What must the California "3-Day Right to Cancel Used Car Purchase or Lease" form say?
Quick answer
It must be a separate document with that exact title, and it must clearly list nine things: the dealer and buyer names, the vehicle and VIN, the cancel deadline, the restocking fee and how both parts are calculated, the 400-mile limit, what the buyer must bring back in person, the documents they may sign, the trade-in refund rules, and proof of a trade-in sale (Civil Code 1784.43(b)).
What does the law say? Key facts and official sources
| Item | What the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Cal. Civil Code 1784.43(b), added by SB 766 (CARS Act); operative October 1, 2026 | Official source |
| Format | A separate document titled "3-Day Right to Cancel Used Car Purchase or Lease", clearly and conspicuously stated | Official source |
| Language | Also in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese or Korean if the deal was negotiated primarily in that language (by reference to Civil Code 1632(b)) | Official source |
| Items 1 to 5 | Dealer and buyer names; vehicle description and VIN; time to cancel and return; no charge for the right but a restocking fee may apply, with how both parts are calculated; no cancel after 400 miles | Official source |
| Items 6 to 9 | What must be personally delivered during business hours (fees, the vehicle lien-free and in the same condition, other items received); documents the buyer may have to sign; trade-in refund is the greater of 3 values, less any loan on it; a copy of the trade-in sale document if the dealer says it sold it | Official source |
| How the 3 days count (statute) | Three calendar days starting the day after signing; extended to the next open day if the dealership is closed on day 3; ends at close of business (1784.31(i)) | Official source |
| How the 3 days count (DMV) | DMV notice OLIN 2026-10 says consumers may cancel "within three business days" | Official source |
| Last verified | October 23, 2026 | Astor Ventures |
Does the statute or the DMV win on how the 3 days are counted?
We do not pick a side. Civil Code 1784.31(i) describes three calendar days, starting the day after the contract is signed, pushed to the next open day if the dealership is closed on the third day. The DMV implementation notice OLIN 2026-10 describes three business days. Some published form templates use business days. Check with a California dealer attorney or the DMV before you print your deadline wording.
Is this form the same as the wall sign or the contract notice?
No. The CARS Act requires three different things: the separate 3-day form under 1784.43(b), a fixed paragraph on the first page of the purchase or lease contract under 1784.43(e), and a 36-point wall sign under Vehicle Code 11709.2. One does not replace another.
Which sales need the form?
Retail sales and leases of used vehicles at $50,000 or less. It does not apply above $50,000, to a lessee buying the car it already has, to used vehicles sold at auction, or to motorcycles (1784.43(g), (h), (i); 1784.31(k)(2)).
Want it done in an afternoon? The California CARS Act dealer kit turns these rules into fill-in templates, a checklist and a tracker, with the official sources quoted. One-time payment, instant download.
What else do people ask?
Is there an official state form?
The statute sets the title and the content but does not itself provide a form. Template publishers offer their own versions; check any template against 1784.43(b).
Does the form have a minimum type size?
1784.43(b) says "clearly and conspicuously" and gives no point size. The 36-point rule is for the wall sign.
Do I keep a copy?
Keep a signed copy with the deal file. The CARS Act record rules are covered in our record-retention guide.
Is this legal advice?
No. General information only.