How can I get out of my timeshare in Florida

Last updated 2026-07-26

How can I get out of my timeshare in Florida?

It depends entirely on timing. If you bought recently and you're still inside Florida's rescission window, cancellation is straightforward and your legal right, no excuse needed. If that window has closed, which is the situation for most owners who call around asking this question, you're looking at slower and messier paths: a developer deed-back program if your resort has one, a resale (usually for very little money, sometimes for a dollar), or working through a legitimate transfer or exit process. Florida Statute 721.10 gives buyers 10 calendar days after signing the purchase contract (or after receiving the last of the required disclosure documents, whichever is later) to cancel a timeshare purchase ^[1]. The statute states the buyer 'has the right to cancel the contract until midnight of the 10th calendar day following whichever of the following days is later' the date of contract execution or the date the buyer received the public offering statement ^[1]. You don't need a reason. You don't need the developer's permission. You just need to send written notice before the deadline. Once that window is gone, there's no state-level 'undo' button. Florida doesn't have a second rescission period, a grace year, or a state agency that will cancel your contract for you. From that point forward, getting out means either the resort takes it back voluntarily, you sell it (often for nothing), or you go through a private exit process that actually terminates your obligation, more than promises to. For a broader look at how this works outside Florida too, see how to get out of a timeshare.

What is Florida's timeshare rescission window and how do I use it?

Florida law gives you 10 calendar days from the later of the contract signing date or receipt of the public offering statement to cancel, with no penalty and no reason required ^[1]. The clock starts running from whichever of those two events happens last, which matters because some buyers sign the contract before they get the full disclosure packet. To cancel, Florida Statute 721.10 requires the notice of cancellation to be in writing and delivered to the seller at the address specified in the contract, and it must be sent by certified mail return receipt requested to be safest, though the statute permits any method that constitutes delivery ^[1]. Do more than call the salesperson. Do more than tell the front desk. Put it in writing, keep a copy, and get proof it was received. A few practical points that trip people up: - The 10 days are calendar days, not business days, so weekends count.

• If you financed the purchase through the developer, cancellation of the timeshare contract also cancels the related financing agreement under the same statute ^[1].
• The developer must refund your money within 20 days of receiving a valid cancellation notice, per the statute's refund provision ^[1].
• Every state has its own rescission period and its own rules for what counts as valid notice; if you bought in another state or you're comparing options, confirm your state's rescission window before assuming Florida's 10-day rule applies. Our overview at timeshare cancellation walks through how these state-by-state windows differ. If you're inside the window right now, act today. Don't wait to 'think it over' past the deadline. Ten days disappears fast once travel, work, and salesperson callbacks get in the way.

What if my rescission period already ended?

If the 10 days already passed, Florida statute doesn't give you a second chance to cancel. That doesn't mean you're stuck forever, it means your remaining options take longer and require more effort. Here's the realistic order to try them. First, check whether your resort has a deed-back or surrender program. Many larger Florida developers, including Marriott Vacation Club, Wyndham, Hilton Grand Vacations, and Bluegreen, have run some version of a voluntary deed-back or 'exit' program in recent years, though eligibility rules change and not every resort or every owner qualifies. These programs are free or low-cost compared to hiring an exit company, and they're worth calling about before you pay anyone. Ask specifically: is my loan paid off, are my maintenance fees current, and does my resort accept deed-backs this year. If the answer is yes to all three, this is usually your cheapest and fastest legitimate path out. Second, consider resale, understanding upfront that the resale market for timeshares is brutal. The American Resort Development Association and multiple consumer studies have documented that timeshares resell for a small fraction of what owners paid, and many listings sit for a dollar with no buyers at all. If you owe nothing and just want the fee obligation gone, giving it away for $1 through a licensed transfer company can be faster than fighting for a deed-back. Third, if deed-back isn't available and resale isn't realistic, some owners work with a timeshare exit company or attorney to negotiate a release, or dispute the original sale if there was fraud or misrepresentation in the purchase process. This route takes longer, often 6 to 18 months in our experience reviewing exit company case timelines, and cost varies widely. Never pay the full fee upfront to any company; if you go this route, ask about the fee structure in detail and check the company against your state attorney general's consumer complaint database first. Our guide to timeshare exit companies breaks down what a legitimate contract looks like versus a red flag.

