German Cancellation Button Law (§ 312k BGB): Penalties for Missing the 'Kündigungsbutton'
Germany requires websites that let consumers conclude subscription-style contracts online to also offer a prominent cancellation button — the 'Kündigungsbutton' under Section 312k of the German Civil Code (BGB). The button must be permanently available, easy to find, and lead to a confirmation page where the consumer can cancel without logging in first. The rule catches many international SaaS, media, membership and subscription businesses that sell to German consumers but built their cancellation flow to home-market standards.
The sanctions are unusual: instead of a regulator's fine, the law hits the contract itself. If the compliant button is missing, affected consumers may terminate at any time without notice — turning your annual contracts into at-will arrangements and dissolving locked-in revenue. On top of that, a missing or non-compliant button is an unfair-competition violation, which consumer associations and competitors enforce through formal cease-and-desist demands with contractual penalties, a fast and routine mechanism in Germany.
Foreign providers are typically caught by consumer-association sweeps of subscription sites, by competitors reporting non-compliant checkouts, or in disputes when a consumer cancels 'improperly' and the court asks where the button was. Because the fix is a well-defined UI change, this is one of the cheapest German compliance risks to eliminate.
The sanctions you are facing
If the button is missing, consumers can cancel the contract at any time without notice — regardless of the contract term.
A missing cancellation button is anti-competitive and is pursued by German consumer protection associations.
You must prove that a working cancellation process was available — only possible with an audit log.
Matching tool
Integrate the legally compliant cancellation button.
2-Click Cancellation → Check now for freeFrequently asked questions
Does the German cancellation button rule apply to companies based outside Germany?
Yes, if you offer German consumers the ability to conclude continuing-obligation contracts (subscriptions, memberships, recurring services) through your website, Section 312k BGB applies to that offering regardless of where your company is established. Language and targeting of the German market are the practical indicators courts look at.
What actually happens if our site has no compliant cancellation button?
Two things. First, consumers gain the right to terminate the contract at any time without a notice period, undermining minimum terms. Second, the omission is enforceable as an unfair-competition violation, so consumer associations and competitors can demand cease-and-desist declarations backed by contractual penalties and seek court injunctions.
What are the formal requirements for the button?
The button must be clearly legible, labeled unambiguously (the statutory example is 'Verträge hier kündigen' — 'cancel contracts here'), continuously available and easily accessible. It must lead directly to a confirmation page where the consumer enters identification details and can submit the cancellation, receiving an immediate confirmation in text form.
Can we require customers to log in before cancelling?
No. The cancellation path must be usable without requiring a prior login; the consumer identifies the contract on the confirmation page instead. Cancellation flows hidden behind account areas, chat agents or retention calls are exactly what Section 312k BGB was written to eliminate.