The short answer
To cancel ADT, call 1-800-238-2727 (1-800-ADT-ASAP), tell the agent you want to cancel, ask for your exact early termination fee in writing, and then return the signed cancellation form ADT sends you. Give 30 days' notice. If you're still inside your 36-month term, ADT charges 75% of the remaining monthly payments as a termination fee - unless you fall into one of the no-penalty cases below (3-day cancellation, moving where ADT doesn't serve, military orders, the 6-month guarantee, or a documented service failure).
This guide is written by an independent reviews site - we are not ADT. We've laid out the process, the real fee math, and the exits that work, so you can make the call with the numbers in front of you. If you'd like a straight answer on what to replace ADT with before you cancel, call ☎ (888) 207-7106 or get a free assessment.
How to cancel ADT service: step by step
Stuck after these steps? Independent help (not ADT): ☎ (888) 207-7106
- Find your contract date and term. Log in to MyADT.com → Account → Agreement, or check your original paperwork. You need the start date and the term (36 months in most states, 24 in California) to know whether you're inside or outside the contract.
- Call 1-800-238-2727. Say "I want to cancel my monitoring service." Have your account number, verbal password, and address ready. You'll be transferred to the retention (sometimes called "loyalty") team.
- Ask three questions and write the answers down: "What is my contract end date?", "What is my exact early termination fee?", and "What is the last day I'll be billed?" Ask the agent to email the figures - ADT will.
- Decline the retention offer (or take it - see below). Be polite, be firm: "I understand, I'd still like to cancel."
- Sign and return the cancellation form. ADT emails or mails a Notice of Cancellation. Nothing is canceled until they receive it signed. Scan it back the same day and keep a copy with the date.
- Confirm in writing. A week later, log in to MyADT or call back and confirm the cancellation date is on the account. If you want belt-and-suspenders proof, send a short cancellation letter by certified mail to ADT Security Services, P.O. Box 650823, Dallas, TX 75265-0823.
- Stop AutoPay only after the final bill - stopping it early triggers collections notices, not a faster cancellation.
Can you cancel ADT online or by email? No. ADT requires a phone call (or a written letter) to start it, and a signed form to finish it. The ADT+ / DIY self-setup plans are the exception - those cancel from the app under Account → Subscription.
Want a replacement lined up before you make the call? Avoid a gap in coverage - we'll compare no-contract and short-term options for your home first - call ☎ (888) 207-7106 or get a free assessment.
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ADT cancellation fee: the formula, with real examples
Stuck after these steps? Independent help (not ADT): ☎ (888) 207-7106
ADT's residential contract allows it to charge 75% of the monthly monitoring charges remaining on your initial term when you cancel early. (Older contracts and some dealers - "ADT Authorized Dealers" like Safe Streets or Defenders - may use 100% or different terms; check your paperwork.)
Formula: months remaining × monthly rate × 0.75
| Monthly rate | Months left | Termination fee |
|---|---|---|
| $45.99 | 24 | $828 |
| $45.99 | 12 | $414 |
| $59.99 | 30 | $1,350 |
| $59.99 | 6 | $270 |
| Any rate | 0 (term complete) | $0 - just 30 days' notice |
Two things that change the math: equipment financing is separate - if you financed cameras or a panel through ADT (or Citizens/Fortiva), that balance is due in full regardless of the monitoring fee. And if you're past your initial term, you're month-to-month: no termination fee at all, just the 30-day notice.
How long is an ADT contract? 36 months for most pro-installed systems (24 in California); ADT+ self-setup plans are month-to-month. After the term, it auto-renews month to month, not for another 36 - a common fear that isn't true for current contracts.
Can you negotiate the ADT cancellation fee? Yes, sometimes. Retention agents have discretion to reduce it, especially if you cite documented service problems, a price increase you weren't told about, or a move. Ask: "Is there anything you can do on the termination fee?" The worst answer is no.
Fee quote feel too high to swallow? Sometimes the cheapest route is a new provider that covers the switch cost. Find out what's offered in your area - call ☎ (888) 207-7106 or get a free assessment.
How to get out of an ADT contract without paying: 6 legitimate exits
Stuck after these steps? Independent help (not ADT): ☎ (888) 207-7106
- The 3-day cancellation right. Federal (and most state) cooling-off rules let you cancel a contract signed at your home within 3 business days for a full refund. The clock starts at signing, not installation. Use the cancellation form attached to your contract and send it by a trackable method.
- ADT's 6-month money-back guarantee. If ADT can't fix a documented problem after three service visits for the same issue within the first six months, you can cancel and get installation and monitoring fees refunded. Keep every service ticket number.
- Moving where ADT doesn't serve. If your new address is outside ADT's service area (rural areas, some apartments, outside the US), the termination fee is waived. Ask ADT to verify service availability in writing before you assume it applies. If ADT does serve the new address, they'll offer to move the system - usually with a new 36-month term, so read that offer carefully.
- Military orders. Active-duty members with deployment or PCS orders can cancel under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Send a copy of the orders; ADT waives the fee.
- Death of the account holder or sale of the home. ADT cancels without penalty on a death certificate. When you sell, the buyer can take over the contract ("transfer of service") - that ends your obligation.
- ADT's own breach. If ADT raised your rate beyond what the contract allows, failed to provide monitoring (for example a dead cellular module they never replaced), or misrepresented terms at the door, you have grounds to demand release. Put it in writing, reference the clause, and escalate to the Office of the President if the first agent refuses. A complaint to your state attorney general or the FTC tends to get a response.
