New Year, New Rules: CT Law Targets Gym Cancellation Complaints

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT. — A new Connecticut law is aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel gym and health club memberships by requiring facilities to acknowledge cancellation requests within 10 days.

The change is part of a broader consumer alert issued this week by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, which is urging residents to fully understand their rights before signing up for fitness memberships, especially during the busy New Year enrollment season.

According to the agency, DCP received 60 complaints related to health clubs in 2025. Nearly three-quarters of those complaints involved billing issues, including difficulty canceling contracts, problems placing membership freezes, unauthorized or duplicate charges, and unexpected cancellation fees.

“As we approach the new year, we are flooded with gym and health club enrollment deals,” DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said in a statement. “January can be an ambitious time, and it is easy to hop into commitments without reading the fine print.”

Under Connecticut law, health clubs are required to provide written contracts that clearly outline pricing, billing periods, and cancellation policies. Contracts cannot exceed two years, and health clubs must also offer one-year contract options.

Consumers also have a three-day right to cancel after signing a contract, provided guarantee, by notifying the health club in writing. Additionally, contracts cannot automatically renew, except following a one-month trial period, and any price changes after that trial must be disclosed.

The new law, Public Act 25-111, strengthens cancellation protections by requiring health clubs to send written confirmation within 10 days of a cancellation request. That confirmation must include the effective date of the cancellation.

State officials also reminded consumers that they have the right to cancel a contract if a health club no longer offers amenities that were originally included, such as a pool or sauna, and that health clubs cannot reassign members to another location if a facility closes without the member’s consent.

The Department of Consumer Protection also administers a Health Club Guaranty Fund, which may reimburse eligible consumers who had active contracts with health clubs that closed or relocated.

Consumers looking for more information or who wish to file a complaint can visit ct.gov/dcp or email dcp.complaints@ct.gov.