How can i get out of my timeshare contract

Last updated 2026-07-25

How do you get out of a timeshare?

There are really only four real paths off a timeshare deed or contract: cancel inside your state's rescission window, hand it back through the developer's own deed-back or surrender program, sell or give it away on the resale market, or pursue a legal claim if you were defrauded at the point of sale. Everything else, including most companies that call themselves "timeshare exit companies," is some combination of these four options wrapped in a fee. The Federal Trade Commission has warned consumers to be skeptical of companies that demand large upfront fees and promise guaranteed timeshare cancellations. ^[1] That's not because exits are impossible. It's because the right path depends entirely on your state, your contract type (deeded vs. right-to-use), whether you're still inside the rescission period, and whether the resort or an original seller actually broke the law when you bought. If you just signed within the last week or two, stop reading and go check your state's rescission statute right now. That window is your cleanest, cheapest, fastest exit and it closes fast. If you're past it, the deed-back and resale routes take longer but they're the legitimate next stops before you consider paying anyone. For a state-by-state breakdown of exact rescission periods, see how to get out of a timeshare.

How to get out of a timeshare using your rescission window?

Every US state gives timeshare buyers a rescission period, sometimes called a cooling-off period, right after signing. During that window you can cancel for any reason and get your money back, no penalty, no explanation needed. The catch is the window is short, usually measured in a handful of calendar days, and it varies by state. Florida gives buyers 10 calendar days to cancel a timeshare purchase, per Florida Statutes section 721.10. ^[2] California requires cancellation notice be sent by midnight of the seventh calendar day after signing, under California Business and Professions Code section 11238. ^[3] Other states set their own number, some shorter, some longer. Don't assume; confirm your state's rescission window by pulling the actual statute or calling your state attorney general's consumer protection office before you do anything else. To cancel correctly you typically need to send written notice, usually by certified mail with return receipt, to the address specified in your contract or the statute, before the deadline. Keep copies of everything. Some states also require the developer to refund your money within a set number of days after receiving your cancellation notice, so read your contract's cancellation clause word for word, more than the sales rep's summary. If you're inside this window, this is very likely the best $0 exit you'll ever get. Don't pay a company to do this for you. Writing and mailing one certified letter yourself, correctly, is the entire job.

How to get out of timeshare after the rescission period ends?

Once the rescission window closes, you own the contract (or the deed) and the resort's cancellation clause no longer helps you. From here your realistic options are a developer deed-back program, resale, or, in narrow cases, a legal claim. Many major timeshare companies now run their own deed-back or surrender programs for owners who are current on fees and want out. Wyndham's Cares Exit Program and Marriott Vacation Club's Exit Program are examples; terms, eligibility, and fees change over time, so check directly with your resort's owner services department rather than relying on secondhand claims about who qualifies. These programs typically require you to be paid in full on the deed and current on maintenance fees, which is exactly why paying your bills while you sort out an exit matters. If a deed-back isn't offered or you don't qualify, resale is next. Be realistic about price: most timeshares resell for a small fraction of what was paid, and a large share list for $1 or even $0 just to get out from under the annual fees, according to secondary-market listing patterns tracked by resale sites and echoed by consumer advocates. The value isn't in the deed, it's in getting the maintenance fee obligation off your name. For developer surrender terms and deed-back specifics by brand, see timeshare cancellation.

How to sell a timeshare (and should you try)?

You can sell a timeshare, but go in with correct expectations: the resale market values almost all timeshares far below the original purchase price, often close to nothing. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that a timeshare "is not like buying a home" and generally does not build equity or resale value the way people expect. ^[4] Legitimate ways to sell: - List on an established timeshare resale marketplace (Redweek, Timeshare Users Group, or similar) at a realistic price. Expect to compete with thousands of similar listings.

• Sell through, or back to, the resort's own resale program if one exists.
• Use a licensed real estate broker in states that require timeshare resales to go through licensed agents. What to avoid: any company that asks for a large upfront fee before listing your unit, promises a buyer with certainty, or claims your timeshare is worth far more than comparable resale listings. The FTC has warned that some resale and exit companies collect upfront fees and never deliver a sale or cancellation. ^[1] If you owe nothing else on the deed and just want it gone, comparing a deed-back against a resale listing side by side, in terms of time and cost, is worth doing before you commit to either.

