Home Depot Return Policy: 90 Days, 365 With Its Card, and the 48-Hour Rule
Home Depot gives 90 days with proof of purchase, 365 on its own card, 48 hours on major appliances, 7 days on ACs and generators, 30 on electronics and holiday decor.
Home Depot’s return policy has five clocks, and two of them changed this summer. The policy page, read October 10, 2026, gives 90 days “with proof of purchase” for most merchandise, 365 days for purchases on a Home Depot Consumer, Pro Xtra or Commercial credit account, 30 days for furniture, electronics and gas-powered yard tools, 7 days for air conditioners, dehumidifiers, pressure washers and generators, and 48 hours for major appliances, even unopened ones. Since July 7, 2026, Halloween and holiday decor sit in the 30-day group and pumps, portable evaporative coolers and portable heaters in the 7-day group. Without a receipt, Home Depot asks for photo ID and refunds “as a Store Credit at the lowest advertised price.” This guide sets out every window, the non-returnable list, the appliance and plant rules, and how fast the money comes back. Five other big retailers’ windows are compared in our return windows comparison.
The quick answer
- Most merchandise: 90 days “with proof of purchase”
- Home Depot credit card or Commercial Account: 365 days from purchase for a full refund, except the short-window categories
- Major appliances: report damage or request a return within 48 hours of delivery, weekends excluded, “inclusive of unopened, unused and factory-sealed items”
- 7 days: dehumidifiers, gas pressure washers, window and portable air conditioners, portable gas generators, and since July 7, 2026, pumps, portable evaporative coolers and portable heaters, all unused in sealed packaging
- 30 days: furniture, tractors, framing and roofing compressors, televisions and computers, paint sprayers, gas-powered trimmers, blowers, chain saws, mowers, augers, tillers, chippers and log splitters, and since July 7, 2026, Halloween and holiday decor
- Plants: 90 days, with a one-year guarantee on perennials, trees, roses and shrubs, returned for store credit after 90 days
- No receipt: valid government photo ID required; refund may be store credit “at the lowest advertised price”
- Refund timing: instant in store; about 7 business days to process a mail return, then up to 10 business days for the bank
Key facts at a glance
| Window | What Home Depot puts in it |
|---|---|
| 48 hours | Major appliances: refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers, over-the-range and built-in microwaves, opened or sealed |
| 7 days | Dehumidifiers, gas pressure washers, window and portable air conditioners, gas generators other than whole-house and stationary; pumps, portable evaporative coolers and portable heaters since July 7, 2026 |
| 30 days | Furniture, tractors, framing and roofing compressors, consumer electronics, paint sprayers, gas-powered outdoor tools; Halloween and holiday decor since July 7, 2026 |
| 90 days | Most merchandise, and most plants |
| 365 days | Purchases on The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card, Pro Xtra Credit Card or Commercial Account, except the categories above; perennials, trees, roses and shrubs for store credit |
| Never | Gift cards and store credits, whole-house and stationary generators, utility trailers, cut flowers, labor and installation services, product samples, tinted paint, custom and made-to-order products including custom thresholds since August 3, 2026, custom window coverings |
Windows from The Home Depot’s return policy page, read October 10, 2026. The 30-day and 7-day categories must be “unused and in their original factory-sealed packaging.”
The 90-day rule, and the card that makes it a year
Home Depot’s return policy opens with the default: “Most merchandise can be returned within 90 days with proof of purchase to The Home Depot unless noted below.” It then reserves the right “to decline returns where a product does not have a manufacturing defect but has been damaged by the customer, or to prevent fraud or abuse.”
The 365-day rule is tied to how you paid. “If your purchase was made with The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card, The Home Depot Pro Xtra Credit Card (Commercial Revolving Charge), or The Home Depot Commercial Account, you have 365 days from date of purchase to receive a full refund,” unless the item falls under the in-store or online exceptions or the 48-hour, 7-day or 30-day lists. By our math, that is four times the standard window on anything in the 90-day group.
The short clocks: 30 days, 7 days, 48 hours
30 days. “Furniture, Tractors, Framing & Roofing Compressors, Consumer Electronics (televisions and computers), Paint Sprayers and Gas Powered Items in the following categories: Trimmers, Blowers, Chain Saws, Mowers, Outdoor Augers, Tillers, Chippers and Log Splitters.” The condition: “All product must be unused and in their original factory-sealed packaging.” The summer change added seasonal goods: “Effective as of July 7, 2026, Halloween decor and Holiday decor must be returned to The Home Depot® within thirty (30) days,” unused and with proof of purchase, for a full refund.
