Gyms make signing up easy and leaving harder. Some chains let you cancel online, others require in-person visits or certified mail, and almost all have timing rules that decide whether you pay for one more month. This guide covers the major chains beyond Planet Fitness.
Gyms are notorious for making cancellation harder than signup. The good news is that most major chains follow one of a few patterns. Knowing which pattern your gym uses saves you from another month of dues and the frustration of being told you did it wrong.
Before doing anything, find your original contract or member agreement. Look for these terms:
Rules change and vary by location, but these are the typical methods for the largest chains:
| Chain | Typical cancellation method |
|---|---|
| LA Fitness | Usually requires a cancellation form submitted in person at your home club, or a certified letter sent to that club |
| 24 Hour Fitness | Often allows cancellation online through the member portal, though some older memberships require in-person or mail |
| Gold's Gym | Varies widely by franchise - many require in-person cancellation at the location where you joined |
| Equinox | Typically requires written notice, often accepted in person or through member services |
| Crunch Fitness | Most locations require in-person cancellation or a certified letter to your home club |
| Anytime Fitness | Franchise-owned, so policies vary - contact your home club directly |
| YMCA | Usually requires written notice, often 30 days, and may allow cancellation by mail or in person |
If your gym accepts mail cancellation, keep the letter short and include everything needed to identify your account:
To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to cancel my gym membership, effective immediately. My name is [full name], my membership number is [number], and the account is registered at [address / phone / email]. Please confirm the cancellation in writing and stop all future charges, including any annual fee. Signed, [signature and date].
Two deadlines decide what a gym membership costs you on the way out: the notice period, commonly 30 days, and the annual fee, which usually posts between January and March.
Now
Start the notice period
30 days is common, and the clock starts when the gym receives your notice, not when you decide.
Your next billing date
Cancel before it, or pay another month's dues
Many gyms do not prorate.
Usually January to March
The annual fee posts
Miss it and you pay for a full year you are leaving.
Two dates decide how much you pay on the way out:
If dues keep coming after you cancelled correctly, dispute the charges with your bank or card issuer and attach your proof. State auto-renewal laws often require gyms to honour a written cancellation, so documentation is everything.
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