Overview
- The DCWP proposal, published April 8 in the City Record, opened a 30-day public comment period that includes a May 8 hearing.
- The draft rule would force companies to let people cancel as easily as they signed up, with clear terms shown before billing and no hurdles that slow or hide cancellation.
- It would cover automatic renewals and other ongoing service offers used by gyms, apps, health clubs, and similar businesses across the city.
- DCWP would gain citywide enforcement power with restitution for charges after a customer’s first cancellation attempt and fines starting at $525 that can rise to $3,500 for repeat offenses.
- The move follows the Eighth Circuit’s July 2025 decision that erased the FTC’s Click-to-Cancel rule, and it parallels strict state models like California’s Automatic Renewal Law that many multistate businesses already use as a compliance baseline.