How many days before renewal must a NYC business send an auto-renewal reminder?
Quick answer
For plans with an initial paid term of one year or more that renew for six months or more, send the reminder 15 to 45 days before the cancellation deadline, by the customer's chosen channel, with cancel instructions (6 RCNY 5-110.1(g)). Price changes need 5 business days to 30 days of notice; trials over a month, 3 to 21 days.
What does the law say? Key facts and official sources
| Item | What the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal reminder | 15 to 45 days before the cancellation deadline; initial paid term 1 year or more, renewing for 6 months or more (5-110.1(g)) | Official source |
| Material change or price increase | Clear notice at least 5 business days and no more than 30 days before the change (5-110.1(h)) | Official source |
| Free trial over one month | Notice 3 to 21 days before the cancellation deadline for the first paid period (5-110.1(i)) | Official source |
| Channel and content | The channel the consumer selected (text, email, app notification or other offered channel), with instructions on how to cancel | Official source |
| In force | October 1, 2026 | Official source |
| Fines | $525 / $1,050 / $3,500 for first, second, third and later violations (6 RCNY 6-47) | Official source |
| Last verified | October 19, 2026 | Astor Ventures |
Which subscriptions need the 15 to 45 day reminder?
Only plans with an initial paid term of one year or longer that renew for a paid term of six months or longer, such as annual memberships. Monthly plans are outside subdivision (g), but the price-change notice in (h) and the free-trial notice in (i) still apply when they are triggered.
How do I count the reminder window?
Count back from the cancellation deadline, not the billing date. Example: if the deadline to cancel is December 31, 2026, send the reminder between November 16 and December 16, 2026. The rule says business days only for the 5-day minimum before a price change.
What must the reminder say?
How to cancel the renewal. A price-change notice must clearly and conspicuously describe the material change, including any price increase, and go out in the same manner as the renewal reminder.
Want it done in an afternoon? The NYC click-to-cancel kit turns these rules into fill-in templates, a checklist and a tracker, with the official sources quoted. One-time payment, instant download.
What else do people ask?
Does a monthly plan need a renewal reminder?
Not under 5-110.1(g), which covers one-year-plus terms. You still need the price-change notice before any increase and the trial notice for free trials longer than a month.
Can I send the reminder by mail only?
Only if that is the channel the customer selected. The rule says the notice goes in the manner selected by the consumer, including text, email or app notification.
What is the fine for a missed reminder?
$525 for a first violation, $1,050 for a second and $3,500 for a third or later (6 RCNY 6-47), plus restitution of charges after a first cancel attempt.
Is this legal advice?
No. General information only.