The Attorney General's Health Club Unit

 

Under Maryland law, businesses that sell health club services (health clubs and gyms, weight loss centers, and self defense schools) must register with the Consumer Protection Division, except for certain nonprofit, government and academic facilities. Any club that collects more than three months' fees in advance or more than $200 in initiation fees must be bonded with the Consumer Protection Division. If the club closes, members may make a claim on the bond to get back some of the money they paid for services they didn't receive.

Closure Updates from the Health Club Registration Unit

We are dedicated to continue providing services to Marylanders who need assistance with health club issues. Because of the COVID-19 crisis, if you call the office at (410) 576-6350, you may have to leave a message but you will get a response as quickly as possible. Additionally, you can always reach us by email at healthclub@oag.state.md.us.

Information for Consumers

Because of the COVID-19 crisis, as of March 16, 2020, all health clubs, fitness centers and self-defense schools (collectively, “Fitness Centers") are closed to the general public. A Fitness Center's policies for billing members during a closure is governed by Section 14-12B-04 of the Health Club Services Act. If a registered Fitness Center with long term contracts (i.e., 3, 6, 12, 18 month memberships, etc.) , whether paid in advance or collected periodically, is closed for longer than a month due to no fault of the health club seller, the Fitness Center may either extend the membership period for a period equal to the length of the closure, or provide a prorated refund of the amount paid by the member during the closure. Therefore, Fitness Centers with members who pay monthly on a long term contract cannot continue to collect membership fees if the closure extends longer than a month unless the Fitness Center intends to extend the membership period. Fitness Centers that offer month-to-month memberships with no long term obligations cannot charge members during the closure. Additionally, Fitness Centers cannot require that members proactively take action to freeze their membership or charge freeze fees as a result of the mandated closures. You should contact your individual club if you have specific questions about their policy during the closure, or if you have special billing needs or concerns as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. 

Information for Fitness Center Owners

For the health and safety of Marylanders during the COVID-19 crisis, as of March 16, 2020, at 5 pm, all health clubs, fitness centers and self-defense schools (collectively, “Fitness Centers") are closed to the general public. Section 14-12B-04 of the Health Club Services Act regulates closures of Fitness Centers that offer long term memberships (i.e., 3, 6, 12, 18 month memberships, etc.) , whether paid in advance or collected periodically. If a registered Fitness Center with long term contracts is closed for longer than a month due to no fault of the health club seller, the Fitness Center may either extend the membership period for a period equal to the length of the closure, or provide a prorated refund of the amount paid by the member during the closure. Therefore, Fitness Centers with members who pay monthly on a long term contract cannot continue to collect membership fees if the closure extends longer than a month unless the Fitness Center intends to extend the membership period. Fitness Centers that offer month-to-month memberships with no long term obligations cannot charge members during the closure. Additionally, Fitness Centers cannot require that members freeze their membership or charge freeze fees as a result of the mandated closures. We recommend that Fitness Centers notify members now of the policy that will be implemented during the shutdown.

All persons who sell health club services are required to register with the Health Club Registration Unit. A Fitness Center cannot sell health club services until it is registered. If your health club is not registered, you can register through this website.​

A Fitness Center that offers online options during a closure cannot require members to accept an online option but rather must provide one of the options mandated in 14-12B-04. The section does not preclude a club from offering online services during a closure and, for any member who wants online services, club owners who are charging for online services must price those services according to the value of the online services.​