Overview
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection announced the rule on July 10 and it takes effect October 1, 2026.
- Businesses must let customers cancel automatic renewals or continuous-service subscriptions using the same medium and an equally easy process as they used to enroll.
- The rule requires clear upfront disclosures of price, billing frequency and renewal terms, renewal reminders for long subscriptions, warnings before free trials convert, and bans common obstruction tactics such as long hold times or hidden cancellation instructions.
- Enforcement will be handled by DCWP through consumer complaints filed via 311 or an online portal, with mediation and restitution available and civil penalties starting at $525 per violation that rise for repeat offenses.
- The city says the measure mirrors a 2024 federal rule that was vacated after industry litigation, Lina Khan advised the city effort, officials began outreach to gyms and a related all-in pricing 'junk fees' proposal is headed for a public hearing in August.