A digital purchase may raise a California consumer-protection issue when a seller misleads you about the offer, adds a mandatory charge that was not included in the displayed price, or enrolls or bills you under a covered automatic-renewal offer without meeting applicable requirements. The rules depend on what you bought, what the seller disclosed, and how the billing or cancellation worked; an unexpected charge alone does not prove a violation.
First identify what kind of problem you have
“Digital purchase” is not one legal category. A recurring service, trial conversion, one-time download, hidden fee, and use of personal information can raise different questions. Start by identifying the transaction and the specific conduct you believe was misleading or improper.
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| What happened | Issue to examine |
|---|---|
| You were charged again after signing up or after a trial | Whether the offer is covered by California’s Automatic Renewal Law, what you consented to, and whether required notices and cancellation options were provided. |
| The checkout price was higher than the advertised or listed price | Whether the difference was a mandatory charge that should have been included in the displayed price, or an allowed exclusion such as certain taxes or shipping. |
| You bought a download or in-app item but later lost access | What the offer and terms said about the product and access. Do not assume that a digital item is always owned outright—or that it is always only a license—based on the word “buy” alone. |
| Your concern is how the seller uses your information | Whether a separate privacy-law issue, including one under the CCPA, applies. A privacy concern is not automatically a billing or refund claim. |
When can a subscription or free trial violate California’s rules?
California’s Automatic Renewal Law covers qualifying offers that continue until cancellation or renew automatically. It also reaches some offers that begin with a free or limited-period service or product and charge the consumer unless they cancel before the period ends. The California Attorney General’s September 4, 2025 consumer alert summarizes changes effective July 1, 2025.
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Consent, disclosures, and cancellation
For a covered offer, the business must obtain express affirmative consent to the automatic-renewal or continuous-service terms and provide cancellation information and an allowed, easy-to-use cancellation method. For covered online enrollment, consumers must be able to cancel online at will; a business cannot add steps that obstruct or delay immediate cancellation.
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If you cancelled but were charged again, compare the confirmation or other record of cancellation with the later bill, and note how and when you tried to cancel. If a free trial became paid, check what the sign-up screen disclosed about the price, the end of the trial, and the effect of not cancelling. A charge after a trial does not, by itself, establish that the business violated the law or that you are entitled to a refund.
Some offers have specific advance-notice windows
The Attorney General’s summary describes advance notices for certain renewals, trial conversions, and accepted price changes. The timing depends on the offer; these windows do not apply identically to every subscription.
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| Qualifying situation | Notice period described by the Attorney General |
|---|---|
| An automatically renewing offer with an initial term of one year or longer | 15–45 days before renewal. |
| A free or discounted trial lasting longer than 31 days | 3–21 days before the trial ends. |
| An accepted fee change or an annual reminder | The Attorney General’s alert describes notice requirements; the specific timing is not stated here. |
These are statutory notice periods for qualifying offers, not a general rule that every subscription must send the same reminder. The alert’s summary is not a substitute for checking the offer’s terms and the requirements that apply to its particular circumstances.
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California’s SB 478 generally requires most businesses to advertise or list consumer prices inclusive of mandatory fees or charges. The California Department of Justice identifies Civil Code § 1770(a)(29) as the statutory location. The law took effect July 1, 2024 and was later amended by SB 1524.
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SB 478 is a price-transparency rule, not a price cap: it does not set the maximum price a seller may charge. The DOJ’s guidance says the rule applies to most sales or leases of goods and services for personal use, subject to exceptions, and does not cover commercial-use transactions. It also describes additional exceptions for food vendors.
Distinguish mandatory charges from exclusions
- Usually included in the listed price: mandatory fees or charges, including handling charges that are not optional.
- Recognized exclusions in the DOJ guidance: government-imposed taxes or fees and reasonable shipping costs for physical goods.
- Different treatment may apply: optional features and charges that are genuinely contingent on a later event.
For a price that changed at checkout, save the original listing and the checkout breakdown. The key question is not simply whether the final total was higher; it is whether the difference was a mandatory charge that should have been reflected in the advertised or listed price, or an amount treated differently under the guidance.
Does losing access to a download mean the seller broke the law?
Not necessarily. The legal treatment of a one-time digital-content purchase can depend on the product, the seller’s representations, the terms presented at purchase, and the applicable law. The materials addressed here do not establish a categorical California rule that every digital purchase transfers ownership, nor that every digital item is only a license. Preserve the wording used to describe the purchase and any access or usage terms rather than drawing a legal conclusion from the receipt label alone.
Are privacy practices part of the same claim?
A seller’s collection, sale, or sharing of personal information is a distinct issue from an unwanted charge. The CCPA is a separate privacy framework with opt-out and non-discrimination provisions; whether it applies depends on the facts and statutory definitions. It should not be treated as an automatic refund route for a subscription or checkout dispute.
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What should you do if you suspect a violation?
- Preserve the record. Save the offer page, checkout price and fee breakdown, terms shown at purchase, receipt, confirmation email, renewal or price-change notices, cancellation attempt or confirmation, and billing statements.
- Classify the issue. Note whether it concerns a one-time purchase, recurring service, trial conversion, mandatory added fee, product access, or personal-data practice. Different facts can point to different rules.
- Ask the seller for an explanation or correction. Use a channel that creates a record, such as email or a support form, and retain your message and any response.
- Consider a government complaint if it remains unresolved. The California Attorney General accepts business complaints and explains that complaints can help it understand potential misconduct, determine whether to investigate, and direct consumers to appropriate regulators. A complaint is not a ruling that the business broke the law and does not guarantee an individual refund; the AG’s office does not provide individualized legal advice.
- Seek legal advice for an individual claim. A qualified California consumer-law attorney can assess the facts and potential remedies. The complaint process is not a substitute for legal counsel.
How to assess the facts without overgeneralizing
Before concluding that a digital transaction crossed a legal line, compare the actual offer and billing record against the rule that fits the problem:
- Transaction type: Was it a one-time download, recurring subscription, continuous service, trial conversion, or in-app purchase?
- Offer and consent: What was disclosed before payment, and what affirmative consent did you give?
- Billing and timing: Was the charge one-time or recurring? Was there a renewal or price change, and when was notice sent?
- Cancellation: How did you enroll, what cancellation method was offered, and did the online process obstruct or delay immediate cancellation?
- Price display: Did the first advertised or listed price include mandatory charges, subject to recognized exceptions?
- Nature of the harm: Is the concern deception, a fee, renewal, access to content, or data practices?
California’s rules can apply to digital sales, but the label “digital purchase” does not decide the outcome. The relevant question is what the seller represented, charged, or required in the particular transaction.
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