How to get rid of a timeshare if no one will take it?

This happens more than the industry likes to admit. Older resorts, high annual fees, or a small or oversold ownership can mean literally nobody wants your unit, even for free. In that situation, your remaining options are: a developer deed-back if you're current on fees, donating it to a charity that explicitly accepts timeshares (rare, and you should confirm the charity's acceptance policy directly since many won't take on the fee liability), or, in some cases, working with the HOA or resort to negotiate a surrender in exchange for a final payment. What you should not do is stop paying maintenance fees hoping the resort will just let it go. Unpaid fees can lead to collections, damage to your credit, and in deeded ownership states, foreclosure-like processes that can leave a lien or judgment against you even after the resort takes the property back. Keep paying what you legitimately owe while you pursue the exit; stopping payment doesn't cancel a contract, it just adds collections risk on top of it. If you inherited a timeshare and don't want it, the estate or heirs generally have to formally decline or disclaim the inheritance through the probate process in the state where the property sits. Simply ignoring bills doesn't work and can attach the debt to the estate. A probate attorney in that state can tell you whether disclaiming is available and what the deadline is.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare product itself isn't automatically a scam, but the industry has a real and well-documented problem with high-pressure sales tactics, and a separate, thriving scam ecosystem has grown up around owners trying to exit. Both things are true at once. On the sales side, state attorneys general have brought actions against major timeshare companies over sales practices over the years, and specifics vary by case; check current AG press releases for the latest status in your state. On the exit side, the FTC has taken direct action against so-called timeshare exit companies. In 2021 the FTC and the state of Missouri sued Timeshare Exit Team's parent companies, alleging they charged consumers thousands of dollars upfront with false promises to get them out of their contracts. ^[5] The FTC's press release states the defendants allegedly "took more than $124 million from thousands of consumers throughout the United States," according to the agency's own description of the case. ^[5] So the honest answer: the sales side has real, documented abuse, and the exit-services side has a well-documented scam pattern built specifically around desperate owners. That's exactly why the smart move is treating any company that cold-calls you about your timeshare, especially one asking for money upfront, as a red flag by default.

How much is a timeshare (and what does exiting typically cost)?

Rescission (in-window)	$0, cost of certified mail	Days
Developer deed-back	$0 to a few hundred dollars	1 to 6 months
Resale (private/marketplace)	Listing fees, often $0 to low hundreds; sale price often $0 to low hundreds	Weeks to over a year
Attorney-handled legal claim	Several hundred to several thousand dollars	Months to over a year
Upfront-fee exit company	$3,000 to $10,000+ (documented in FTC case)	Often undelivered

Timeshare purchase prices and ongoing costs vary a lot by resort and unit size, but industry survey data gives a useful baseline. The American Resort Development Association's 2023 State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry study put the average purchase price of a timeshare interval at roughly $23,940, with average annual maintenance fees around $1,190. ^[6] Those maintenance fees aren't fixed. Resorts can raise them yearly, and special assessments for roof repairs, storm damage, or renovations can add thousands more in a single year with little warning. This is the single biggest driver of owners wanting out: the fee climbs faster than the vacation value does. Exit costs vary just as widely. Rescission is free if you're inside the window. A deed-back through the developer is sometimes free, sometimes charges a modest processing fee. Attorney-assisted exits for legitimate legal claims can run from a few hundred to several thousand dollars depending on complexity. Exit companies promising fast, no-questions-asked cancellation have been documented charging thousands of dollars upfront, per the FTC's Timeshare Exit Team case, often with no cancellation delivered. ^[5] | Exit path | Typical cost | Typical timeline |

How much do timeshares cost to maintain every year?

Beyond the purchase price, the annual maintenance fee is the number that actually drives most exit decisions. ARDA's 2023 industry study put the average annual maintenance fee at approximately $1,190 per interval, though this varies widely by resort brand, unit size, and location. ^[6] Maintenance fees typically rise a few percentage points per year, similar to general inflation in property upkeep and insurance costs, but special assessments are the wild card. A hurricane, a failed elevator, or a mandated renovation can trigger a one-time assessment of anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per owner, billed on short notice and generally not optional. This is why so many owners who technically "got a good deal" on the original purchase price end up wanting out ten or twenty years later: the fee has compounded well past what the week of vacation is worth to them. If your fees have jumped sharply in the last year or two, and especially if a special assessment triggered the reconsideration, that's a very normal and very common reason to start looking at deed-back or resale, not a signal something is unusual about your situation.

