Cancel & dispute
How do I cancel a timeshare by mail within the rescission period?
Updated · By the SendMyLettersOnline team
Read the cancellation (rescission) section of your timeshare contract, which must tell you how many days you have and where to send notice, then mail a signed written cancellation to that address before the period ends, by Certified Mail with a return receipt. The length of the period is set by state law and the contract, so check both; the FTC notes the right to cancel is often called a cooling-off period.
Many state timeshare laws treat a mailed cancellation as given when it is mailed, which is why the postmarked certified mail receipt matters. Confirm how your state and contract count it.
| Question | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| How many days do I have? | The contract's cancellation notice and your state's timeshare law |
| Does the period count from signing or from receiving documents? | The contract and state law |
| Where do I send the notice? | The address in the contract's cancellation notice |
| Does mailing on the last day count? | State law; many count the postmark date, some don't |
Steps
- Find the cancellation notice in your contract packet and note the deadline and address.
- Write a short letter: your names as on the contract, contract number, resort, purchase date, and "I am cancelling this contract". Sign it (all buyers, if more than one).
- Mail it Certified with return receipt well before the deadline, and keep a copy, the receipt and the tracking number.
- Follow up in writing about your refund.
After the rescission period
Once the period ends, cancellation depends on the contract and negotiation with the developer. Be cautious with companies that promise to get you out of a timeshare for an upfront fee; the FTC warns about timeshare exit and resale scams.
State timeshare laws differ; for example, California's rules are in the Business and Professions Code and Illinois has a Real Estate Timeshare Act. Your state attorney general or consumer protection office can point you to yours. This guide is general information, not legal advice. For a specific dispute, a legal aid office or a licensed attorney in your state can tell you what applies.
Quick answers
How do I cancel a timeshare by mail within the rescission period?
Send a signed written cancellation to the address in the contract before the period ends, by Certified Mail with return receipt, and keep the postmarked receipt.
Does the postmark date count?
In many states a mailed cancellation counts when it is mailed, but not all. Check your contract and state law, and mail early.
How to send a written cancellation for a contract?
What to do next
Write your timeshare cancellation online and we'll mail it Certified with return receipt, so you have a postmarked receipt and a delivery record.
Send my cancellationSources
- FTC: Timeshares, vacation clubs, and related scams
- FTC: Buyer's remorse: the Cooling-Off Rule
- USA.gov: State consumer protection offices
- USPS: Insurance & Extra Services
Checked: . General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change: confirm current values at the official links above.