How do I sell a timeshare in Florida?

Selling is legal and simple in concept, list it, find a buyer, transfer the deed, but the market makes it hard in practice. Florida timeshares, like timeshares generally, have almost no resale value because supply massively outpaces demand; owners are trying to leave faster than new buyers are showing up. To sell, you'll need: the deed or contract showing you own it free and clear (or verification of remaining loan balance if you're still financing), a written estoppel or account statement from the resort showing maintenance fees are current, and a licensed real estate agent or timeshare resale company if you don't want to handle the transfer paperwork yourself. Some Florida resorts also require a right of first refusal, meaning you must offer the resort the chance to buy it back before selling to a third party. Check your contract for this clause. Realistic pricing: expect to receive little to nothing for the timeshare itself. Some owners successfully sell weeks in high-demand systems (certain Disney Vacation Club or Marriott Vacation Club resale markets, for example) for a real, if reduced, price. Most owners in mid-tier or older Florida resorts end up transferring for $0 to a few hundred dollars, sometimes paying a transfer fee just to get someone else to take it. Never pay an upfront 'listing fee' of thousands of dollars to a company promising a guaranteed sale; that's one of the most common scam structures in this industry, which we cover in detail below.

How do I get rid of a timeshare I don't want?

If you genuinely just want the obligation gone and you're not expecting money back, your fastest paths are a deed-back to the resort, a $1 transfer to a willing party, or, if you're within the window, straight cancellation. If none of those work, don't stop paying and hope it goes away; unpaid maintenance fees and special assessments can lead to the resort placing a lien on the timeshare, reporting the debt to credit bureaus, or in some cases pursuing collections, depending on your contract and state law. A note on inherited timeshares specifically, since this comes up constantly: if you inherited a Florida timeshare through probate, you generally do have the option to disclaim the inheritance before accepting it, which can keep the debt from becoming yours in the first place. Once you've accepted an inherited timeshare (used it, paid a fee, or otherwise acted as owner), disclaiming becomes much harder. If you're in this situation, talk to a probate attorney in the state where the estate is being administered before you pay a single maintenance fee, because that payment can be read as acceptance. For owners who want a structured way to organize documents, deadlines, and contact templates before deciding on a deed-back, resale, or exit company path, our $149 one-time Timeshare Exit Kit walks through the process step by step and includes a call list and document checklist, without charging the thousands of dollars some exit companies charge upfront. Build yours at exit-kit-builder.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare product itself isn't automatically a scam, it's a legal contract for a shared vacation interest, and plenty of owners genuinely enjoy their weeks and use them every year. But the sales process has a well-documented history of high-pressure tactics, and the exit side of the industry has a serious scam problem that every owner researching an exit needs to understand. The Federal Trade Commission has brought enforcement actions against timeshare exit companies for taking large upfront fees and failing to deliver promised cancellations. The FTC's consumer guidance on timeshares and vacation clubs warns that some resale and exit outfits use high-pressure tactics and misleading promises to collect advance fees, and it urges consumers to 'get all promises in writing' before paying anything and to research a company before signing ^[2]. The pattern to watch for: a company cold-calls you or advertises an easy exit, asks for payment of several thousand dollars upfront before doing any work, and gives vague answers about how the cancellation will actually happen. Legitimate exit help exists, but it doesn't promise unrealistic outcomes, and it's transparent about what it can and can't do. If a caller tells you your contract will absolutely be cancelled no matter what, treat that as a red flag regardless of how professional they sound.

How much do timeshares cost?

Purchase price	$10,000 to $30,000+	Varies by brand, points vs. deeded week, resort age
Annual maintenance fee	~$1,000 to $1,200/year	Tends to rise annually above general inflation
Special assessment	$300 to $3,000+ (one-time)	Common after storm damage or major renovation
Resale value	$0 to a few hundred dollars typically	Some high-demand brands hold more value	This is the math that makes rising fees the number one reason owners look for an exit in the first place. If your maintenance fee has doubled in ten years while your usage has dropped, you're not imagining the problem. For strategies specifically about fee increases, our maintenance fees coverage digs into how resorts set assessments and what real options, if any, owners have to contest them.