7 days. “Dehumidifiers, Gas Pressure Washers, Air Conditioners (Window and Portable), Gas Generators (other than whole house and stationary generators),” again unused and sealed. The same July 7, 2026 change moved three more categories here: “Pumps, Portable evaporation, and Portable heaters.”
48 hours: major appliances. “For Major Appliances (including refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers, and over-the-range or built-in microwaves), contact Customer Solutions at 1-800-455-3869 within 48 hours of delivery (excluding weekends) for any damage or defects. All returns in these categories, inclusive of unopened, unused and factory-sealed items, must be made within 48 hours.” The appliance section adds the practical step: inspect before accepting delivery or taking it from the store, tell the driver about any damage, and refuse the delivery if you do not want it. Appliances cannot be returned at a store; and if a delivery is not accepted within 30 days of arriving at the facility, “the order will be cancelled, and the unit(s) will be returned.”
What cannot be returned
Home Depot’s examples of non-returnable or non-refundable items: “Sales of gift cards and store credits are final and can only be used for purchases.” Whole house and stationary generators. Utility trailers. Cut flowers and floral arrangements. Labor, delivery and installation services. Product samples such as paint, flooring, fabric and wallpaper. Tinted paint. “Custom and Made-to-Order Products,” with “Custom Thresholds included as of August 3rd, 2026.” Custom window coverings cannot be returned and “may only be remade under the “Guarantee to Fit” policy,” limited to “four item remakes per household, per lifetime,” same-product exchanges only, “within 15 calendar days of receipt of package.” Design Center products made to a customer’s measurements are excluded too, and Design Center purchases can only be returned there.
Plants: 90 days, a year for the woody ones
“Most plants are returnable within 90 days. Perennials, trees, roses, and shrubs have a 1-year guarantee and can be returned after 90 days for Store Credit.” Live goods bought online that arrive “damaged or dead” are refunded if you contact support “within 3 days of delivery.” Cut flowers and arrangements are outside the guarantee.
No receipt: photo ID and the lowest advertised price
The in-store exceptions set the terms. “We require a valid driver’s license or government-issued photo identification for non-receipted returns and returns generated from purchases made with The Home Depot store credits.” Every return passes through a check: “The Home Depot uses a third-party refund verification system. All returns are subject to verification system approval.” And the refund changes shape: “Returns made without a valid proof or purchase may be refunded as a Store Credit at the lowest advertised price,” which by our reading means the lowest price the item has carried, not what you paid.
Receipts can be found without paper. For online orders returned in store, associates can look the purchase up by the card used, the order number or an email address. For in-store mobile wallet purchases, Home Depot “may need the device-specific account number or its last 4 digits to find your receipt,” which is only on the phone used to pay.
Special orders carry their own fee: “Special Order returns or cancellations may be subject to a 15% restocking fee and must be returned to the same store where the purchase was made.” Gifts returned in store get store credit.
In store, by mail, or by pickup
The in-store route is open to everything but appliances: “Take your return back to any The Home Depot store for free, even if you purchased online. Bring a copy of your receipt or shipping confirmation email, credit card you used for the item and valid I.D.”
Mail returns start from Order Details or the Return Items button, with a label emailed for eligible orders to drop at a UPS Access Point. Two limits: “Any order purchased with eStore Credit, will only be returnable in stores,” and anything with fuel or gas is store only: “items that use flammable liquids or gases cannot be returned through the mail, even if the item has been drained of these materials,” including lawn mowers and leaf blowers. “Items must be returned with all components for a full refund.”
Large or heavy items go by pickup. For online purchases, call Online Customer Care; for store purchases, call the store on the receipt, and if the order is eligible an associate arranges pickup from your home or jobsite. Each package or pallet needs the return form, or a sheet with “RETURN,” your name and the order number.
