No Refund Policy Template

Which variant fits your situation?

Common mistakes to avoid

The 9 key sections, explained

How to fill it out

1. 1

   Identify the products and services this policy covers

   List every product category or service type you sell. Decide whether the no-refund rule applies to all of them or only specific ones — digital goods, completed services, event tickets, and memberships are the most common candidates.

   💡 Physical goods sold to consumers in the EU, UK, or Australia carry statutory return rights that cannot be excluded — tag those categories for a separate return policy.

2. 2

   Enter your company name, website URL, and effective date

   Replace all [PLACEHOLDERS] in the header with your registered business name, the URL where the policy will be published, and the date it becomes active.

   💡 Use the date you plan to publish, not the date you drafted the document — the effective date is what customers and payment processors will reference.

3. 3

   Define your exceptions precisely

   Write out the specific conditions that qualify for a remedy — material defects, duplicate charges, and unauthorized transactions are the standard three. Add any industry-specific exceptions your business genuinely honors.

   💡 Narrow exceptions reduce disputes more than broad ones. Every vague exception is an invitation for a customer to argue their situation qualifies.

4. 4

   Decide on your alternative remedy

   Choose whether to offer store credit, a replacement, or nothing beyond the statutory minimum. If you offer store credit, set a specific expiry period — 12 months is standard — and document it in the policy.

   💡 Store credit with a 90-day expiry drives repeat purchases and reduces the accounting liability of indefinite credit on your books.

5. 5

   Set your remedy request window and response commitment

   State how many days after purchase a customer must submit a claim (14–30 days is typical) and commit to a response timeframe on your end (3–5 business days prevents premature chargebacks).

   💡 A shorter claim window — 14 days — is enforceable in most jurisdictions if it is prominently disclosed at checkout.

6. 6

   Add your governing law and consumer-rights reservation

   Insert the state or country whose law governs disputes, then include the standard reservation clause confirming that statutory consumer rights are not affected by the policy.

   💡 If you sell globally, use your home jurisdiction for governing law but make the consumer-rights reservation broad — 'applicable law' covers foreign mandatory protections without requiring you to list every country.

7. 7

   Publish and link the policy at every purchase touchpoint

   Post the policy on a standalone page, link it in your website footer, embed a checkbox on your checkout page requiring affirmative acknowledgment, and include it in your order-confirmation email.

   💡 A checkbox at checkout — 'I have read and agree to the No Refund Policy' — is the strongest evidence of customer consent and the most effective chargeback defense.

Frequently asked questions

How this compares to alternatives

Industry-specific considerations

Template vs pro — what fits your needs?

Glossary

No Refund Policy

A business rule stating that payments received are final and that the company will not return funds to customers except under explicitly defined conditions.

Chargeback

A forced reversal of a payment initiated by a customer through their bank or card issuer, bypassing the merchant's own refund process.

Store Credit

A non-cash remedy offered in lieu of a refund, allowing the customer to apply the value of their purchase toward a future transaction.

Exchange Policy

A commitment to replace a defective or incorrect item with a new one of equal value, without returning money.

Consumer Protection Law

Legislation that sets minimum rights for buyers — including refund entitlements in certain circumstances — that a business's policy cannot contractually override.

Dispute Resolution Clause

A section of the policy directing customers to a specific contact or process before escalating to a chargeback or legal claim.

Digital Good

An intangible product delivered electronically — such as a PDF, software license, or online course — that cannot be physically returned once accessed.

Effective Date

The date on which the policy version currently published becomes binding on customers who complete a purchase.

All Sales Final

A plain-language phrase indicating that no refunds, returns, or exchanges are available under any circumstances, often used at point of sale.

Material Defect

A significant flaw in a product or service that prevents it from functioning as described, typically one of the few grounds under which even a no-refund policy must offer a remedy.