To cancel your ADT contract, call their Account Management team directly at 1-800-238-2727. Cancellation cannot be completed entirely online. Be prepared for a retention offer (they may try to lower your bill) and early termination fees if you are still under a contract period.
To cancel your ADT contract without paying the Early Termination Fee (ETF), use the following strategies:
In order to cancel your ADT contract, you must call ADT customer service at 800-238-2727. Security system customers pay up to 75% of the remaining monthly charges when they cancel early (see breakdown in the table above). ADT's professional monitoring service has a 36-month contract (24 months in California).
You can cancel your ADT contract at any time, but if you are still within your 36-month (or 24-month in California) initial agreement, you may be charged an early termination fee of roughly 75% of your remaining balance.
When you cancel your ADT service, your physical alarm panel will continue to function as a local siren and noisemaker, but it will no longer contact ADT or the police.
What you should do with your ADT equipment depends on whether you lease the hardware or bought it outright. Failing to return leased equipment can result in hefty non-returned fees (up to $500 per item).
Fees for Early Termination With ADT
You won't be on the hook for the balance of your contract, but you will have to pay 75 percent of what the remainder would be, due in full upon the termination date. That includes monitoring and equipment fees, which adds up quickly.
When your ADT contract ends, the plan automatically converts to a month-to-month basis. You are free to cancel at any time with 30 days' notice without incurring early termination fees, but your equipment status and monthly rates depend on how your system was originally financed.
To cancel your ADT service, you must call their customer support line. Have your account details ready (name, address, and account number) and be prepared to speak with the retention department, as they may offer discounts or attempt to keep you as a customer.
Canceling ADT can be incredibly frustrating due to their mandatory retention department. To successfully cancel, you must explicitly call their cancellation line at 1-800-238-2727 rather than regular customer service or online forms. Be prepared to pay up to 75% of your remaining contract balance as an early termination fee.
Yes, ADT is currently facing multiple class action lawsuits, most notably a large-scale data breach lawsuit filed in April 2026 alleging that a cyberattack exposed the private information of millions of customers.
Pro install starts at $45.99 per month. †Requires system purchase and pro monitoring plan (one month minimum) w/ADT Self Setup starting at $34.99 OR pro install w/36-month monitoring contract starting at $56.99/mo.
If you break your ADT service agreement early, you will be required to pay an Early Termination Fee (ETF) equal to 75% of your total remaining monthly charges, due immediately. Typical ADT residential contracts last 36 months (or 24 months in California).
ADT offers no-contract security solutions through their DIY, self-setup line. Customers can purchase equipment upfront and choose month-to-month professional monitoring starting at $24.99/month, or utilize self-monitoring with no subscription required. This month-to-month setup allows you to cancel or change plans anytime without early termination fees.
To get rid of ADT, the only guaranteed method is to call their customer service department directly at 1-800-238-2727 and ask to speak with account management. Be prepared to pay an early termination fee if you are still under contract.
Common causes include:
ADT's standard professionally installed security systems require a 36-month monitoring contract (24 months for residents of California). Some financing agreements or upgrades may extend this commitment up to 60 months. If you cancel early, you may be charged up to 75% of your remaining monthly balance.
Whether you own your ADT equipment depends entirely on your specific contract and how you acquired the system.
For cheaper home security, top DIY and contract-free brands like SimpliSafe, Ring, and Cove offer better affordability than ADT. You'll save heavily on both upfront equipment and monthly professional monitoring, avoiding the long-term contracts and steep installation fees that come with ADT.
Yes, ADT offers discounts for seniors, primarily through a partnership with AARP, which provides 5% off monthly monitoring services for new customers. While they do not have a dedicated, generic "senior plan," this AARP benefit, along with potential free installation or equipment, can be secured by calling ADT and mentioning the membership.
Negotiate with ADT
Reach out to ADT at 1 (800) 521-1734 and let them know you are considering moving services or scaling back. You can ask to be transferred to the customer loyalty department or the customer retention department where a representative will work with you to try and keep you as a customer.
The factory default Master Code for most ADT alarm panels is 1234. If the previous owner or installer changed it, you can program a new one or change your user codes directly on the panel, via the keypad, or using the ADT+ mobile app.
To cancel an ADT contract early, you generally must pay 75% of your remaining monthly charges in a lump sum. If you want to proceed or explore penalty-free options, follow these steps:
ADT charges an early termination fee (ETF) equal to 75% of your total remaining monthly contract charges if you cancel before your initial 24-month (California) or 36-month (most other states) commitment ends. Once your initial agreement is fulfilled, the service rolls over to a month-to-month basis with no cancellation fee.