Timeshare Rescission Period

A timeshare rescission period is a short window, set by state law and commonly about 5 to 10 days, during which a new buyer can cancel a timeshare contract in writing for a full refund. The deadline is strict, cannot be waived, and usually starts the day after you sign.

What is the timeshare rescission period?

The rescission period, sometimes called the cooling-off period, is your legal right to undo a timeshare purchase shortly after you sign. Nearly every state with timeshare sales requires the developer to give a new buyer a state-set rescission period, commonly about 5 to 10 days, during which a new buyer can cancel the contract in writing for a refund. If you cancel correctly before the deadline, the developer must return your money, and the right cannot be signed away in the contract, even if a sales representative tells you otherwise.

When does the rescission clock start?

The clock usually begins the day after you sign the purchase contract, or the day you receive the public offering statement, whichever is later. Weekends and holidays are often counted, not skipped, so do not assume you have extra time. Because the window is counted precisely and is unforgiving, the safe approach is to treat the day you sign as day zero and send your notice as early as you can rather than waiting until the final day.

Timeshare rescission period by state

Each state sets its own deadline, and across the states the window runs from about three days to roughly two weeks. The table below shows the rescission period in a sample of states. Always confirm the exact number in your own contract and your state's timeshare statute, because a single day late can cost you the refund.

Last verified: 2026-06-17. Sources: Nolo, timeshare cancellation law (2026); FTC, consumer guidance on timeshares (2026)

If your state is not listed, the deadline is in your purchase contract and your state timeshare act. When the contract and the statute disagree, the longer period generally protects you, but confirm with your state consumer-protection office.

Does the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule apply?

Usually not to a timeshare. The federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule gives a three-day right to cancel certain sales made somewhere other than the seller's normal place of business, such as your home or a hotel meeting room. The rule carves out real estate and several other categories, and because a timeshare is typically sold as real estate at the developer's own sales center, it generally falls outside the federal rule. In practice, the right that protects a timeshare buyer comes from the state timeshare statute, not the federal Cooling-Off Rule, so rely on your state deadline above.

How do you write a timeshare rescission letter?

Cancellation almost always has to be in writing, and how you send it matters as much as what it says. Keep it simple and provable:

• State clearly that you are canceling the purchase and want a full refund, and give the date.
• Include the buyers' names, the contract or account number, the purchase date, and the resort name.
• Sign it, and have every person who signed the contract sign the letter.
• Send it to the exact address named in the contract for cancellations, not to a salesperson.
• Use certified mail with return receipt, or any method the contract allows that gives you dated proof, and keep a copy of everything.

Send the notice so it is sent, and ideally received, before the deadline. Many statutes treat the notice as effective on the date you mail it, but proof of timely mailing is what protects you if there is a dispute.

What if the developer refuses to honor it?

A timely, properly sent rescission is strong, because the right cannot be waived and the developer is required to refund you. If the developer stalls or refuses, keep every document and proof of mailing, send a firm follow-up that cites your state timeshare statute and the cancellation date, and file a complaint with your state attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission. If that does not resolve it, a timeshare lawyer can enforce a valid cancellation, and this is one of the situations where hiring one is worth the cost.

Can you cancel a timeshare after the rescission period ends?

Once the window closes, you can no longer simply rescind the purchase, but you are not stuck. The other exit routes still apply: a developer deed-back, a resale or transfer, or legal cancellation if the sale involved fraud or misrepresentation, which our guide to canceling a timeshare contract explains in full. Our guide to getting out of a timeshare covers each path. Be cautious here, because owners who miss the rescission window are the exact targets of upfront-fee cancellation scams, and our timeshare scams guide explains how to tell a legitimate service from a fraud.

Sources

State timeshare statutes set each rescission deadline; confirm your own state and contract for the exact number. U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the Cooling-Off Rule and consumer guidance on timeshares (ftc.gov, consumer.ftc.gov), reviewed June 2026. Nolo, timeshare cancellation law summaries, 2026. State deadlines in the table are last verified June 17, 2026, as shown. Last reviewed June 18, 2026.