Revocation is an annulment or cancellation of a statement or agreement.
In the context of contracts, revocation may refer to the offeror canceling an offer. For example, California Civil Code § 1586 provides that an offer “may be revoked at any time before its acceptance is communicated to the proposer, but not afterwards.” Revocation may also refer to a buyer’s rejection of goods that do not conform to the contract specifications. For example, the Uniform Commercial Code § 2–608 states that “[t]he buyer may revoke his acceptance of a lot or commercial unit whose non-conformity substantially impairs its value to him. . .”
In the context of wills, revocation may refer to the invalidation of a will by the testator. For example, California Probate Code § 88 defines “will” as any “codicil any testamentary instrument which. . . revokes. . . another will.” That is, under the California law on wills, the modification of an existing or creation of a superseding will effectively revoke the existing will.
In the context of trusts, revocation refers to the termination of a revocable trust or revocable living trust by the settlor.
[Last updated in April of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]