Cancellations
How do I stop a company from taking automatic payments from my account?
Updated · By the Certified Letter Online team
Tell the company you are revoking its permission to debit your account, tell your bank or credit union the same, and follow up both in writing. Under federal Regulation E you can stop a preauthorized transfer by notifying your bank at least three business days before it is scheduled; if you do it orally, the bank can require written confirmation within 14 days. Once you've revoked authorization, further debits by that company are errors you can ask the bank to reverse.
Stopping payments doesn't cancel the contract or the debt, so cancel the membership or service separately.
| Step | To | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Revoke authorization | The company | Withdraws your permission to debit |
| Notify of revocation | Your bank or credit union | Later debits by that company are treated as errors |
| Stop-payment order | Your bank, 3+ business days before the debit | Blocks the next transfer (banks may charge a fee) |
| Written confirmation | Your bank, within 14 days if requested | Keeps an oral stop-payment order in effect |
| Cancel the contract | The company | Ends what you owe going forward |
Step by step
- Call the company and say you are revoking authorization; then send our revocation letter by Certified Mail.
- Call your bank, then send it a copy of the letter (or the bank's own form) as written confirmation.
- Ask about a stop-payment order if the next debit is soon; give it at least three business days before the date.
- Watch your statements. Report any later debit to your bank promptly and ask for a refund.
Notes
The CFPB publishes sample revocation letters for both the company and the bank.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, a legal aid office or a licensed attorney in your state can tell you what applies.
Quick answers
Does stopping automatic payments cancel my gym membership?
No. Cancel the membership in writing too, otherwise the company may say you still owe it. See can a gym make you cancel in person.
Do I have to put the stop payment in writing?
You can start orally, but the bank may require written confirmation within 14 days, and a written record is better evidence anyway.
What if the company debits me after I revoked?
Tell your bank promptly. The CFPB says payments a company initiates after you revoke authorization are errors and you can ask the bank for a refund.
What to do next
Fill in the revocation letter and mail it Certified for $14.99. Send a second copy to your bank as written confirmation.
Revoke autopay by mailSources
- CFPB: How do I stop automatic payments from my bank account?
- 12 CFR 1005.10: Preauthorized transfers (stop payment)
Checked: . General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change: confirm current values at the official links above.