Purchase price and ongoing fees are two separate costs, and both matter more than most buyers realize at the sales presentation. On purchase price, industry survey data compiled by the American Resort Development Association has put average timeshare purchase prices in the range of roughly $20,000 to $24,000 in recent years, though prices for individual weeks or points packages vary widely by brand, location, and unit size. Some fixed-week deeded units in older Florida resorts sold originally for $10,000 to $15,000, while newer points-based products from major branded developers can run $30,000 or more. On ongoing costs, annual maintenance fees for U.S. timeshare owners have averaged in the neighborhood of $1,000 to $1,200 per year according to industry survey figures, and these fees typically rise faster than general inflation because they're tied to resort operating and renovation costs. On top of the annual fee, owners can get hit with special assessments, one-time charges for major repairs or storm damage, which is a real risk for Florida coastal resorts given hurricane exposure. A special assessment of several hundred to a few thousand dollars after a storm season is not unusual. | Cost type | Typical range | Notes |

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

Check three things before you pay anyone: state registration, complaint history, and fee structure. A legitimate company operating in Florida should be findable through Florida's Division of Consumer Services or the Florida Attorney General's consumer complaint search, and it shouldn't object to you checking. The Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division accepts consumer complaints and pursues cases against deceptive resale and exit operations; you can file or search complaints through the office's consumer protection page. Before signing anything, search the company name plus 'complaint' or 'lawsuit' and see what turns up. Also check the Better Business Bureau listing, understanding that a clean BBB page alone isn't proof of legitimacy since new companies can have no complaints simply because they're new. On fee structure specifically: be very cautious of any company asking for the full fee upfront before starting work, especially if they can't clearly explain the mechanism by which your contract will actually end (deed-back negotiation, litigation, or something else specific). Ask them directly: what happens if this doesn't work, do I get a refund, and is that refund policy in writing. If they get vague or pushy, walk away. The FTC's consumer guidance on timeshares specifically warns that some resale and exit companies falsely claim to have buyers already lined up to pressure owners into paying advance fees ^[2]. If someone tells you they already have a buyer for your unwanted week, ask for that in writing before paying anything.

What should I do right now if I'm still inside my rescission window?

Move fast and put it in writing. Confirm your exact deadline (10 calendar days from contract signing or receipt of the public offering statement, whichever is later, under Florida Statute 721.10) ^[1], then draft a short cancellation letter stating your name, contract number, the date you signed, and a clear statement that you're canceling under Florida's timeshare rescission law. Send it certified mail, return receipt requested, to the address listed in your contract for notices. Keep a copy of everything: the letter, the mailing receipt, and the signed return receipt once it comes back. Don't rely on a phone call or an email alone as your only proof, paper trail matters if there's ever a dispute about whether you cancelled on time. Once the developer receives valid notice, Florida law requires the refund of your payments within 20 days ^[1]. If that doesn't happen, that's when you'd escalate to the Florida Attorney General's consumer protection division or small claims court, depending on the dollar amount involved.

What should I do if my rescission window already closed and I want out?

Start with the resort, not with a third-party company. Call your resort's owner services line and ask directly whether they offer a deed-back, surrender, or 'exit' program this year, and ask what the eligibility requirements are (paid-off loan, current fees, and sometimes a minimum ownership tenure). This costs nothing to ask and it's the cleanest path if it's available. If the resort says no, get a written estoppel certificate showing your account is current, then look at resale through a licensed timeshare resale marketplace or real estate agent, understanding you likely won't get real money back. If both those paths stall, that's when researching exit companies or attorneys makes sense, armed with the vetting steps above. Throughout this process, keep paying your existing maintenance fees and any amounts you owe under the current contract until it's actually terminated or transferred. Stopping payment before the exit is finalized doesn't speed anything up, it usually just adds late fees, collection activity, or a lien on top of the problem you're already trying to solve. Related reading: how do you get out of a timeshare and how to get out of timeshare both cover the non-Florida-specific version of this decision tree if you or a family member owns in another state.

Frequently asked questions

How can I get out of a timeshare in Florida?

If you're within 10 calendar days of signing (per Florida Statute 721.10), send written cancellation notice by certified mail to get a full refund, no reason required. After that window, options are a resort deed-back program, resale (often for little or no money), or a negotiated exit through an attorney or vetted exit company. There's no automatic state cancellation after the 10-day window.

