Cell phone: 3-year warranty with Bill 29

A new cell phone bought from a merchant since October 5, 2026, in a store or from your service provider, must be repaired at no cost for 3 years.

3years

of legal warranty from delivery. Parts and labour included.

In short

  • Length: 3 years from delivery.
  • Bought with a plan or paid in instalments: the provider is a merchant.
  • Excluded: a screen broken in a fall, water damage, charger and accessories.
  • Battery: the law doesn't deal with it separately.

Calculate your warranty end date

The warranty starts at delivery (s. 38.4).
Your answer shows up here.

Enter the delivery date.

The rule

The cell phone is named in s. 38.1. Its warranty of good working order lasts 3 years under the regulation. It comes on top of the one-year warranty the manufacturer often offers.

Bought from your provider

A phone bought from a service provider, with a plan or paid in instalments, is sold by a merchant. You can go to the provider, the manufacturer, or both.

Examples of covered breakdowns

  • The phone no longer turns on or keeps restarting.
  • The charging port, microphone, speaker or camera stops working without any impact.
  • The touchscreen no longer responds, with no visible damage.

What isn't covered

  • A screen cracked after a fall, or water damage: those are damage.
  • The charger, the earbuds and other accessories not provided for by regulation (s. 38.3).

What about the battery? The law doesn't mention it separately. It excludes normal maintenance and accessories not provided for by regulation. A built-in battery is part of the phone. If they refuse, ask for a written explanation.

It broke: the steps

  1. Gather your proof: the receipt and proof of the delivery date (email, delivery slip). Take a photo or video of the problem.
  2. Choose who to contact: the merchant, the manufacturer, or both. Neither one can send you to the other.
  3. Make your request in writing and keep a copy. Our free letter generator cites the right sections.
  4. If they refuse: see what to do when the store refuses.

Frequently asked questions

My cell phone is paid over 24 months. Does the warranty only last 2 years?

No. The length of the financing changes nothing: the legal warranty lasts 3 years from delivery.

They're offering me a used replacement phone during the repair. Is that required?

The law doesn't provide for a loaner phone. It requires the merchant or the manufacturer to repair at no cost, or to let you have it repaired by a third party at their expense (s. 38.5).

I bought my cell phone refurbished. Is it covered?

The warranty covers new items. A refurbished device isn't new, but if it was sold new since October 5, 2026, the remaining time follows the device (s. 38.6). The general warranties (s. 37 and 38) apply in every case.

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Updated October 21, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Official source: Office de la protection du consommateur.