How fast the refund arrives
The return policy page gives the short version: store returns are “processed instantly,” and for mail or carrier returns “It typically takes about 7 business days to process your return. Once we’re done, it may take up to 10 business days for your bank to put funds back into your account,” with extra time during special events or holidays. Home Depot’s refund policy page breaks both halves down further:
| Return route | Processing time |
|---|---|
| In store | Instant |
| Mail-back parcel | Up to 7 business days |
| Major appliances | Up to 12 business days |
| Large item pickup | Up to 21 business days |
| Refund method | Time after processing |
|---|---|
| Cash | Instant |
| Gift card; store, e-store and Pro trade credit | Up to 24 hours |
| Deposited check | 2 to 8 business days |
| Credit card, debit card | Up to 10 business days |
| Prepaid debit card | Up to 30 business days |
| PayPal | Up to 30 business days, longer depending on the card issuer |
By our math, the slowest combination on those two tables, a large item picked up and paid by PayPal, can run to 51 business days. Original shipping is refunded only “if there was an error in your order by The Home Depot.” Appliance refunds for debit with PIN, cash, check, store credit, gift card or Pro Xtra dollars are processed at the store with the receipt. If a refund has been issued but has not arrived, our refund timing guide covers the bank side.
Where the page is silent or needs a second look
Two dated changes this year. July 7, 2026 for decor, pumps, coolers and heaters; August 3, 2026 for custom thresholds. The policy page carries no other dates.
“Lowest advertised price” is not defined. The no-receipt refund is store credit at that price, with no explanation of the period it covers.
The 365 days exclude the short lists. A television, a generator or a major appliance bought on a Home Depot card still has 30 days, 7 days or 48 hours.
Verification applies to everyone. The third-party system is cited for both in-store and online returns, receipt or not.
Tests and amendments. “The Home Depot may run tests of the Return Policy in select locations and may amend these terms at any time.”
Damaged orders have their own clock. Damaged or incomplete online orders should be reported “within 30 days of delivery,” separately from the return windows.
Before you return
This is a sequence of checks, not a recommendation:
- Find the item’s clock. 48 hours for appliances, 7 days for ACs and generators, 30 for electronics, furniture, yard tools and decor, 90 for most else
- Paid with a Home Depot card or Commercial Account? 365 days, except the short lists
- Appliance? Inspect at the door. Refuse damaged delivery, or call 1-800-455-3869 within 48 hours, weekends excluded
- Keep sealed what the policy wants sealed. The 30-day and 7-day groups require unused, factory-sealed packaging
- No receipt? Bring ID and expect store credit. At the lowest advertised price, after verification
- Fuel or gas inside? Store only. Mowers and blowers cannot go back by mail even when drained
Quick answers to what people search
How many days do you have to return something to Home Depot? 90 days with proof of purchase for most merchandise, per the policy read October 10, 2026, with 30-day, 7-day and 48-hour categories and 365 days on Home Depot credit accounts.
Can you return to Home Depot without a receipt? Yes, with a valid government photo ID and verification approval; the refund may be store credit at the lowest advertised price.
What is Home Depot’s return policy on major appliances? Report damage or request a return within 48 hours of delivery, weekends excluded, by calling 1-800-455-3869. The 48 hours apply even to unopened, sealed units.
Does Home Depot have a 365-day return policy? For purchases made with The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card, Pro Xtra Credit Card or Commercial Account, yes, except for the 48-hour, 7-day and 30-day categories and other listed exceptions.
Can I return plants to Home Depot? Most plants within 90 days. Perennials, trees, roses and shrubs carry a one-year guarantee and can be returned after 90 days for store credit.
How long does a Home Depot refund take? Instantly in store. For mail returns, about 7 business days to process, then up to 10 business days for the bank.
Can I return holiday decorations to Home Depot? Since July 7, 2026, Halloween and holiday decor must come back within 30 days, unused and with proof of purchase.
Is there a restocking fee at Home Depot? On special orders, up to 15%, and they must go back to the store where they were bought.
Bottom line
As of October 10, 2026, Home Depot gives 90 days with proof of purchase, a full year on its own credit accounts, 30 days on electronics, furniture, yard tools and now holiday decor, 7 days on air conditioners, generators, heaters and pumps, and 48 hours on major appliances whether opened or not. Without a receipt it is photo ID, a verification check and store credit at the lowest advertised price, and anything with fuel in it goes back to a store, never by mail. The other big hardware chain’s rules, with a stricter receipt requirement, are in our Lowe’s return policy guide.
Windows, lists and quotations from The Home Depot’s return policy and refund policy pages, read October 10, 2026. The multiples are our own arithmetic. Home Depot’s pages are the authority, may be tested by location and may change. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Official sources
- The Home Depot: Return Policy (90, 30, 7 day and 48 hour windows, 365 days with Home Depot credit, non-returnable items, in-store and online exceptions, plants, major appliances, hazardous materials, refund timing), read October 10, 2026
- The Home Depot: Refund Policy (processing time by return route and refund time by payment method), read October 10, 2026