Cancellation guide · No. 8Telecom & Internet

How to Cancel Verizon Fios in 2026

Last verified 9 days ago · Re-audited every 90 days

Verified

There is a genuine online "Disconnect Service" entry point in My Verizon (Fios-only), but the flow routes you into a retention path and frequently hands off to a live chat agent or rep rather than completing cleanly online. Add equipment return within 30 days, possible early termination fees if under contract, and slow 60-day refunds, and a "simple" cancellation often takes follow-up. It is not phone-only, which keeps it out of "hard."

Cancellation summaryMedium

Direct cancellation page

Go straight to Verizon Fios's cancel page ↗

Cancel now ↗

Methods accepted: OnlinePhoneLive chatIn-person
Average time: ~25min
Effective in: 60days

If you hit a wall

Support1-800-837-4966

Why this is harder than it should be

Cancelling Verizon Fios is more annoying than it should be because Verizon dangles "you don't actually need to cancel" alternatives before it lets you leave. The official disconnect page leads with Suspend Service (30 days to 9 months) and Move Your Service prompts, so the path to ending billing is buried under retention nudges. There is a real online "Disconnect Service" button — but only for Fios accounts, and it frequently hands you off to a live chat agent or rep instead of finishing cleanly, dropping you straight into a retention pitch of discounts and free upgrades. On top of that, anyone still under a term contract can be hit with an early termination fee of up to $350 (declining $15 a month) that isn't shown until you're deep in the flow, leased equipment must be back within 30 days, and refunds crawl in at 60-plus days — often as a prepaid card rather than money back to your card. The result: a "cancellation" that feels finished but isn't, and a bill that can keep going if you don't get a confirmation number.

Step-by-step

Verified June 25, 2026

01
Before cancelling, decide whether you actually need to cancel. Verizon pushes two alternatives hard on the disconnect page: 'Suspend service' (if you'll be away 30 days to 9 months) and 'Move your service' to a new address. If you want to leave Verizon entirely, ignore both and continue to disconnect.
Watch outThe suspend and move options are presented prominently as 'no need to cancel' nudges before the actual disconnect controls. Don't mistake suspending for cancelling — a suspended account still exists and resumes billing.
02
Check whether you are under contract and the equipment you rent. If you signed a term agreement, an early termination fee may apply (up to $350, decreasing by $15 each month of service). Note the model of any rented router/ONT/set-top box so you can return it.
Watch outhidden_early_termination_fee — the ETF is not shown until you start the disconnect or speak to a rep. Ask for the exact remaining ETF in writing before agreeing to a disconnect date.
03
Sign in to My Verizon at verizon.com (or the My Verizon / My Fios app). This is required — disconnecting online is available to Fios customers only (Fios Home Internet, Fios Home Phone, Fios TV).
Watch outIf you have legacy DSL / High Speed Internet rather than Fios, the online disconnect option does not appear and you must call.
04
Go to your Account Dashboard or Account Settings and select 'Disconnect Service'. Alternatively, open Chat, type 'Cancel' in the 'Ask a question' box, and follow the prompts. Follow the on-screen steps to choose a disconnect date.
Watch outretention_loop_multi_step — selecting Disconnect Service drops you into retention. Expect discount offers, free upgrades, or a suspension pitch. You can decline each and keep going; you do not have to accept an offer to proceed.
05
Complete the flow. In many cases the online/chat path hands off to a live agent to finalize the disconnect rather than confirming instantly. If prompted, continue with the agent to lock in your disconnect date.
Watch outThe online button does not always complete the cancellation by itself. Don't assume you're done after clicking 'Disconnect Service' — confirm a final disconnect date was set.
06
If you can't or don't want to do it online, call 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966), Monday–Friday 8 AM–7 PM ET or Saturday 8 AM–5 PM ET, and ask to disconnect your Fios service.
Watch outCalling routes you to retention too. State clearly that you want to disconnect on a specific date and decline counter-offers.
07
Get written proof before you hang up or close chat: a confirmation/order number, the exact disconnect date, and an email confirmation. Save a screenshot or the chat transcript.
Watch outDisputes over whether/when you cancelled are common. Without a confirmation number and dated email, you have little leverage if billing continues.
08
Return all rented Verizon equipment within 30 days of disconnection to avoid unreturned-equipment charges. Ask the rep for the return method (typically a prepaid UPS shipping label or drop-off) and keep the tracking/receipt.
Watch outUnreturned-equipment fees are billed automatically after 30 days. Keep proof of return — a tracking number or store receipt — until any equipment charge clears off your final bill.
09
Watch your final bill and any refund. Pro-rated credits appear for charges billed in advance past your disconnect date. Credit balances/refunds can take 60 days or more; consumer refunds of $5.00–$5,000 are issued as a prepaid card, smaller amounts and very large amounts by check. Track status under 'Refund Adjustment History' in My Verizon.
Watch outBecause Verizon bills in advance, time your disconnect a few days before the next bill date. Refunds are slow (60+ days) and often arrive as a prepaid card, not a credit to your original payment method.

