A home security system is a long-term investment, so you should know what you’re getting into ahead of time. Many security companies require multiyear contracts—which come with strict cancellation policies and high early termination fees.
Before you settle on one company, compare home security system cancellation policies so you know what you’re signing up for. If you need to cancel alarm monitoring with your service provider now, we’ll detail that below as well.
Compare home security system cancellation policies
| Trial period | Contract length | Termination fee | Customer service |
| 3 days | 0*, 42, or 60 months | 100% of remaining contract | View Plans Customer Support |
| 30 days | 36 months | 80% of remaining contract | View Plans Customer Support |
| 6 months | 36 months | 75% of remaining contract | View Plans Customer Support |
| 60 days | 0* or 36 months | Remaining equipment cost | View Plans Customer Support |
| 30 days | 0*, 12, 24, or 36 months | 75% of remaining contract | View Plans Customer Support |
| 30 days | 36 months | 100% of remaining contract | View Plans Customer Support |
| 30 days | 36 months | 100% of remaining contract | View Plans Customer Support |
*If you choose a no-contract plan from Vivint, Cove, or Link Interactive, you won’t have to worry about cancellation fees. However, both no-contract options require you to buy all your equipment up front.
**If you’re a Nest Secure customer using Brinks monitoring, you can cancel during any month of service without penalty.
No-contract systems
Wondering why a company isn’t on this list? DIY home security system companies like SimpliSafe, Nest, Abode, and Ring don’t require contracts, which means you don’t have to pay any cancellation policies or early termination fees. These companies don’t always offer as many features as the bigger companies, but if contracts aren’t for you, a company like SimpliSafe or Nest might be the right alternative.
To learn more about contract-free options, check out our post about security systems without contracts.
How to cancel a security system contract
If you’ve made your mind up and you’re ready to ditch your security provider, you’ll likely have to pay to get out of your contract. Instead of a termination fee, most service providers charge you a percentage of the cost of the rest of your contract.
Jump to: Vivint cancellation policy | Frontpoint cancellation policy | ADT cancellation policy | Cove cancellation policy | Link Interactive cancellation policy | Protect America cancellation policy | Brinks cancellation policy
Vivint cancellation
Vivint will hold you to 100% of the cost of your remaining contract. If you’ve got a few months of service left, that might not be a big deal. But if you’re just six months into a 42-month contract, that’s an issue. There are a few caveats to paying the full amount, like if you encounter extenuating circumstances or if your active military duty takes you elsewhere.
How to cancel Vivint
You’ll need to send Vivint a written notice that you want to cancel services 30 days before you want your service to end. That notice needs to include your service number and clear wording that you’re canceling service. You must also sign and date the notice. You can send it by email, snail mail, or fax (if you’re into that).
- Email address: documents@vivint.com
- Return address: 4931 N. 300 W., Provo, UT 84604-5816
- Fax number: (801) 377-4116
Extenuating circumstances
If you’re canceling due to extenuating circumstances—like bankruptcy, moving to assisted living, or death—contact Vivint at (800) 216-5232, extension 5020.
Military service
If you’re being deployed somewhere that Vivint doesn’t service, you can cancel your contract. You’ll have to provide proof of deployment overseas, relocation to a military base, or relocation somewhere that the company doesn’t service. Vivint will also defer your recurring payment for up to six months if you’re given a temporary assignment and don’t want to pay for Vivint while you’re away from home.
Moving to an area that Vivint does cover? The company will work with you to move your service for free. You’ll be on the hook for equipment upgrades or replacements though, so get on the phone and chat through your options for moving existing equipment if you want to save some money.
Call Vivint’s military moving customer service at (855) 441-4573.
Vivint trial period
You have three days after installation to change your mind about Vivint and get your money back. You’ll need to contact the company in the same way outlined above to cancel your contract.
Frontpoint cancellation
With Frontpoint, you have to pay for 80% of the rest of your 36-month monitoring contract. If you’re a new customer within your 30-day money-back guarantee, you don’t have to pay anything.
How to cancel Frontpoint
For alarm system contracts, contact customer care.
If you have the camera-only plan and want to cancel monitoring, you’ll have to call customer support by the 28th of the month. Otherwise, Frontpoint will charge you the next month’s monitoring fees.
