, no penalty, no reason needed.

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