Last updated 2026-07-26
TL;DR
To get out of a Marriott Vacation Club or Marriott-branded Vistana timeshare, first check if you're still inside your state's rescission window (often 3 to 15 days). After that, your realistic paths are Marriott's own deed-back or surrender programs where offered, a low-price resale, or working through the process yourself. Avoid any company demanding a big upfront fee with promises it can't back up.
How do you get out of a Marriott timeshare, step by step?
Start by figuring out which stage you're in, because the answer is completely different depending on whether you signed three days ago or ten years ago. If you just signed, your first move is checking your state's rescission period. Every state that regulates timeshares gives buyers a short window to cancel for any reason, no explanation needed, and you get your deposit back. This is the cheapest and cleanest exit that exists. Florida gives buyers 10 days [1], California gives 7 days [2], and other states set their own number, sometimes as short as 3 days. Confirm your state's rescission window before doing anything else, because missing it by even a day usually means you're stuck with the contract terms as written. If you're past rescission, look at what Marriott itself offers. Marriott Vacation Club runs a program called Marriott Vacation Club Exit, and Vistana (which Marriott acquired in 2016 and now operates as part of Marriott Vacation Club Destinations) has run its own deed-back or surrender programs at various points, though availability changes by resort and by year and isn't guaranteed. These programs typically require your account to be current on maintenance fees and often require the deed to be free of a mortgage. If Marriott won't take it back and you don't want to fight the resale market, you're looking at either continuing to pay the fees, gifting or selling the timeshare privately for a nominal amount, or working with a firm that specializes in these cancellations. Whatever route you pick, do not stop paying maintenance fees while you're still on title. Unpaid fees can go to collections, get reported to credit bureaus, and in some cases lead to a lien or foreclosure on the timeshare interest, which can also hit your credit report [3]. For a broader walkthrough of the general process outside the Marriott-specific programs, see how to get out of a timeshare.
What is Marriott's deed-back or exit program, and do I qualify?
Marriott Vacation Club has periodically offered a program that lets owners deed their week or points interest back to the company instead of selling it or letting it sit unused. The company has described this as a way to help owners who no longer want their ownership and can't find a buyer, but it isn't a blanket offer available to everyone at every resort. Common qualifying conditions, based on how these programs have historically been structured across the timeshare industry and reported by owners and industry press, include the account being current on all maintenance fees and any assessments, the deed being free and clear of a mortgage (no loan balance owed to Marriott or a third-party lender), and the specific resort or trust being one that Marriott is willing to take back inventory for. Some resorts are in high demand and Marriott has no interest in reclaiming units there; others, especially older weeks-based properties, are more likely candidates. The practical way to find out if you qualify is to contact Marriott Vacation Club Owner Services directly and ask specifically about their exit or deed-back options for your resort. Do this yourself, by phone or through your online owner account. Nobody else can accurately promise you'll qualify, and any company that promises Marriott will take your deed back before even seeing your contract is telling you something it can't know. If you owe money on a Marriott-financed loan, expect that to be a hard blocker. Deed-back and surrender programs across the industry almost universally require the loan to be paid off first, since no company wants to take back a deed still encumbered by someone else's debt.
What is the Marriott timeshare rescission period, and how long do I have to cancel?
Your rescission period is set by the state where the resort is located or where you signed, not by Marriott, and it's short. Florida requires developers to give purchasers a cancellation right of 10 calendar days after signing or after receiving the last of the required disclosure documents, whichever is later [1]. California requires a 7-calendar-day rescission right for timeshare interests [2]. Other states range anywhere from 3 to 15 days, and the clock sometimes starts from the signing date and sometimes from receipt of documents, so read your contract's cancellation section carefully. To cancel, most state statutes require written notice, often sent by certified mail, to the address specified in your contract. Verbal cancellation to a salesperson is not reliable proof and can be disputed later. Send your notice before midnight of the last day of the window, keep a copy, and keep your mailing receipt. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that timeshare contracts carry real, ongoing financial obligations once signed, and that owners should understand cancellation terms before committing [3]. If you're inside the window right now, stop reading exit-company ads and go send your cancellation letter today. It's the one truly free exit in this entire topic. For state-specific rescission rules and sample letter guidance, see timeshare cancellation and how do you get out of a timeshare.