What should I check before paying anyone to help me exit?

Before you sign anything or send money to a company claiming they can cancel your timeshare, run this checklist: - Ask for their state license or bar registration and verify it directly with that state's licensing board or bar association, not through a link the company gives you.

• Ask if they take payment upfront or only after the exit is completed. Legitimate legal fee arrangements, including some contingency or milestone-based structures, are far more common among real attorneys than 100% upfront payment.
• Search the company name plus "complaint" alongside your state attorney general's site and the Better Business Bureau.
• Ask specifically what they will do: file a rescission claim, negotiate a deed-back, or something else. Vague answers like "we have a team of specialists" are a warning sign, not a credential.
• Check whether they tell you to stop paying your maintenance fees or mortgage. That advice can trigger foreclosure, credit damage, and collections, on top of not canceling anything. No legitimate rescission or deed-back process requires you to stop paying what you owe. The FTC's consumer guidance on timeshare resale and exit companies lays out nearly identical warning signs and is worth reading directly before you commit money. ^[1] For a running list of companies with public complaint histories, see timeshare exit companies and timeshare call list.

Can a lawyer get me out of my timeshare?

Sometimes, and this is usually the legitimate path once rescission and deed-back aren't available. An attorney can pursue an exit on legal grounds if there's evidence of fraud or misrepresentation at the point of sale, a violation of your state's timeshare disclosure statute, or a contract that never complied with state law in the first place. This is different from what most "exit companies" advertise. A licensed attorney is bound by state bar ethics rules, can be sued for malpractice, and is disciplined by a real licensing body if they take your money and do nothing. A company calling itself an "exit team" often has none of that accountability. Before hiring anyone, verify their bar license through your state bar association's public attorney lookup tool. Ask what specific legal theory applies to your contract; "we'll negotiate with the resort" is not a legal theory, it's a sales pitch. Real cases usually hinge on documentable facts: was there a written disclosure you never received, was a required rescission notice omitted from your contract, was a material misrepresentation made about the investment value of the unit. If you decide to build your own paper trail and documentation before approaching an attorney or a deed-back program, that's the kind of prep work our $149 one-time Timeshare Exit Kit at ExitHonest's exit-kit-builder is built around: organizing your contract, fee history, and correspondence so you or an attorney can act on solid documentation rather than starting from scratch.

What happens if I just stop paying?

Don't do this as an exit strategy. Stopping payment on maintenance fees or a timeshare loan doesn't cancel the contract. It puts you into collections, can damage your credit score, and in deeded ownership states can lead to foreclosure on the timeshare interest, which can still leave you owing a deficiency balance or facing a judgment depending on state law. Some owners are told by exit companies that "the resort will just take it back" if they stop paying. Sometimes a resort does eventually foreclose and the debt effectively ends there; other times it doesn't work that cleanly, and the owner ends up dealing with a collections agency and credit damage for years on top of never getting a clean exit. There's no reliable way to predict which outcome you'll get, and neither the FTC nor any state attorney general endorses non-payment as an exit method. If money is the real issue and you genuinely can't afford the fees anymore, contact the resort directly and ask about hardship programs or deed-back options before you miss a payment, not after.

Frequently asked questions

How can I get out of my timeshare contract fastest?

The fastest legitimate exit is canceling inside your state's rescission window, which can be as short as a handful of calendar days after signing. Confirm your exact deadline with your state's statute or attorney general's office and send written cancellation notice by certified mail before it expires. Outside that window, deed-back programs and resale take weeks to months, not days.

How do you get out of a timeshare if you're past the rescission period?

Contact your resort's owner services department about a deed-back or surrender program if you're current on fees. If that's not available, list it for resale on an established timeshare resale marketplace at a realistic price, which is sometimes $0 to $1 just to transfer the fee obligation off your name.

Are timeshares scams?