Refund policy

Pro-rated credits appear on the final bill for charges billed in advance for the period after the disconnect date. Refunds/credit balances may take 60 days or more to process. Consumer credit balances of $0.01-$4.99 and over $5,000 are issued by check; $5.00-$5,000.00 are issued as a prepaid card. Status is viewable under 'Refund Adjustment History' in My Verizon.

What to do if they refuse to cancel

If Verizon refuses to cancel, keeps billing you after a confirmed disconnect, or won't waive an ETF you believe shouldn't apply: - **Get it in writing first.** You need a confirmation/order number, the disconnect date, and an email or chat transcript. Without these you have little leverage. - **Escalate inside Verizon.** Ask to speak to a supervisor or the "disconnect/retention escalations" team. Reference the exact date and confirmation number of your original cancellation request. - **File with the FCC.** Verizon Fios is a regulated telecom/broadband service. The FCC complaint portal (consumercomplaints.fcc.gov) is one of the most effective levers — carriers must respond, and customers frequently report refunds and fee reversals only after filing. - **File with the FTC** at reportfraud.ftc.gov if you were charged after cancelling or hit with surprise fees that weren't disclosed. - **Your State Attorney General.** California (oag.ca.gov), New York (ag.ny.gov), and Vermont (ago.vermont.gov) have active consumer-protection and automatic-renewal enforcement; file there if you're in those states. - **Dispute the charge with your bank or card issuer** (chargeback) for amounts billed after a documented cancellation date — bring your confirmation number and any return tracking for equipment. - **Equipment fees:** if you're charged for "unreturned" gear you did send back, dispute it with the UPS tracking number or store drop-off receipt.

Reader questions

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel just my Fios internet but keep Fios TV (or vice versa) without cancelling the whole bundle?

Verizon's disconnect page doesn't promise this, and it isn't reliably available through the self-service 'Disconnect Service' button. To change one service in a bundle while keeping others, you generally have to call 1-800-837-4966 or use chat and ask to modify the plan — be aware that breaking a bundle can change your pricing on the remaining services and, if you're under contract, may still trigger an early termination fee.

Will I get a refund if I cancel mid-billing-cycle?

Verizon bills in advance and says pro-rated credits will appear for charges billed for the period after your disconnect date. In practice refunds are slow — 60 days or more — and consumer credit balances between $5 and $5,000 are typically issued as a prepaid card, not credited back to your original card. To minimize what you're owed back, schedule your disconnect a few days before your next bill date and track status under 'Refund Adjustment History' in My Verizon.

Do I have to pay an early termination fee, and how much?

Only if you're still under a term contract. The ETF is up to $350 and decreases by $15 for each month of completed service, so a customer six months into a two-year term would owe roughly $260. Month-to-month customers with no contract owe no ETF. The fee isn't displayed up front — ask the rep for your exact remaining ETF in writing before you confirm a disconnect date. ETFs are commonly waived in cases such as the account holder's death.

Reader contribution5 questions · 30 seconds · No login

Help other readers frustrated with Verizon Fios.

A short questionnaire builds the dataset that powers this page. Your answers are anonymous, aggregated, and the only way other readers get realistic time estimates.

Did you successfully cancel?

How long did it actually take?

Which method worked?

Did they try retention offers?

Rate the ease

0 of 5 answered

Help keep this accurate

Got info on cancelling Verizon Fios?

Sources & verification (5)

Free guide

Your Rights as a US Digital Subscriber

A 22-page free PDF covering FTC Click-to-Cancel, chargebacks, state laws, and how to escalate when Verizon Fios or anyone else refuses to honor a cancellation. Sent once. No spam.