Cancelling a gym membership in Maryland: your rights

Health Club Services (Maryland Health Club Services Act)

Md. Code Ann., Com. Law §§ 14-12B-01 to 14-12B-08

Change your mind after signing

A buyer who buys (or becomes obligated to buy) health club services to be provided over more than 3 months may cancel the agreement within 3 business days after receiving a copy of it, by notifying the club in writing. Written notice 'shall be delivered in person or by certified mail, return receipt requested, bearing a postmark from the United States Postal Service'. If mailed, it must be postmarked by midnight of the third business day. If the buyer cancels in time, the club must refund any deposit, down payment or payment on the agreement, including initiation, deposit, membership or other fees (§ 14-12B-06(b)(1)–(2)). 'Business day' means Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Saturday counts only if the club is open to members on Saturday and the contract specifically names Saturday as a business day for cancellation purposes (§ 14-12B-01(b)). The statute does not set a deadline for paying this refund.

If you become disabled or ill

There is no right to cancel for disability. Instead, a buyer under a contract for services over more than 3 months who becomes disabled during the membership term may extend the contract for the length of the disability. This applies only if a physician confirms the disability and it lasts longer than 3 months (§ 14-12B-04(a)–(b)).

How notice can be given

For the 3-business-day cancellation: in writing, either delivered in person or sent by USPS certified mail, return receipt requested, with a USPS postmark. If mailed, it must be postmarked by midnight of the third business day (§ 14-12B-06(b)(1)). The statute does not set a notice method for the other remedies (pre-opening cancellation, closure, disability extension) or for ordinary cancellation under the contract.

Limits on contracts

The statute sets no maximum contract length. It refers to lifetime contracts when calculating bond amounts and does not ban them. A health club services agreement 'may not contain an automatic renewal clause, unless the agreement provides for a renewal option for continued membership which must be accepted by the buyer' (§ 14-12B-06(a)). Every contract must clearly show, under the heading 'Notice of Consumer Rights': the club's registration number with the Consumer Protection Division; whether the club is bonded and for how much (or why it is exempt); the buyer's cancellation right; and the buyer's rights on disability or temporary closing. It must also include an itemized description of all fees and charges (§ 14-12B-06(b)(3)–(4)).

Other rules

Scope: a 'health club services agreement' is one where (i) the buyer buys or becomes obligated to buy services over more than 3 months, (ii) the seller collects more than 3 months' payment in advance, and (iii) the services are for personal, family or household use. It includes health spas, figure salons, weight reduction centers, self defense schools and other physical fitness businesses. It excludes nonprofit public or private schools, colleges and universities, the State and its political subdivisions, and nonprofit religious, ethnic, community or service organizations (§ 14-12B-01(d)). Temporary closure: if the club is closed for more than 1 month through no fault of the buyer, the buyer gets either an extension equal to the closure or a prorated refund. The seller chooses if the closure is not the seller's fault; the buyer chooses if it is (§ 14-12B-04(c)–(d)). Pre-opening sales: the buyer may cancel if the facility is not open by the date in the agreement. The buyer may also cancel within 3 business days after opening (or after notice of opening, whichever is later) if the services or facilities are not substantially as described. In both cases all payments and fees are refunded (§ 14-12B-05). Registration and bonding: every seller must register with the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General and renew each September 1. Sellers must post a surety bond, letter of credit or cash based on outstanding liabilities to members, capped at $200,000 per facility, unless exempt (§ 14-12B-02). Members who lose money when a facility closes or the seller goes bankrupt may file a claim against the bond within 1 year (§ 14-12B-02(f)). A sale that violates the subtitle is an unfair or deceptive trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, Com. Law Title 13 (§ 14-12B-08(b)). The official statute pages and the 2024–2026 General Assembly final status indexes show no 2024–2026 bill amending subtitle 12B.

Automatic renewal and online cancellation

Md. Code Ann., Com. Law § 14-1329 (enacted by 2025 Md. Laws chs. 204 (SB 49) and 205 (HB 107); effective June 1, 2026)

Effective June 1, 2026. A business that makes an automatic renewal offer must give the consumer a 'cost–effective, timely, and easy–to–use mechanism' to cancel the automatic renewal, avoid being charged, and immediately stop recurring charges. That mechanism must: (1) be at least as easy to use as the mechanism the consumer used to consent; (2) be available through the same medium the consumer used to consent; (3) for cancellation by electronic medium, be easy to find, not require contact with a live or virtual representative (unless the consumer used one to sign up), and include either a prominent direct link or button to cancel (in the account, profile or settings) or an immediately accessible pre-formatted termination email; (4) for telephone cancellation, be performed promptly through a number that is answered or records messages and is available during normal business hours; (5) for in-person cancellation, be similar to the in-person sign-up method, which may include mail to a postal address if the business bills the consumer by mail. The statute adds that the electronic and telephone mechanisms 'must also be made available for an in–person cancellation' (§ 14-1329(b)(3)). A business may require online account authentication. A consumer who is unwilling or unable to authenticate online may not be prevented from cancelling by another clearly disclosed method (§ 14-1329(b)(3)(iv)).

