The short answer
Before charging for a subscription, show the price, billing period, renewal terms and how to cancel, near the button and before billing details are collected. Get express consent to the recurring charge. Let people cancel online as easily as they signed up. EU and UK consumers also get a 14-day right of withdrawal, and the EU order button must make the obligation to pay clear.
Key takeaways
- US: ROSCA requires clear terms before billing details, express informed consent and a simple way to stop charges. The FTC's 2024 click-to-cancel rule was vacated on 8 July 2025, but ROSCA still applies.
- California's Automatic Renewal Law, amended from 1 July 2025, requires express consent, online cancellation and annual reminders for yearly plans.
- EU: a 14-day right of withdrawal, an order button saying "order with obligation to pay" or equivalent, and subscription duration and renewal shown before purchase.
- UK: the DMCC Act 2024 lets the CMA fine directly, up to 10% of global turnover, since 6 April 2025, and bans drip pricing and fake reviews.
- India: the Dark Patterns Guidelines 2023 ban subscription traps, and cancelling must be as easy as signing up.
On this page
01
What subscription rules apply in each market?
| Market | Law | Key requirements |
|---|---|---|
| United States | ROSCA, 15 U.S.C. §8403 | Material terms disclosed before billing details; express informed consent; simple way to stop charges |
| California | Automatic Renewal Law, B&P §17602 (amended by AB 2863) | Terms near the consent request; express consent and an acknowledgement; online cancellation; annual reminder; notice before price changes |
| New York and Illinois | Automatic renewal laws | Clear renewal terms and consent; easy cancellation |
| European Union | Consumer Rights Directive | Pre-contract information; 14-day withdrawal and model form; "order with obligation to pay" button; no pre-ticked extras |
| United Kingdom | Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013; DMCC Act 2024 | Pre-contract information and 14-day cancellation; no drip pricing; subscription rules as they commence |
| India | E-Commerce Rules; Dark Patterns Guidelines 2023 | No pre-ticked purchase boxes; no subscription traps; payment details not forced for free trials |
02
The subscription checkout checklist
- 1Show the full price with taxes and any unavoidable fees, the billing period and when the first charge happens.
- 2State that it renews automatically and how to cancel, next to the button, not only in the terms.
- 3Get express consent to the recurring charge: a clear button, no pre-ticked boxes.
- 4Label the EU order button "Order with obligation to pay" or equally clear wording, such as "Subscribe and pay".
- 5Handle the 14-day withdrawal right for EU and UK consumers. For digital content, get consent and acknowledgement before supply starts if you want the right to end early.
- 6Send a confirmation with the terms after sign-up.
- 7Cancel online, in the same way people signed up, without retention mazes. Remind yearly subscribers before renewal.
- 8Don't force card details for a free trial where Indian rules apply, and never sneak extras into the basket.
03
How SafeLaunch checks a checkout
SafeLaunch reads your pricing, checkout and terms pages for renewal, cancellation, withdrawal and trader information, checks for pre-ticked boxes and dark patterns, and cites the rule for each market you choose. It doesn't make payments; it reads what the pages and code show. Start with a free scan.
One free fix in your inbox each week
A new copy-paste prompt for Lovable, Cursor or Claude Code every week, with the rule behind it and how to check it worked. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.
By signing up you agree to get this weekly email. We send it with Kit, and you can unsubscribe at any time. What we share with Kit is in our privacy notice.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Sources and further reading
- ROSCA, 15 U.S.C. §8403
- California Automatic Renewal Law, B&P §17600 et seq.
- Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU
- DMCC Act 2024 (legislation.gov.uk)
This article is general information, not legal advice. SafeLaunch is automated software, not a law firm; a report records what was checked on one version and is not a certificate of compliance. Read the disclaimer.
From the founder
SafeLaunch is built by Raghav R Handa, a lawyer-turned-builder in New Delhi. He writes about this topic in plain English:
See what SafeLaunch finds on your product.
Paste a link and get your score, the most serious problems and what already passes, in about a minute.
Keep reading