"Loopholes" that don't work: stopping payment (goes to collections and hurts your credit), unplugging the panel (you still owe the monitoring), or claiming the system "doesn't work" without service tickets. The exits above are the real ones.
Not sure which exit you qualify for? Tell us your situation - we've heard most of them - call ☎ (888) 207-7106 or get a free assessment.
What to expect on the retention call (and whether to take the offer)
Stuck after these steps? Independent help (not ADT): ☎ (888) 207-7106
When you say "cancel," you'll be transferred to retention. Expect, in roughly this order: a question about why you're leaving, an offer of $10-$20/month off for 6-12 months, then an equipment upgrade (new panel, camera, doorbell) - which quietly comes with a new 36-month term. If you say no to all of it, you'll get the cancellation form.
Take the offer if: you're happy with the service and just want a lower price - the discount is real and you keep your current term. Decline if: the problem is the equipment, the contract length, or trust - a discount doesn't fix a panel that reports cellular failure every week. And never accept an "upgrade" without asking: "Does this extend my contract?"
Tips that save time: call Tuesday-Thursday mid-morning (shortest hold times), say "cancel" clearly at the IVR, and if you're put on hold more than 20 minutes, hang up and try the chat on MyADT to request a callback from retention. Note the agent's name and the date each time.
Leaning toward leaving? Before you decline the retention offer, know what your replacement will cost - we'll give you real numbers, no sales pitch - call ☎ (888) 207-7106 or get a free assessment.
What happens to your ADT equipment after you cancel
Stuck after these steps? Independent help (not ADT): ☎ (888) 207-7106
This is the question ADT answers two different ways in its own documents, so here's the practical version:
- Pro-installed, contract signed in the last few years: you generally own the equipment once it's paid for (financed gear is yours after the final payment). ADT does not come to remove it. Panels, sensors and keypads stay on your walls.
- Older contracts and some dealer installs: the contract may say the system remains ADT's property. In practice ADT rarely collects it - but if they send a prepaid return box, send back what's listed to avoid an equipment charge.
- ADT+ / Google Nest cameras bought through ADT: yours. Cameras keep working with a Google account; ADT-specific features stop.
Can you use ADT equipment with another company? Partly. The panel brains (Safewatch Pro 3000 / Vista) are Honeywell hardware that an independent alarm company can often re-program and monitor for $15-$25/month - ask about "alarm takeover." The cellular communicator is locked to ADT and must be replaced (~$150-$250). ADT Command panels and ADT Pulse cameras are proprietary and generally can't be taken over. Wireless Honeywell 5800-series sensors can be re-enrolled on a new Honeywell-compatible panel.
If you keep the old system unmonitored: it still works as a local siren. To stop the "communication failure" beeps, see how to silence an unmonitored ADT panel. And change the master code - the installer code (often 6321 on older ADT panels) is widely known.
Thinking about keeping the hardware and switching monitoring only? We can tell you whether your panel is takeover-friendly before you cancel - call ☎ (888) 207-7106 or get a free assessment.
What to use instead of ADT
Most people who cancel ADT land in one of three places:
- No contract, you own the gear: SimpliSafe, Ring Alarm, or Cove - $200-$500 for equipment, $20-$35/month monitoring you can cancel any time. The biggest savings over ADT's $45-$60/month plus a 36-month lock-in.
- Still want pro install and a shorter term: Brinks (36 months, but takeover-friendly) or Vivint - though Vivint's contracts are longer; read how Vivint cancellation works before trading one contract for another.
- Keep the ADT hardware, switch monitoring: a local independent alarm company via "takeover," typically $15-$25/month, no new equipment except the communicator.
Time it right: have the new system installed or activated before your ADT end date, so the house is never uncovered. Not sure which way to go? Take the free 60-second assessment or call a specialist at ☎ (888) 207-7106. Independent advice - we don't push contracts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ADT cancellation phone number?
1-800-238-2727 (1-800-ADT-ASAP). Say "cancel service" at the prompt; you'll be routed to retention.
How much is the ADT cancellation fee?
75% of the monthly charges remaining on your initial term. Example: 12 months left at $45.99 = about $414. After the term ends there is no fee.
Can I cancel ADT within 3 days?
Yes. Contracts signed at your home carry a 3-business-day cancellation right for a full refund. Use the form attached to your contract and send it by a trackable method.
How do I cancel ADT without penalty?
Within the 3-day window, under the 6-month guarantee after three failed service visits, when moving outside ADT's service area, with military orders, on sale of the home via transfer, or if ADT breached the contract.
Does ADT require 30 days' notice?
Yes. Billing continues for 30 days after ADT receives your signed cancellation form.
How long is an ADT contract?
36 months (24 in California) for professionally installed systems, then month-to-month. ADT+ self-setup plans are month-to-month from the start.
Can I cancel ADT online?
Not for pro-installed service - you must call or write. ADT+ DIY subscriptions can be canceled in the app.
Do I have to return ADT equipment?
Usually not - recent contracts leave the equipment with you. If ADT sends a return box, return what's listed to avoid a charge.
Can I use my ADT system with another company?
Honeywell-based ADT panels (Safewatch Pro, Vista) can often be taken over by an independent company; the cellular communicator must be replaced. ADT Command and Pulse gear generally cannot.
What happens if I just stop paying ADT?
The account goes to collections and can affect your credit. Cancel properly instead.
CompareYourSecurity.com is an independent reviews site and is not affiliated with ADT. Contract terms vary by date, state, and dealer - confirm your specific terms with ADT in writing. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Still weighing it up? Our independent specialists are at ☎ (888) 207-7106, or start with the free assessment. For your ADT account itself, contact ADT directly at 1-800-238-2727.
