How to Cancel a Roofing Contract in California

You signed a roofing contract at your kitchen table. The salesperson was friendly and the price sounded fine. Now it is the next morning, and you are having second thoughts. Maybe a neighbor got a lower bid. Maybe you just felt rushed.

Good news. California law often lets you cancel a roofing contract in California within a short window, for any reason, with no penalty. This guide explains the 3-day right to cancel, when you get more time, how to cancel in writing, and what should happen to your deposit. It is the part of the contract most people skim before you sign, and the part that matters most when you change your mind.

Do you have a 3-day right to cancel a roofing contract?

In most cases, yes. California calls a contract signed at your home, rather than at the seller's place of business, a "home solicitation contract." For those contracts, Civil Code §1689.6 gives you the right to cancel until midnight of the third business day after you sign.

Source: California Civil Code §1689.6; Civil Code §1689.5; Business and Professions Code §7159.10

For home improvement contracts written under Business and Professions Code §7151.2, the clock starts when you receive a signed and dated copy of the contract that includes the cancellation notice. If you never got that copy, ask a lawyer or the CSLB how that affects your window.

What counts as a business day?

Business days generally do not include Sundays and certain holidays. Count carefully, and if you are close to the deadline, do not wait. Send your notice as early as you can.

The small repair exception

California has a narrow "service and repair" contract for urgent fixes you asked for, with a total price of $750 or less. Under that contract, the right to cancel ends once you have a signed copy and work begins. A full roof replacement is not that kind of contract. If a roofer calls a big job a "service and repair" contract to skip the cancellation notice, the law says the normal home improvement rules apply.

Source: Business and Professions Code §7159.10; Civil Code §1689.6(a)(3)

How to cancel a roofing contract in California, step by step

1. Find the cancellation notice. A California home improvement contract should include a Notice of Cancellation form. It lists the address or email to send it to.
2. Put it in writing. Cancellation happens when you give written notice to the contractor at the address or email address listed in the contract. A phone call alone is not enough.
3. You do not need their form. The law says your notice does not have to use the form in the contract. Any written message that says you do not want to be bound works.
4. Send it before midnight of the last day. If you mail it, the notice counts when it is put in the mail, properly addressed with postage paid.
5. Keep proof. Keep a copy, the sent email, or a certified mail receipt. Note the date and time.

Source: California Civil Code §1689.6(d) to (f)

A simple notice can be short. For example: "I am cancelling the contract I signed with [company name] on [date] for roof work at [address]. Please return my payment." Sign and date it.

What happens to your deposit?

After you cancel a home solicitation contract, the seller must return any payments you made, and any note or evidence of debt, within 10 days. If you financed the job, make sure the lender is notified too.

Source: California Civil Code §1689.10

It also helps to know how much a roofer could have asked for in the first place. California caps a home improvement down payment at 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. If you paid more than that, it is worth knowing. Our guide on how much a roofer can ask for a deposit explains the rule.

Source: Business and Professions Code §7159.5

What if work already started?

Some contractors try to start right away, sometimes the next morning, so that cancelling feels harder. Starting work does not, by itself, erase your right to cancel a home solicitation contract, except under the small service and repair rule above. If materials were delivered, the details can get complicated, and California has rules about returning goods. If this is your situation, contact the CSLB or a lawyer before you do anything else.

Can you cancel after the 3 days are up?

The automatic cooling off period ends at the deadline. After that, your options depend on the contract and on what the contractor has done. Some situations to know:

• The contract terms. Read the cancellation and termination sections. Some contracts allow cancellation with set fees.
• Unlicensed contractor. In California, a contractor who is not properly licensed generally cannot sue to collect payment for work that requires a license. Check the California contractor license on the CSLB site. See unlicensed contractor red flags.
• The contractor stops showing up. Abandoning a project without legal excuse is grounds for discipline by the CSLB. See what to do if a roofer does a bad job.
• Missing contract requirements. California home improvement contracts must include specific items. Our guide on what should be in a roofing contract lists them.

Source: Business and Professions Code §7031; Business and Professions Code §7107; CSLB consumer guidance

For anything beyond the cooling off period, a short talk with an attorney can save you money. This article is general information, not legal advice.

Red flags that make cancelling worth considering

• The salesperson would not leave until you signed.
• There was no Notice of Cancellation in the contract.
• The deposit was more than 10 percent or $1,000.
• The license number is missing, inactive, or belongs to a different company.
• The contractor cannot show they are licensed and insured, including workers' comp if they have employees. See does your roofer need workers' comp.
• They showed up right after a storm and promised your insurance would cover everything. See how to spot a storm chaser roofer.

How to avoid needing to cancel

The easiest contract to cancel is the one you never rushed into. Before you sign:

• Get at least two or three bids and compare them line by line. See how to compare roofing bids.
• Check the license on the CSLB website. See how to check a contractor's license.
• Confirm the roofer holds a C-39 classification. See what a C-39 roofing license is.
• Ask questions, and take notes. Our list of questions to ask a roofer helps.
• Never sign the same day under pressure. A good roofing contractor will still be there tomorrow.

Where ConFacts fits

If you are thinking about whether to cancel a roofing contract in California, the roofer's record can help you decide. ConFacts builds sourced background reports on California C-39 roofing contractors from public records, including CSLB license status, workers' comp and disciplinary history, and scores them from 0 to 100. Your first report is free, then $7, or 3 for $15. We take no money from contractors. We show you the record, you make the decision.