How much does a Marriott timeshare cost, and what are you really paying for?
| Developer purchase price | $20,000 to $40,000+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance fee | $800 to $2,000+ | |
| Special assessment (occasional) | $500 to $3,000+ per event | |
| Typical resale price | $1 to $5,000 | These figures are drawn from publicly available resale listings and consumer reporting rather than a single published Marriott price sheet, so treat them as a general range, not a quote for your specific unit. |
Marriott Vacation Club purchases have historically run from around $20,000 for a smaller points package up to $40,000 or more for larger allotments or premium resorts, based on publicly reported price ranges from consumer timeshare reporting and resale marketplace listings; Marriott doesn't publish a fixed price list since pricing depends on the resort, season, unit size, and point allotment. On top of the purchase price, owners pay annual maintenance fees that commonly run from roughly $800 to $2,000 or more per year depending on unit size and resort, and these fees rise most years, sometimes sharply during years when a resort undertakes major renovation and issues a special assessment. Here's the part that surprises new owners most: timeshares are not an investment and they do not appreciate. Resale prices for Marriott Vacation Club and Vistana interests routinely run at a fraction of the original developer price, sometimes just a few thousand dollars, sometimes literally $1, because the real ongoing cost to a buyer is the maintenance fee obligation, not the purchase price. A unit that originally sold for $25,000 might resell for $2,000 to $5,000 on the secondary market, if it sells at all. | Cost item | Typical range |
How do I sell a Marriott timeshare?
Selling is legal and possible, but you need to reset your expectations about price before you start. The resale market for branded timeshares, including Marriott Vacation Club and Vistana, is oversupplied. Thousands of owners are trying to sell at any given time, and demand doesn't come close to matching that supply. Your realistic options are: list it yourself on a timeshare resale marketplace or licensed resale broker and price it near what comparable units are actually selling for (not what you paid), sell peer-to-peer through owner forums and Facebook groups dedicated to Marriott Vacation Club owners, or, if there's genuinely no market, give it away through a deed transfer to someone willing to take over the maintenance fee obligation. A few resale-specific warnings. Never pay an upfront listing fee to a company that calls you out of the blue claiming they have a 'buyer waiting' for your unit; this is one of the most common resale scams in the industry, flagged repeatedly by state attorneys general and the Better Business Bureau. Also confirm any resale company is a licensed real estate broker if your state requires it for timeshare resale transactions; Florida, for example, regulates timeshare resale advertising under its Vacation Plan and Timesharing Act [1]. If your unit truly has no resale value, a deed-back to Marriott (where available) or a formal deed transfer to release you from title is usually a better use of your time than chasing a buyer who doesn't exist.
How do I get rid of a Marriott timeshare if nobody wants to buy it?
This is the situation most owners calling about a Marriott exit are actually in: no resale buyer, rising fees, and a deed they didn't expect to still be holding ten or twenty years later. Your options, roughly in order of cost to you: First, ask Marriott directly about deed-back or surrender eligibility for your specific resort, as described above. This costs nothing but your time and a phone call, and if you qualify it's the cleanest release from title and future fee obligation. Second, if Marriott won't take it back, look at whether a family member or another owner would take a deed transfer, sometimes for $1 plus the promise of covering next year's fees. Some owners advertise their timeshare as free to a good home on resale sites specifically to avoid continuing fee payments. Third, consider working with a company or attorney that specializes in timeshare contract cancellation, which typically works by identifying contract defects, disclosure violations, or misrepresentation at the point of sale that can support a legal exit. This is not free and not guaranteed, and you should vet any company hard before paying anything (more on that below). Fourth, if you inherited the timeshare and don't want it, you may be able to disclaim the inheritance formally through the probate process before the deed transfers to you, which can avoid taking on the obligation in the first place; check with the estate's probate attorney about the timing, since disclaimers typically must happen within a specific window after the decedent's death under state law. What you should not do is simply stop paying fees and ignore the account, hoping it goes away. It doesn't. It typically goes to a collections agency, gets reported to credit bureaus, and in some states can lead to foreclosure of the timeshare interest, which shows up on your credit history even though the debt amount is often small relative to a home mortgage foreclosure [3].
Are timeshares a scam?
The ownership product itself is legal and regulated. Timeshares are not inherently illegal, and Marriott is not running an unlawful business. But the sales process has a long, well-documented history of high-pressure tactics, and the secondary market around 'getting out' is full of actual scams. The Federal Trade Commission has brought enforcement actions describing a common pattern where con artists contact timeshare owners claiming to have a buyer ready to purchase, then request an upfront fee for taxes, closing costs, or transfer costs that never results in a real sale. In one FTC case, the agency alleged that a resale operation calling itself Timeshare Mega Media and related defendants took over $2.85 million from consumers using exactly this kind of false buyer promise [4]. State attorneys general, including Florida's, have brought their own enforcement actions against timeshare exit companies for taking large upfront fees and failing to deliver promised cancellations. So the honest answer is: the product is often a bad deal for the buyer given how fees compound and resale value collapses, and the exit industry that has grown up around frustrated owners includes a meaningful number of scammers. That doesn't mean every exit company is fraudulent, but it does mean you should never pay a large sum upfront to a company that promises results before reviewing your specific contract, and you should verify any company's standing with your state attorney general's consumer protection office before signing anything. For a fuller breakdown of red flags, see timeshare exit companies.
