NJ Gym Membership Cancellations Made Easier Under New Law

NEW JERSEY — January is the time of year when people resolve to get fit and healthy, but canceling that gym membership can often be a headache. A new law in New Jersey aims to make the cancellation process easier and more transparent, officials said.

Gyms and health clubs that offer membership sign-ups online must also offer online membership cancellation – and place it in a prominent, accessible place on their website – under bills that Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Monday. Sponsors of the bill said that while it can be easy to join a fitness club or gym, some companies make it difficult to end your membership, requiring you to come in-person or send a notification in the mail.

This will keep customers from being trapped by “rigid in-person membership cancellation policies,” Murphy’s office said.

Gyms may also provide an email template for customers to cancel, or make cancellation available through the member’s account profile.

The legislation also requires gyms and health clubs to notify members if their contracts are set to auto-renew, and give them the option to cancel before that happens.

The law will go into effect on April 1, and businesses who do not follow this provision would violate the state Consumer Fraud Act, according to the text of the bill.

"For too long, members have faced difficulties when attempting to cancel a membership they entered into online,” Murphy said in a statement. “With these new requirements, we can ensure a simplified gym membership cancellation process for consumers and hardworking families can evade the financial burden of perpetual automatic renewals."

The bills (A3892/S2952) were primarily backed by Democrats in both the Assembly and Senate, including Senate President Nicholas Scutari (NJ-22) and Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (NJ-4). Three Republican Assemblymembers co-sponsored that chamber’s version of the bill: Aura Dunn (NJ-25), Kim Eulner (NJ-11), and Marilyn Piperno (also NJ-11).

“I heard so many complaints from consumers who were having trouble canceling their gym memberships, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, that I knew I had to take action,” Moriarty said. “If a gym can accept new members online, those members should also be able to cancel online. Now that this bill is law, they’ll have an important financial protection.”

Patch took a look online at the cancellation policies for several fitness chains that operate in New Jersey, which are varied. For example, Retro Fitness requires you to print out and sign a letter with your membership information and signature, and either mail it or bring it in-person to the club where you joined. Crunch Fitness recommends that you contact your home gym directly to cancel, or send an inquiry online. And, OrangeTheory requires members to fill out a form in-person or provide a written cancellation request via post or email.

Consumer concerns about online sales are also among the top 10 types of complaints that the state Division of Consumer Affairs receive, officials said last March.

The new state law comes as the Federal Trade Commission is considering a broader “Click to Cancel” proposal, expanding an existing rule to make it easier for people to cancel deliveries and subscriptions.