How to Get out of a Gym Contract

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff | 19 References

Updated: March 29, 2019

Explore this Article Studying your Contract and Knowing Your Rights Sending a Notarized Letter to Your Gym Considering Alternative Methods Questions & Answers Related Articles

Busy schedules, accidents, injuries, and unexpected moves can prevent gym members from utilizing their pricy memberships; loss of income can make paying those monthly fees a hardship. While it was easy to sign-up for the membership, terminating the contract is often a long, challenging process. Follow your contract’s cancellation policy or explore alternative methods of terminating, freezing, or transferring your agreement.

Part 1
Studying your Contract and Knowing Your Rights

  1. 1
    Request a copy of your contract. Contracts contain pertinent information about the terms of your gym membership. When signing a contract of any kind, you should always request a copy of the legally binding form for your records. If you did not receive a copy of your gym contract or have since lost the document, request a copy from your club or gym. Your club or gym should not deny this request.[1]
  2. 2
    Read the fine print. Gym contracts contain clauses that state the company’s cancellation policy. In order to comprehend what the process of severing your contract entails, you will need to carefully read and decipher your gym’s cancellation policy. Note any technicalities that may prevent you from terminating the contract and any loopholes that may allow you to leave mid-contract.[2]
    • Every gym’s cancellation policy is slightly different.[3]
    • If you are confused by any part of the contract, ask for clarification.
  3. 3
    Know your rights. The majority of countries have laws that regulate gyms. These laws may provide you with a valid reason to sever your contract. Study the specific set of laws that regulates your gym. Often, you may legally terminate your contract if:
    • You are still within the grace period of your contract.[4]
    • You are injured and can not work out. You may need a doctor’s note to show to your gym.[5]
    • You have moved over 25 miles away and can’t transfer membership to another branch.[6]
    • The facility has never or no longer offers the services presented to you prior to signing up or listed in your contract.[7]
    • In the United Kingdom, you may legally terminate your contract if you have lost your job or source of income.[8]
    • You can access these laws online by searching “gyms” and “[your state or nation] law.” In the United States, health clubs and gyms are regulated by the individual states. In the United Kingdom, health clubs are regulated by national laws.[9]

Part 2
Sending a Notarized Letter to Your Gym

  1. 1
    Provide your basic information. In order to terminate a contract, many gyms require members to submit a notarized letter of cancellation. This is a letter signed by an official notary public.[10] When writing the letter, be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number. You must also list your gym account number.
  2. 2
    Formally request to cancel your membership. To prevent any potential misunderstandings, clearly state the terms of your cancellation in the letter. State the date by which you intend to cancel your membership. Provide a brief account of your reason(s) for canceling your membership. Acknowledge the gym’s cancellation policy and your adherence to it (are you within your right to cancel, will you pay the cancellation fee or are you eligible for a waiver, etc.).
    • "I am writing to inform you that I intend to [cancel or not renew] my gym membership on [enter date]."
    • "I wish to [cancel or not renew] my membership because [enter reason(s)]."
    • "Under the terms of my contract, I need to [cancel or renew] my membership within [enter time limit]. As stated in the contract, I will [return my [membership card, clean out my locker, etc.]"[11]
  3. 3
    Ask for confirmation and additional information. In closing, request that the company notify you when it received your statement. Ask the company to confirm that you are following the correct procedure. If you are not following the correct procedure, ask them to provide you with additional information.[12]
    • "Upon receiving my letter, please notify me."
    • "If I am not complying with your terms of cancellation, please inform me of the correct procedures."[13]
  4. 4
    Notarize and submit your letter. Find a local notary to sign your letter of cancellation. Fill out the envelope with the gym’s address and your return information. Post the letter.
    • A quick internet search will provide you with a list of notary publics near you.[14]