What are common Marriott timeshare exit scams to watch for?
The scam pattern is remarkably consistent across brands, and Marriott owners get targeted just as often as any other brand's owners, sometimes more, because Marriott units are seen as higher-value targets. Watch for these specific red flags: a company cold-calls or emails you claiming a buyer is already lined up for your exact unit, then asks for money before any sale happens. A company demands full payment upfront, often several thousand dollars, before doing any work, with vague promises about 'attorneys' handling your file. A company promises, in writing or verbally, that your timeshare will be canceled, when no legitimate firm can promise an outcome in advance of reviewing your contract. A company tells you to stop paying your maintenance fees immediately as part of their 'process,' which just accelerates you toward collections and credit damage while they still collect their fee. A company asks you to route payment through an unusual method, like wire transfer to a personal account or cryptocurrency, which is much harder to reverse than a credit card charge. Before paying anyone, check them against your state attorney general's consumer complaint database and the Better Business Bureau, and search the company name plus 'complaint' or 'lawsuit.' The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guidance on timeshare fee obligations is a good baseline to reread before signing with any exit company [3]. See also timeshare call list for a rundown of the companies and contacts owners most often need to reach out to during an exit.
What if I inherited a Marriott timeshare I never wanted?
Inherited timeshares are one of the most common reasons people search for a Marriott exit, and the good news is you have more options here than someone who bought directly, because you may be able to avoid taking on the obligation at all. If the estate is still in probate and you haven't formally accepted the inheritance, talk to the estate's attorney about disclaiming your interest in the timeshare. A qualified disclaimer, if filed within the timeframe your state requires (often within nine months of the date of death, mirroring the federal disclaimer timing rule under Internal Revenue Code Section 2518, though state property law also governs the mechanics), can let the timeshare pass to the next heir or back into the estate without you ever taking title [5]. If you already hold title, you're in the same position as any other owner: check for a Marriott deed-back or surrender option, look at resale or deed transfer, or evaluate a paid exit service. Some heirs choose to simply not use the timeshare and pay the maintenance fee for a year or two while sorting out the deed-back paperwork, since that's usually cheaper than paying a large exit-company fee for a unit that Marriott might take back for free. Don't assume you're personally on the hook the moment someone dies. Title has to actually transfer to you, through probate or otherwise, before you're the legal owner responsible for fees.
Should I use an exit company, a lawyer, or do it myself?
There's no single right answer here, it depends on your contract, your state, and how much time you have to spend on the phone. Do it yourself if: you're still inside your rescission window (just send the cancellation letter yourself, you don't need to pay anyone for this), or Marriott has a deed-back program you qualify for (you can call Owner Services directly), or you can find a family member or forum buyer willing to take a $1 deed transfer. Consider a licensed attorney if: you believe there was fraud or material misrepresentation at your original sales presentation, since an attorney can evaluate whether your state's consumer protection laws (many states have Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Acts) give you grounds to void the contract outside the rescission window. Consider a specialized exit service if: you've already tried the free options, your resort has no deed-back program, resale is a dead end, and you want help working through the paperwork, but only after checking references, reading the contract terms for refund conditions, and confirming there's no full payment demanded upfront tied to a promised outcome. A reasonable middle ground a lot of owners use is a flat, modest-cost toolkit that gives you the letters, checklists, and state-specific guidance to run the process yourself, rather than paying a company thousands of dollars to make calls you could make. ExitHonest's $149 Timeshare Exit Kit is built for exactly this: a one-time cost with no promised-outcome claims, just the documents and step order that owners actually need, available at /exit-kit-builder.
What should I do right now, today?
If you signed within the last few days, stop everything else and confirm your state's rescission window, then send written cancellation by the method your contract specifies, today, before the deadline passes. If you're past rescission, pull up your Marriott Vacation Club or Vistana owner account and check your maintenance fee status; you need to be current before Marriott will even consider a deed-back conversation. Then call Owner Services and ask, in plain language, whether your specific resort has an exit, deed-back, or surrender program available this year. If that's a dead end, decide between resale (price it realistically, near comparable sold listings, not your purchase price), a deed transfer to a willing family member or forum buyer, or a vetted paid service. Whatever you choose, keep paying your fees until the deed is actually out of your name. A pending exit process, a listing, or a verbal promise from anyone does not remove your legal obligation until the transfer is recorded. For the general playbook that applies beyond Marriott specifically, see how to get out of timeshare.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get out of a Marriott timeshare I no longer want?