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

Call your resort and ask about a deed-back or surrender program first, since it's usually free and fastest if you qualify. If that's unavailable, try resale through a licensed timeshare resale company, even if that means transferring for $0 to $1. Keep paying fees until the exit is complete; stopping payment early just adds penalties and possible liens.

How do you get out of a timeshare you inherited?

If the estate hasn't been settled yet, you can often disclaim the inherited timeshare through probate before accepting it, which can prevent the debt from becoming yours. Once you've paid a fee or used the unit, disclaiming becomes much harder. Talk to a probate attorney in the state handling the estate before making any payment on the timeshare.

How to sell a timeshare in Florida?

Confirm the deed and current fee status, check your contract for a resort right-of-first-refusal clause, then list through a licensed real estate agent or timeshare resale marketplace. Expect little to no resale value for most units; some high-demand brands (Disney Vacation Club, certain Marriott Vacation Club resorts) hold value better than mid-tier or older resorts.

How to get rid of a timeshare with no resale value?

If nobody will buy it, focus on a deed-back to the resort or a $0 to $1 transfer through a licensed transfer company just to get the maintenance fee obligation off your name. Avoid paying large upfront fees to companies promising an unrealistic guaranteed outcome; verify any company against your state attorney general's complaint database first.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare product itself is a legal contract, not inherently a scam, but the sales process is known for high-pressure tactics and the exit industry has real scam risk. The FTC has taken enforcement action against timeshare exit companies for taking upfront fees without delivering promised cancellations, so vet any exit company carefully before paying.

How much is a timeshare?

Purchase prices commonly run $10,000 to $30,000 or more depending on brand and unit type, with industry survey data putting average purchase price in the roughly $20,000 to $24,000 range in recent years. Annual maintenance fees average around $1,000 to $1,200 and typically rise each year.

How much do timeshares cost per year?

Beyond the purchase price, expect an annual maintenance fee averaging roughly $1,000 to $1,200 per industry survey data, plus potential special assessments of a few hundred to several thousand dollars after storms or major renovations, which is a real risk for Florida resorts given hurricane exposure.

What is Florida's timeshare rescission period?

Florida Statute 721.10 gives buyers 10 calendar days from the later of the contract signing date or receipt of the public offering statement to cancel for any reason, with a full refund required within 20 days of the developer receiving valid written cancellation notice.

Can I cancel my Florida timeshare after 10 days?

Not through the statutory rescission right, which expires at midnight of the 10th calendar day. After that, cancellation depends on the resort's voluntary deed-back program, a negotiated exit, proof of fraud in the original sale, or resale, none of which are automatic.

What happens if I stop paying my timeshare maintenance fees?

Depending on your contract and state law, unpaid fees can lead to late penalties, a lien placed on the timeshare, referral to a collections agency, or credit reporting. Stopping payment doesn't cancel the contract and can make an eventual deed-back or resale harder, since resorts typically require fees current before accepting a deed-back.

Do timeshare exit companies really work?

Some legitimate ones do, working through deed-back negotiation or legal review of the original sale, but the industry also has documented fraud, including FTC enforcement actions against companies that took large upfront fees without delivering results. Check state attorney general complaint records and avoid any company that promises a guaranteed outcome.

Is it better to deed back a timeshare or sell it?

Deed-back is usually faster and cheaper if your resort offers one and your loan is paid off and fees are current, since it's typically free or low-cost. Resale can work for high-demand brands but most owners get little to nothing for their unit, so deed-back is generally the better first option to try.

Sources

1. Florida Legislature, Florida Statutes Section 721.10: Florida's 10-day timeshare rescission period, notice requirements, and 20-day refund requirement
2. Federal Trade Commission, FTC v. Consumer Advocacy Center Inc., et al., Case No. 8:20-cv-01994, Stipulated Final Judgment (M.D. Fla.): FTC enforcement action against a timeshare exit company for taking upfront fees without delivering promised cancellations
3. Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice: Timeshares, Vacation Clubs, and Related Scams: FTC guidance warning consumers about upfront-fee timeshare resale and exit scams
4. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Consumer Complaint Database, Timeshare product filter: Consumer complaint patterns related to timeshare loan and maintenance fee disputes
5. Florida Legislature, Florida Statutes Section 721.07, Public offering statement disclosure requirements: Developer disclosure obligations tied to the timing of the rescission period