If you sell subscriptions to consumers in France, cancellation has to be easy by law. The rule is known as résiliation en 3 clics, or 3-click cancellation. It says that any contract a customer could sign online must also be cancellable online, in a few clear clicks.

The law has been in force since June 1, 2023. Businesses had until September 1, 2023 to comply. Miss it and the fines reach €15,000 for an individual and €75,000 for a company.

An easy cancel path is also a retention opportunity. When you own the cancel flow, you can meet the rule and still make a fair offer before the customer leaves. This guide covers what the rule requires, who it covers, and how to build a flow that does both.

A quick note

This is a practical guide for subscription businesses, not legal advice. The rule is set out in Article L215-1-1 of the French Consumer Code. Confirm your setup with counsel before you rely on it.

How to comply with the 3-click cancellation law: practical steps

Compliance comes down to one thing. A customer who signed up online must be able to cancel online, quickly, without calling you or emailing you first. Use this checklist to audit your current flow.

Show a clear cancel button. Put a plainly labeled cancellation function where customers can find it, in readable text.

Keep it always reachable. The path stays available at all times, not behind a phone call or a support chat.

Make it self-serve online. A customer completes the cancellation on your site, in a few clicks, without waiting on you.

Cover offline signups too. If you sell online, extend the same easy cancellation to contracts started in a store or by phone.

Confirm on a durable medium. Send an email or similar record stating the cancellation and its effective date.

Test it on mobile. Most customers cancel on a phone, so the flow has to work there too.

What the résiliation en 3 clics rule requires

The name is a shorthand. The point is that cancellation has to be reachable and completable in a few clicks from a visible starting point. In practice, the path breaks into three parts.

1. A visible, permanent cancellation button

Your site needs a clearly labeled function to cancel, shown in plain, readable text. A customer should be able to find it without hunting. It has to stay accessible at all times, not appear only after a support chat or a phone call.

2. A simple form to identify the contract

Next, the customer confirms who they are and which contract they want to end. That means their name, contact details, and the contract reference. If they are cancelling early, they may also give a reason and any supporting document. Pre-filling this information for logged-in customers keeps it fast.

3. A final step to confirm

The customer reviews a short summary and confirms the cancellation. After that, you have to send them a confirmation on a durable medium, such as an email, that states the cancellation and its effective date.

Who does the 3-click cancellation law apply to?

The rule covers businesses that let consumers sign a contract online. If a customer could subscribe through your website, you have to let them cancel there too.

It reaches further than online-only signups. If you offer online subscription, the same easy cancellation has to apply to contracts a customer started another way, for example in a store or over the phone.

It spans most consumer categories: streaming, gyms and memberships, telecom and internet, insurance, banking services, and the press. If you bill consumers on a recurring basis in France, assume it applies to you.

When did the law take effect?

The requirement comes from law no. 2022-1158 of August 16, 2022, part of a wider set of purchasing-power measures. The online cancellation rule took effect on June 1, 2023. Businesses were given until September 1, 2023 to bring their flows in line.

In other words, this is already live. Enforcement sits with the DGCCRF, France's consumer protection authority.

Why the 3-click rule matters for subscription businesses

The first reason is the fine. Non-compliance can cost up to €15,000 for an individual and €75,000 for a company. For a business running at scale, a hidden or hard-to-reach cancel button is a real liability.

The risk of a buried cancel button

Forcing customers to call, email, or dig through settings to cancel is exactly what this law targets.

Retention is the second reason. A clear cancel flow builds trust, and trust keeps customers around longer. It also gives you one honest chance to understand why someone is leaving and to offer a better fit.

Challenges businesses face in compliance

Cancellation logic tends to sit across a billing system, a help desk, and custom code that nobody wants to touch. That fragmentation is where most compliance gaps come from.

Three problems come up again and again. The cancel button lives behind a login or a support queue instead of in plain sight. The flow works on desktop but breaks on mobile. And the same easy path never reaches customers who signed up offline.

Many teams also worry that an easy cancel button means losing every customer who clicks it. A well-designed flow answers that concern.

How Churnkey helps you stay compliant and reduce churn

Churnkey gives you a hosted, self-serve Cancel Flow that you control. The cancellation function is always reachable, works on every device, and completes in a few clicks. That is the behavior the résiliation en 3 clics rule asks for.

Because the flow is flexible, you can support the same easy cancellation across every customer, whether they signed up online or not. You configure it once with a no-code editor, so compliance does not sit on your engineering backlog.

Retention is where Churnkey adds the most value. Before the final confirmation step, Churnkey can present a fair, relevant offer based on why the customer is leaving, using Adaptive Offers like a pause or a discount. The customer is always free to complete the cancellation. On average, companies using Churnkey save 20 to 40% of the revenue they would otherwise lose to churn.

One caveat worth stating plainly. Churnkey supports compliance with cancellation rules like this one. It is not a substitute for legal review of your specific setup.

FAQ

What is France's résiliation en 3 clics law?

It is a French rule requiring that any consumer contract which could be signed online can also be cancelled online, in a few clear clicks. It has applied since June 1, 2023 and is set out in Article L215-1-1 of the French Consumer Code.

Does the 3-click cancellation law apply to my business?

If consumers in France can subscribe to your service online, yes. It also reaches contracts a customer started offline, such as in a store or by phone, when you offer online subscription. It covers most recurring consumer services, including streaming, gyms, telecom, insurance, and the press.

What steps must a customer be able to take to cancel?

Three, in short. First, reach a visible, clearly labeled cancellation function. Second, confirm their identity and which contract they are ending. Third, review a summary and confirm. You then send a confirmation on a durable medium with the effective date.

What are the penalties for non-compliance?

Administrative fines of up to €15,000 for an individual and up to €75,000 for a company. Enforcement sits with the DGCCRF, France's consumer protection authority.

Does a cancellation-confirmation popup break the 3-click rule?

No. The rule is about making cancellation easy and reachable in a few clicks, and it does not forbid a confirmation step. Asking a customer to confirm their choice, or showing a relevant offer they are free to decline, is fine as long as the cancel path stays visible and they can complete it. A retention offer that blocks or hides completion is the thing to avoid.

How can Churnkey help my business stay compliant?

Churnkey gives you a hosted, self-serve Cancel Flow that is always reachable, works on mobile, and completes in a few clicks. You set it up with a no-code editor and can present a fair offer before the final confirmation, while the customer stays free to cancel. Churnkey supports compliance with cancellation rules like this one, but it is not a substitute for legal review.