Guide
You signed at the kitchen table. Here is how to cancel.
Federal law gives three business days to cancel a contract signed at your home. How to count them, what to send, and what the seller owed you.
Updated September 18, 20261 min readAwaiting expert review
Written from primary sources by our editorial team. A credentialed reviewer hasn't signed off yet, so this page isn't in search results. It's information, not professional advice.
Not sure where to start? Take the Bathroom Check.About 2 minutes. Rough answers are fine.If you signed a bathroom contract in your own home and would rather not have, federal law almost certainly gives you three business days to undo it, with no reason and no penalty.
The rule
The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule, 16 CFR 429.1, covers sales made at your home. The thresholds are $25 at a residence and $130 at a seller's temporary location, set out in the definitions.
Counting
Start the day after signing. Skip Sundays and federal holidays; Saturdays count. Signed Tuesday, you have until midnight Friday.
If you are unsure
Cancel anyway and re-sign later if you still want the work. The window does not come back, and no reputable contractor loses a good job over three days. Then take your time with what a bathroom quote should itemise and what a bathroom remodel costs.
Bottom line
Find the signing date, count forward, and send written notice today if the window is still open.
Common questions
How long do I have?
Until midnight of the third business day after signing, for a sale of $25 or more made at your home. Some states give longer.
How do I count the days?
Start the day after you signed. Skip Sundays and federal holidays. Saturdays count.
Do I need a reason?
No. No reason, no penalty, and anything paid comes back within ten business days of the seller receiving your notice.
What was the seller required to give me?
Two copies of a dated Notice of Cancellation, the contract in the language the sale was conducted in, and an oral statement of the right to cancel when you signed.
Sources
- eCFR: 16 CFR 429.1 — The Rule
- eCFR: 16 CFR 429.0 — Definitions
- FTC: Cooling-off Period for Sales Made at Home or Other Locations
- FTC consumer advice: Buyer's remorse — the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule may help
- USA.gov: State consumer protection offices
By BathBudget Editorial Team. First published September 18, 2026. Advertiser disclosure
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