Canceling your NY gym membership will be easier in 2025 thanks to new law

The start of a new year often brings a surge of optimism — and gym memberships. But for many, the excitement fades as unused memberships become an expensive burden.

Starting in 2025, a new state law will make canceling these contracts less of a headache. Under the new law, health clubs must process gym membership cancellations within 10 business days of receiving notice, cutting through the frustrating red tape that has long plagued consumers.

State Sen. Roxanne J. Persaud of Brooklyn, who sponsored the bill, said the legislation empowers New Yorkers to make decisions about their health without being trapped in contracts that no longer serve them.

“By expanding the options for cancellation and making the process easier, we are standing up for consumers and ensuring they can make decisions that fit their lives,” she said in a statement.

The law includes several consumer protections:

• Gyms must mail or email proof of cancellation.
• A customer can cancel a membership within the first three days after signing a contract without penalty.
• Refunds must be issued within 10 days of confirming a cancellation.

Members will also have expanded cancellation rights if they die, become disabled for more than three months or move more than 25 miles away, or if a gym fails to provide services promised in the contract.

The timing aligns with the peak of New Year’s resolution season. This year, U.S. gym memberships increased by 12% in January, the highest rate of applications all year. The new law, signed as part of a consumer protection package by Gov. Kathy Hochul in November, offers a safety net for those committing to fitness goals but who may need to back out later.

Planet Fitness member and Bushwick, Brooklyn resident Rebecca Shaid said it’s a welcome measure.

“My life is fairly unstable at the moment with the finances and living and work, so l think being able to switch my monthly memberships quickly is something that is really important to me,” she said. “It’s easy to get trapped in monthly fees.”

Other bills in the package include:

• A law banning unnecessary fees for leasing cars.
• A requirement for telemarketers to provide key information within the first 30 seconds of a call.
• A mandate that restaurants offering delivery display their health inspection grades on their websites.
• A prohibition on obstructing labels on over-the-counter drugs.

“At a time when New Yorkers are experiencing the devastating effects of rising prices, it’s important that I do everything I can to put more money back in their pockets,” Hochul said in a statement. “With the signing of this legislative bill package, we’re continuing to make progress in making New York more affordable.”

Similar protections were enacted in New Jersey in January 2024, requiring gyms to allow online cancellation for memberships initiated online and to notify members of automatic renewals.

This story has been updated with an interview from Rebecca Shaid.