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Re:

The FTC Isn’t Making Gym Memberships Easier to Cancel Yet

The FTC’s Click-to-Cancel rule never took effect, but a separate lawsuit alleges cancellation barriers at LA Fitness and related gyms. Here’s what members can do if charges continue.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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Short answer: The FTC’s 2024 “Click-to-Cancel” rule is not in effect. The Eighth Circuit vacated it before its scheduled start. Separately, the FTC has a pending lawsuit alleging that the operators of LA Fitness and related gym brands made cancellations difficult. The lawsuit is not a new cancellation rule, and its allegations have not been proven.

What happened to the FTC’s Click-to-Cancel rule?

On October 16, 2024, the FTC announced a final rule covering most negative-option programs, including subscriptions that renew automatically. It would have required sellers to avoid material misrepresentations, disclose key terms before collecting billing information, obtain informed consent before charging, and offer a simple way to cancel that stops further charges. The FTC’s announcement also said the final rule dropped proposed annual reminders and a proposed restriction on making retention offers before asking whether a cancelling customer wanted to hear one. FTC announcement, October 16, 2024.

The rule never took effect. The Associated Press reported that the Eighth Circuit vacated it after finding that the FTC had not completed a preliminary regulatory analysis required when a rule’s annual economic impact reaches the statutory threshold. The court’s action came before the rule’s scheduled effective date. That procedural ruling is not a finding that difficult cancellation practices are acceptable. Associated Press report on the vacatur.

What is the separate LA Fitness lawsuit about?

In August 2025, the FTC sued Fitness International, LLC and Fitness & Sports Clubs, LLC, the operators of LA Fitness, Esporta Fitness, City Sports Club, and Club Studio. The FTC case page listed the matter as pending in its January 26, 2026 update. The agency is seeking an order prohibiting the alleged conduct and money back for consumers it says were harmed; there is no final court ruling establishing the claims. FTC case page.

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Cancellation barriers alleged by the FTC

The FTC’s complaint says members trying to cancel were directed to log in online, print a cancellation form, and then cancel in person or by mail. It alleges password recovery could require the original email address, key-tag number, and first five digits of the payment account; in-person cancellation was limited to a particular employee and restricted hours; and the mail instructions called for certified or registered mail without clearly explaining that written notice could be used. The FTC also alleges that members were not clearly told that some add-on services could be cancelled separately through less onerous methods. These are allegations, not court findings. FTC release, August 20, 2025 and FTC complaint.

The FTC’s 2025 release said the companies operated more than 600 locations and had over 3.7 million members nationwide. It gave a membership-cost range of $30 to $299 per month, depending on the gym, plus optional services and fees. Those are figures in that FTC announcement, not a current price list or independent estimate.

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What to do if your gym keeps charging after you cancel

Start by checking your membership agreement for the cancellation method, notice period, and automatic-renewal terms. Keep a record of what you do: save the contract, cancellation messages or letters, dates of calls or visits, and billing records. This documentation can help you explain a dispute, but it does not establish a universal legal requirement to cancel in a particular way. State and local rules may differ; the FTC materials cited here do not establish the cancellation rights or deadlines that apply in every location.

  1. Contact the gym using the method in your agreement. Ask for confirmation that the membership and any separately billed add-ons have been cancelled. Keep a copy of your request and any response.
  2. Review later statements. If billing continues after you attempted to cancel, note the dates and amounts and contact the gym to dispute the charges.
  3. Dispute unauthorized card charges. The FTC says consumers can dispute unauthorized credit- or debit-card charges after an attempted cancellation. It also warns that changing a card number alone often will not stop recurring billing.
  4. Report the problem to the FTC. Use ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC’s general consumer guidance also recommends checking a company’s reputation, reading the contract, and understanding whether the membership renews automatically. FTC consumer alert on cancelling subscriptions with automatic billing.
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How common are subscription complaints?

The FTC said it received nearly 70 complaints per day on average in 2024 about negative-option and recurring-subscription practices, compared with 42 per day in 2021. Those figures cover subscription practices generally; they are not counts of gym-membership complaints. FTC announcement, October 16, 2024.

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