Definition: 'automatic renewal' means 'any contract, plan, or agreement between a consumer and a seller in which a paid subscription or purchasing agreement is automatically renewed for a subsequent term'. Other duties: clear and conspicuous terms before the agreement, shown close to the consent request; disclosure of cancellation methods; for free trials longer than 14 days, a reminder 3–21 days before renewal; for initial terms of at least 1 year, a reminder 15–45 days before renewal; and no automatic credit-card charges on offers with an initial definite term over 1 month without clear notice and consent (§ 14-1329(b)–(d)). Exemptions: businesses whose renewal practices are regulated by the Maryland Insurance Administration; entities under the Maryland Service Contracts and Consumer Products Guaranty Act; and services regulated by the Maryland PSC, FCC or FERC (§ 14-1329(f)). A business that follows the contract-renewal procedures set by the state or federal agency regulating it, or that is licensed under Title 18 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, is deemed compliant (§ 14-1329(e)). There is no express exemption for health clubs. Enforcement: a violation is an unfair, abusive or deceptive trade practice under Title 13, enforced under Title 13 'except §§ 13–408 and 13–411'. The section expressly creates no private right of action (§ 14-1329(g)–(h)). The official statute page still shows the banner 'NOT IN EFFECT ** TAKES EFFECT JUNE 1, 2026'; that date has passed. The 2026 session final status index lists no amendment. A 2024 version of the bill did not pass.

Good to know

Maryland's health club statute is unusual in naming certified mail. For the 3-business-day cooling-off right, written notice must be delivered in person or sent by USPS certified mail, return receipt requested, postmarked by midnight of the third business day. Health club agreements covered by subtitle 12B may not auto-renew unless the buyer accepts a renewal option (§ 14-12B-06(a)). The statute gives no general right to cancel when the member moves or dies, and treats disability as a right to extend (freeze) rather than cancel. Since June 1, 2026, the general automatic renewal law (§ 14-1329) requires an easy cancellation method through the same medium used to sign up. It has no gym exemption, but how it applies to a given gym membership (for example month-to-month billing versus a fixed term) has not been confirmed by official guidance found in this research. Outside these rights, cancelling a Maryland gym membership is generally governed by the contract.

Putting it in writing

Whatever the law says, a written notice you can prove is the safest way to cancel. A letter sent by USPS Certified Mail with a return receipt shows when your notice was mailed and delivered, and who signed for it.

Sources

1. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-06 – automatic renewal clauses; consumer rights; cancellation (Maryland General Assembly) (official, 2026-10-11)
2. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-06(a) – automatic renewal clause restriction (official, 2026-10-11)
3. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-06(b)(2) – refund on 3-day cancellation (official, 2026-10-11)
4. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-01 – definitions (scope, business day, exclusions) (official, 2026-10-11)
5. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-01(b) – business day (official, 2026-10-11)
6. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-04 – disability; temporary closing (official, 2026-10-11)
7. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-05 – facility not in existence when agreement signed (official, 2026-10-11)
8. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-02 – registration; surety bond (official, 2026-10-11)
9. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-12B-08 – violations (official, 2026-10-11)
10. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-1329 – automatic renewals (same-medium cancellation) (official, 2026-10-11)
11. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-1329 – effective-date banner on official statute page (official, 2026-10-11)
12. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-1329(b)(3)(iii) – alternatives for in-person cancellation (official, 2026-10-11)
13. Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-1329(h) – no private right of action (official, 2026-10-11)
14. 2025 Laws of Maryland, Chapter 205 (HB 107) – Consumer Protection – Automatic Renewals (official, 2026-10-11)
15. General Assembly of Maryland – Final Status of Proposed Legislation, 2026 Session (searched; no automatic-renewal or health-club-services amendment listed) (official, 2026-10-11)

This page explains the law in plain words. It is not legal advice and may not cover every case; laws change, so check the official text or ask a lawyer about your situation. CancelSent is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. We prepare, print and mail the letter you sign, as your mailing service. Whether and when a gym cancels depends on your agreement and the law where you live.