Part 3
Considering Alternative Methods

  1. 1
    Freeze your contract. If you are temporarily away from home, injured, sick, or too busy to work out, consider freezing your gym contract instead of canceling it. Meet with a gym manager to discuss the possibility of temporarily freezing your membership. Explain your situation and your desire to renew, or unfreeze, your membership at a later date. Consider freezing your contract if you have:
    • Moved into a building with a gym.[15]
    • Started traveling regularly for work.
  2. 2
    Transfer the membership to another person. Rather than going through the hassle of canceling your membership, consider transferring your membership to someone else. Today, online forums take the stress out of finding a person to assume your contract. Once you have sold your membership, you and the buyer will need to work with gym staff to transfer the contract. Transferring your membership to another patron typically costs between 0 to 50 dollars.[16]
    • Begin this process by finding an online service that provides individuals with a virtual space to sell, transfer, and buy memberships. A quick internet search will provide you with a list of reputable services. Once you have selected a service you are comfortable with, follow the instructions on the site to create your posting.
  3. 3
    Hire a cancellation service. Many people do not have the time, patience, or energy to jump through all of the hoops required to cancel their gym membership. Instead of begrudgingly paying a steep gym membership fee every month, hire a third-party cancellation service to terminate your contract. For a fee, these experienced companies take the hassle out of ending your gym membership.[17]
    • Prior to paying for this service, research the company you intend to use. To assess a company:
      • Find its physical address
      • Read reviews on other sites
      • Read through its terms and conditions carefully.[18]
  4. 4
    Dispute your monthly payments. It is preferable to pay for the fees of your gym membership with a credit card. When you pay with a credit card, you have the option to dispute charges. If a your gym continues to charge you for a membership you have cancelled or is overcharging you, contact your credit card company and explain why the charge is unfair. While investigating your claims, the credit card company may freeze your payments. If it finds that your claims are justified, they may reverse the payment.[19]

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Question
    I signed a gym contract in December 2016 and I want to cancel it now. The reason for cancelling is that they were supposed to open in January but still are not open. How can I get out of my contract?
    Antonio Aiello
    Community Answer
    If you write a notarized letter informing them of your understanding that you were going to have access to the gym in January and agreed to the terms in good faith, they should let you out of the contract. If not, consult an attorney.
  • Question
    What if I signed a gym contract for a year and there is no mention of a cancellation clause, other than the initial three day grace period at the original time it was signed?
    Community Answer
    Claim that you're moving, and demand to speak to a manager or supervisor. There is no legal reason they have to cancel your membership, but if you become more trouble than you're worth, they will probably do it.
  • Question
    What good reason can I give to freeze a gym contract if I am not allowed to cancel it? I signed up for a year and it has only been a few weeks and I don't want to do it.
    Community Answer
    It depends on the terms of the contract you signed. Most contracts allow you to cancel in the case of death, injury or relocating further than 25 miles from any location that they can transfer your membership to. Be honest with them and tell them you feel like it's not a good fit and would like to come to agreeable terms to cancel.
  • Question
    Can I cancel a gym membership online?
    Christopher Lentakis
    Community Answer
    No, most gyms require cancellation in person at the club.
  • Question
    Can a gym contract be upheld if it is in my name but clearly signed by someone else who used their name?
    Community Answer
    Generally, no. I think you are stating that you NEVER signed anything. If you never signed anything, including a statement that this second person is authorized to enter into such contractual agreements on your behalf, the gym will probably bill you but they cannot legally enforce the contract that you did not sign. If you verbally authorized the person to enter into contractual agreements on your behalf, you are still obligated, but the gym would need proof. I am not an attorney.
  • Question
    Can I be held to a contract for longer than 1 year? It has been a least four yearrs since I have signed up.
    Community Answer
    Most gym contracts are 6, 12 or 18 months. It's highly unlikely that you signed up for a contract that goes for over 3 years. Contact your gym and ask them for a copy of your contract, and that should outline the cancellation procedure on there.
  • Question
    I sent a note from my physician stating that I must discontinue my training due to my knee condition and terminate my contract. I received a form from them for my physician asking him to disclose my first, last and next visit and certify I can no longer continue training. Is this legal?
    Community Answer
    If it's not specifically required in the terms of the contract you signed, it is not a legal requirement. Depending on your state, there may be further restrictions on the gym. If your disabilities prohibit you from using the gym as intended when you signed, you should be released from future obligations and you can't be charged a cancellation fee, even if expected to recover. You may be due a refund for any prepaid services. Look up contract law in your state, request a copy of your contract, place applicable demands on them, know your rights and always be assertive.
  • Question
    Can I get out of a gym contract if I provided my billing information, but haven't been charged yet and have not gone to the gym or signed the contract?
    Community Answer
    You have not signed a contract, so there is no contract to get out of. Call the gym and tell them you're no longer interested. If they charge you anyway, call the card company and contest the charges.
  • Question
    What can I do if my gym membership expired, but they keep charging me and won't let me cancel until I pay them?
    Community Answer
    They probably can't cancel the membership if there is a balance because they would lose the record of that charge. If you are not able to pay in full now, talk to the gym about freezing your account; tell them you cannot pay the debt now but don't want to accrue any more debt in the meantime. Then discuss a timeline for paying off your balance and cancel when the account is current.
  • Question
    I got a month-to-month gym membership about 2 months ago, but I have never once used it. Can I be reimbursed for never using the membership?
    Community Answer
    Unlikely, but only that specific gym can answer this question.
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    • If the management is not responsive or not willing to work with you, work through your credit card company to freeze your account.
    • Most gyms will be willing to work with you on reducing the rate of your gym membership because they want to keep your business.


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