The product itself isn't inherently a scam, but state attorneys general have pursued major timeshare companies over sales tactics, and the FTC has sued exit companies for charging upfront fees with false cancellation promises. Both sales pressure and exit fraud are documented industry problems; approach any unsolicited offer with skepticism.

How much is a timeshare on average?

ARDA's 2023 State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry study puts the average purchase price at roughly $23,940 per interval, with average annual maintenance fees around $1,190. Prices vary widely by resort brand, location, and unit size, and resale values are typically far lower than original purchase prices.

How much do timeshares cost to maintain each year?

Average annual maintenance fees run around $1,190 per interval according to ARDA's 2023 industry study, though this varies by resort. Special assessments for repairs or renovations can add hundreds to thousands more in a single year on short notice, and this is a common reason owners look for an exit.

How to sell a timeshare without getting scammed?

List on an established resale marketplace or work through your resort's own resale program; never pay a large upfront fee to a company that promises a buyer with certainty or claims your unit is worth far more than comparable listings. The FTC warns that some resale companies collect fees and never deliver a sale.

How to get rid of a timeshare if nobody wants it?

Ask your resort about a deed-back or surrender program if you're current on fees. Some owners find a charity willing to accept the unit, though this is rare since charities inherit the fee obligation too. Keep paying fees while you pursue this; stopping payment adds collections risk without canceling anything.

What is a timeshare rescission period?

It's a state-mandated cooling-off window right after you sign a timeshare contract, during which you can cancel for any reason and get a refund with no penalty. Florida gives 10 calendar days under Fla. Stat. section 721.10; California requires notice by midnight of the seventh day under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code section 11238. Confirm your own state's rule.

Can I cancel a timeshare contract after the rescission period ends?

Not through simple cancellation, but you may have options: a developer deed-back program if you're current on fees, resale, or a legal claim if the original sale involved fraud or a statutory disclosure violation. An attorney can evaluate whether your contract has a legitimate legal defect worth pursuing.

Should I stop paying my timeshare maintenance fees to force an exit?

No. Stopping payment doesn't cancel your contract; it typically leads to collections, credit damage, and in deeded ownership states, a foreclosure-like process that can still leave you owing a deficiency balance. Keep paying what you owe while you pursue a legitimate exit path.

How do I know if a timeshare exit company is legitimate?

Verify any attorney's bar license directly through your state bar association, ask whether payment is upfront or milestone-based, and search the company name with 'complaint' alongside your state attorney general's site. Be wary of anyone telling you to stop making payments; that's not standard legitimate practice.

What did the FTC do about timeshare exit companies?

In 2021 the FTC and the state of Missouri sued the companies behind Timeshare Exit Team, alleging in the agency's own press release description that the defendants took more than $124 million from thousands of consumers with false promises to cancel their timeshare contracts. The case is a documented example of the upfront-fee exit scam pattern the FTC warns consumers about.

Can I include a timeshare debt in bankruptcy?

A timeshare interest and associated debt can potentially be addressed in bankruptcy depending on the type of ownership and your overall financial situation, but this is a legal question specific to your case. Talk to a bankruptcy attorney licensed in your state rather than relying on general claims from an exit company.

Sources

1. Federal Trade Commission, Timeshares and Vacation Plans consumer guidance: Warning that some resale and exit companies collect upfront fees and don't deliver on promises to cancel or sell a timeshare
2. Florida Statutes section 721.10: Florida gives timeshare buyers 10 calendar days to cancel a purchase
3. California Business and Professions Code section 11238: California requires cancellation notice by midnight of the seventh calendar day after signing
4. Federal Trade Commission, FTC and State of Missouri Sue to Stop Timeshare Exit Team Defendants From Illegally Charging Consumers Millions (press release, March 2021): Timeshare Exit Team's parent companies took more than $124 million from consumers with false cancellation promises
5. American Resort Development Association, State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry 2023 (study summary): Average timeshare purchase price of roughly $23,940 and average annual maintenance fee around $1,190
6. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, What is a timeshare?: Timeshares are not considered an investment and generally have little to no resale value
7. Florida Statutes section 721.06, Disclosure requirements for timeshare sales: State law requires specific written disclosures to timeshare purchasers, which can form the basis of a legal claim if omitted