As the holiday season arrives, many of us are thinking about gifts, family gatherings and ways to stretch our budgets at the end of the year. It’s also the time of year when many of us sign up for free trials, holiday discounts, streaming bundles or app subscriptions – sometimes without realizing how long that we’ll actually keep them.
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| State Senator Tim Nangle |
Over the years, I’ve heard from many Mainers – and have run into the same problem myself— who shared the same frustrating story: signing up for a service online in seconds, only to discover that canceling it later required jumping through hoops. Phone calls during business hours, paperwork, certified letters or even being told you had to show up in person. These practices aren’t accidents. Too often, they are designed to wear you down and keep money flowing out of your bank account long after you no longer want the service.
That’s why I was proud to sponsor LD 1642 this past session, which passed the Legislature and is now law.
At its core, the idea is simple and fair: if you can sign up for a subscription online, you should be able to cancel it online. No tricks. No runaround. No pressure. Just a clear, straightforward way to say “no” to charges for a service you no longer use.
The new law strengthens Maine’s consumer protection standards in several important ways. It requires clear disclosure of subscription terms before you enroll and affirmative consent before charging for automatic renewals. It requires advance notice before long-term renewals. And, most importantly, for many people, it guarantees that cancellation must be as easy as signing up.
The law also extends these protections to health club memberships, which have long been some of the most difficult contracts to exit. Many gyms allow people to sign up online or through an app but, until now, required members to cancel in person. Under Maine’s new law, that practice ends.
It’s important to note that the law applies to subscriptions entered into or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2026. That means this holiday season is a great time to review what you already have and sign up for new services or promotions with a clearer understanding of your rights.
If you’re reviewing your bank statements and noticing subscriptions you forgot about, starting in the new year, you’ll have clearer rights and protections. If you’re considering a holiday promotion or trial offer, you can sign up knowing you won’t be trapped later. If someone gives you a subscription as a gift, you’ll have the ability to cancel it easily if it turns out not to be a good fit.
These are practical, everyday protections that help make life a little easier and help families keep more control over their own money. If a company doesn’t follow the rules, Mainers have recourse through the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.
The Maine Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division offers free consumer information and mediation service which can help you navigate subscription or membership cancellation issues. You can call them at 207-626-8849, from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday.
You can also write to the Attorney General’s office at Attorney General’s Consumer Information and Mediation Service, 6 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333
To file a complaint or request mediation, you can also fill out an online form at https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml.
As we head into the new year, I encourage folks to take a few minutes to review their subscriptions, ask whether they’re still worth it and feel confident exercising their right to cancel when they choose. Consumer protection is about ensuring the marketplace is honest, transparent and fair. That’s something worth celebrating this season.
I wish you and your family a happy, healthy holiday season, a Merry Christmas and a new year with fewer unwanted charges and more money in your pocket.
The opinions in this column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Windham Eagle newspaper ownership or its staff. <
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