We suggest saving any video clips you want to keep before you make the call so you don’t have to worry about scrambling before the end of the month to do it. You’ll have access to the app through the entire month you’ve already paid for, but you won’t be able to go back in the new month and retrieve footage.
- Phone number: (877) 602-5276
- Email address: care@frontpointsecurity.com
- Return address: 22675 Dulles Summit Ct., Sterling, VA 20166
Frontpoint 30-day trial
You can cancel your Frontpoint alarm monitoring service without obligation any time within 30 days of your system being delivered. Frontpoint will give you a full refund for your equipment and monitoring, and it’ll even cover return shipping.
Frontpoint also offers its camera-only plan customers a 30-day trial (starting on the day you receive your equipment), but the cancellation process is a little different: you’ll be responsible for the cost of return shipping on your equipment and restocking fees for open equipment.
Military service suspension
If you’re active duty in the military and getting deployed overseas, Frontpoint will suspend your service and recurring payments for up to 24 months. Customer support can help you figure out how long a suspension you qualify for.
ADT cancellation
Your ADT contract requires you to fork over 75% of the cost of your remaining contract. Compared to brands that make you buy out the rest of your contract entirely, ADT’s cancellation policy isn’t lenient, but it’s certainly not the most punitive.
How to cancel ADT
ADT’s terms and conditions say you can cancel your service in the app, but we’d call or email just to be on the safe side.
To cancel, visit ADT’s website and email or call its residential support phone number at (800) 521-1734.
Six-month money-back guarantee
Something we like a lot about ADT is its six-month money-back guarantee. To use it, we’d suggest calling early and often if you experience any problems or are unhappy with the service. ADT requires you to give it a chance to make things right, and some other restrictions apply, but if you still aren’t happy you can get your money back.
Cove cancellation
If you have a contract with Cove and need to cancel before your term is up, you have to cover the remaining cost of equipment. Since Cove’s equipment packages are customized, the cost will depend on the system you built.
Customers who paid for equipment up front can cancel any time. Monitoring services will continue through the end of your prepaid month but end after that.
How to cancel Cove
To cancel your Cove security service, contact customer service or log into your Cove account and cancel there. Call Cove at (855) 268-3669.
Cove’s 60-day trial
Cove offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on its equipment and services. To cancel, you’ll need to get authorization from Cove and return your equipment within the 60-day window. You can fill out the authorization form on your account portal or call customer service.
Link Interactive cancellation
Link Interactive’s contract says you’re obligated to pay 75% of your remaining contract if you cancel early.
How to cancel Link Interactive
To end your contract, contact customer service at (877) 826-5443 or customerservice@linkinteractive.com.
Protect America cancellation
If you’re within your initial 36-month contract, you’ll have to cover all the remaining monitoring costs. If your initial contract is up and you’ve gone month-to-month, you can cancel up to 30 days before you want service to end.
You can also transfer your equipment and monitoring service to someone else if you can find someone to pick it up for you.
How to cancel Protect America
Say goodbye with a phone call at (800) 951-5111, option 4.
Protect America’s 30-day trial
New customers have 30 days to cancel and get a refund for the cost of equipment, but Protect America doesn’t make it easy.
That 30-day period starts on the date of shipment date—not delivery date—to you. Your package returning equipment must be postmarked within those 30 days.
Protect America’s mailing address: 3800 Quick Hill Road, Building 1-100, Austin, TX 78728
You can get a full refund and avoid the trouble of postmarks and shipping equipment by canceling within three days of signing up.
Brinks cancellation
Brinks requires you to pay the entire cost of your remaining contract unless you’re a Nest Secure customer using Brinks monitoring. Nest Secure customers can get month-to-month agreements and can cancel for any reason.
How to cancel Brinks
Contact customer service to let the company know you’re canceling service. Agents can help you by chat or phone at (800) 447-9239.
Brinks 30-day trial
You have 30 days to decide whether Brinks is right for you. If it’s not, you can cancel before that time is up and get a refund for monitoring and equipment. That includes Nest Secure customers who bought equipment through Brinks.
Compare security systems
Contracts are important, but there’s a lot more to consider if you’re looking for a security system. Need help picking the right one? Read our best home security systems article for help finding security that suits your lifestyle.
