The "Certified Mail" Secret
Gyms love to say "you must cancel in person" so they can pressure you to stay. However, most state laws (and even many gym contracts) explicitly allow cancellation by mail.
Why Certified Mail? It gives you a government-issued receipt proving exactly when you sent the letter and when they received it. This is your "get out of jail free" card if they keep charging you.
What to write
Keep it short. You do not need to explain why you are leaving.
Essential Elements:
- Your full name and address
- Membership ID number
- One sentence: "I am canceling my membership effective immediately."
- "Please send written confirmation that this has been processed."
Use our generator to create this letter in PDF format.
The "Last Month" Charge
If your contract requires a 30-day notice, you will likely have to pay for one more month after you cancel. This is standard.
Warning: They cannot charge you beyond that period. If you cancel on Jan 1st, and the notice period is 30 days, you should not pay for anything after Feb 1st.
If you must go in person
If you prefer to go in person, protect yourself:
- Bring two copies of your cancellation letter.
- Hand one to the staff.
- Ask them to stamp and sign the second copy as "Received". Keep this copy forever.
If they refuse to sign it, leave immediately and send the letter by Certified Mail instead.
Draft your letter now
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