Check your state's rescission window first if you recently signed; that's a free cancellation right. If it's expired, ask Marriott Vacation Club directly about deed-back or surrender programs for your resort, try resale or a private deed transfer if Marriott won't take it back, and keep paying fees until title actually transfers out of your name.
How much does it cost to get out of a Marriott timeshare?
It depends on the route. Rescission within the window costs nothing. A qualifying Marriott deed-back is typically free if fees are current and there's no loan balance. Paid exit services vary widely in price and structure; a flat-fee toolkit approach, like ExitHonest's $149 kit, costs far less than most full-service exit companies, which can run into the thousands.
Does Marriott have a program to take back timeshares?
Marriott Vacation Club has periodically offered exit or deed-back programs, but availability depends on the resort, your fee-paid status, and whether the deed is free of a mortgage. It isn't guaranteed for every owner or every resort. Contact Marriott Vacation Club Owner Services directly to ask about your specific unit's eligibility.
How long do I have to cancel a Marriott timeshare after buying it?
Rescission periods are set by state, not Marriott. Florida gives 10 calendar days, California gives 7 days, and other states set their own timeframe, sometimes as short as 3 days. Confirm your specific state's rescission window and send written cancellation before it expires; verbal cancellation isn't reliable proof.
Can I just stop paying my Marriott maintenance fees?
You shouldn't. Stopping payment while you're still on title typically leads to collections activity, credit bureau reporting, and in some states foreclosure of the timeshare interest. Work through a formal exit, deed-back, resale, or transfer process so the deed leaves your name before you stop paying, not after.
Are timeshares a scam?
The product itself is legal, but sales tactics have a long history of pressure and overstatement, and the exit and resale industry around timeshares includes real scam operators. The FTC has sued resale companies for taking upfront fees on promises of a 'buyer waiting' that never materializes. Vet any company through your state attorney general's office before paying anything.
How much do timeshares cost to buy?
Marriott Vacation Club purchases have historically ranged from around $20,000 to $40,000 or more depending on resort, unit size, and point allotment, plus annual maintenance fees commonly between $800 and $2,000-plus that typically rise most years and can spike with special assessments.
How much can I sell my Marriott timeshare for?
Often far less than you paid. Resale prices for branded timeshares, including Marriott and Vistana, commonly run from a few thousand dollars down to $1, because buyers are really taking on the ongoing maintenance fee obligation, not buying an appreciating asset. Price against actual recent comparable sales, not your original purchase price.
How do I sell my Marriott timeshare fast?
List with a licensed timeshare resale broker or reputable marketplace and price it near recent comparable sales, or advertise it in owner forums and Facebook groups for peer-to-peer buyers. Never pay an upfront fee to a company claiming it already has a buyer lined up; that's the pattern behind several FTC enforcement actions against resale scammers.
What happens if nobody will buy my timeshare?
Ask Marriott about deed-back or surrender eligibility first, since that costs nothing if you qualify. If that's unavailable, look for a private deed transfer to a willing family member or forum contact, sometimes for as little as $1, or work with a vetted exit service. Keep paying fees until the deed is out of your name.
Can I get out of an inherited Marriott timeshare without taking it over?
Possibly, if the estate is still in probate. Talk to the estate's attorney about formally disclaiming your inheritance interest before title transfers to you; disclaimers generally must be filed within a set window (commonly nine months under federal tax timing rules) and must meet your state's property law requirements to be valid.
Is it worth paying an exit company to cancel my Marriott timeshare?
It depends on your situation. If you've already exhausted free options (rescission, Marriott deed-back, private transfer) and still have no path out, a vetted service may help, but never pay a large upfront fee for a promised outcome. Check the company against your state attorney general's complaint records first.
What's the difference between a deed-back and a resale?
A deed-back returns your ownership interest directly to Marriott, usually at no cost if you qualify, while a resale transfers it to a new private buyer, typically for a small sum given how oversupplied the secondary market is. Deed-back, where available, is usually simpler and doesn't require finding a buyer.
Sources
- Florida Legislature, Vacation Plan and Timesharing Act: Florida requires a 10-calendar-day rescission period for timeshare purchases
- California Legislative Information, Business and Professions Code: California requires a 7-calendar-day rescission period for timeshare interests
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Unpaid timeshare maintenance fees can lead to collections, credit reporting, and foreclosure of the timeshare interest
- Federal Trade Commission v. Timeshare Mega Media and Marketing, Inc. (S.D. Fla.), FTC press release: FTC enforcement action alleging a timeshare resale scam took over $2.85 million from consumers by falsely claiming buyers were ready to purchase
- Internal Revenue Code Section 2518, via Cornell Legal Information Institute: Federal disclaimer timing rule generally requires a qualified disclaimer within nine months of death