TITLE 2.5. CONTRACTS FOR HEALTH STUDIO SERVICES [1812.80. - 1812.98.]

Cal. Civil Code - CIV 4.

in effect

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.80. Section 1812.80.

(a) The Legislature finds that the health studio industry has a significant impact upon the economy and well-being of this state and its local communities; and that the provisions of this title relating to contracts for health studio services are necessary for the public welfare. (b) The Legislature declares that the purpose of this title is to safeguard the public against fraud, deceit, imposition and financial hardship, and to foster and encourage competition, fair dealing, and prosperity in the field of health studio services by prohibiting or restricting false or misleading advertising, onerous contract terms, harmful financial practices, and other unfair, dishonest, deceptive, destructive, unscrupulous, fraudulent, and discriminatory practices by which the public has been injured in connection with contracts for health studio services.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.81. Section 1812.81.

As used in this title, “contract for health studio services” means a contract for instruction, training or assistance in physical culture, body building, exercising, reducing, figure development, or any other such physical skill, or for the use by an individual patron of the facilities of a health studio, gymnasium or other facility used for any of the above purposes, or for membership in any group, club, association or organization formed for any of the above purposes; but does not include (a) contracts for professional services rendered or furnished by a person licensed under the provisions of Division 2 (commencing with Section 500) of the Business and Professions Code, (b) contracts for instruction at schools operating pursuant to the provisions of the Education Code, or (c) contracts for instruction, training, or assistance relating to diet or control of eating habits not involving physical culture, body building, exercising, figure development, or any other such physical skill.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.82. Section 1812.82.

Every contract for health studio services shall be in writing and shall be subject to the provisions of this title. A copy of the written contract shall be physically given to or delivered by email to the customer at the time he or she signs the contract.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.83. Section 1812.83.

All contracts for health studio services, which may be in effect between the same seller and the same buyer, the terms of which overlap for any period, shall be considered as one contract for the purposes of this title.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.84. Section 1812.84.

(a) A contract for health studio services may not require payments or financing by the buyer to exceed the term of the contract, nor may the term of the contract exceed three years. This subdivision does not apply to a member’s obligation to pay valid, outstanding moneys due under the contract, including moneys to be paid pursuant to a termination notice period in the contract in which the termination notice period does not exceed 30 days. (b) A contract for health studio services shall include a statement printed in a size at least 14-point type or presented in an equally legible electronic format that discloses the initial or minimum length of the term of the contract. This statement shall be placed above the space reserved for the signature of the buyer. (c) At any time a cancellation is authorized by this title, a contract for health studio services may be canceled by the buyer in person, via email from an email address on file with the health studio, or via first-class mail.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.85. Section 1812.85.

(a) Every contract for health studio services shall provide that performance of the agreed-upon services will begin within six months after the date the contract is entered into. The consumer may cancel the contract and receive a pro rata refund if the health studio fails to provide the specific facilities advertised or offered in writing by the time indicated. If no time is indicated in the contract, the consumer may cancel the contract within six months after the execution of the contract and shall receive a pro rata refund. If a health studio fails to meet a timeline set forth in this section, the consumer may cancel the contract at any time after the expiration of the timeline. However, if following the expiration of the timeline, the health studio provides the advertised or agreed-upon services, the consumer may cancel the contract up to 10 days after those services are provided. (b) (1) Every contract for health studio services shall, in addition, contain on its face, and in close proximity to the space reserved for the signature of the buyer, a conspicuous statement in a size equal to at least 10-point boldface type, as follows: “You, the buyer, may choose to cancel this agreement at any time prior to midnight of the fifth business day of the health studio after the date of this agreement, excluding Sundays and holidays. To cancel this agreement, mail, email, or deliver a signed and dated notice that states that you, the buyer, are canceling this agreement, or words of similar effect. The notice shall be sent via first-class mail, via email from an email address on file with the health studio, or delivered in person to (Name of health studio operator) at (Address and email address of health studio operator).” (2) The contract for health studio services shall contain on the first page, in a type size no smaller than that generally used in the body of the document, the following: (A) the name and mailing address of the health studio operator to which the notice of cancellation is to be mailed, (B) the email address of the health studio operator to which a notice of cancellation email is to be sent, and (C) the date the buyer signed the contract. (3) The contract shall provide a description of the services, facilities, and hours of access to which the consumer is entitled or state where that information is available on the health studio operator’s Internet Web site. Any services, facilities, and hours of access that are not described in the contract or on the health studio operator’s Internet Web site shall be considered optional services, and these optional services shall be considered as separate contracts for the purposes of this title and Section 1812.83. (4) Until the health studio operator has complied with this section, the buyer may cancel the contract for health studio services. (5) All moneys paid pursuant to a contract for health studio services shall be refunded within 10 days after receipt of the notice of cancellation, except that payment shall be made for any health studio services received prior to cancellation. (c) If at any time during the term of the contract, including a transfer of the contractual obligation, the health studio eliminates or substantially reduces the scope of the facilities, such as swimming pools or tennis courts, that were described in the contract, in an advertisement relating to the specific location, or in a written offer, and available to the consumer upon execution of the contract, the consumer may cancel the contract and receive a pro rata refund. The consumer may not cancel the contract pursuant to this subdivision if the health studio, after giving reasonable notice to its members, temporarily takes facilities out of operation for reasonable repairs, modifications, substitutions, or improvements. This subdivision shall not be interpreted to give the consumer the right to cancel a contract because of changes to the type or quantity of classes or equipment offered, provided the consumer is informed in the contract that the health studio reserves the right to make changes to the type or quantity of classes or equipment offered and the changes to the type or quantity of classes or equipment offered are reasonable under the circumstances. (d) (1) If a contract for health studio services requires payment of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) to two thousand dollars ($2,000), inclusive, including initiation fees or initial membership fees, by the person receiving the services or the use of the facility, the person shall have the right to cancel the contract within 20 days after the contract is executed. (2) If a contract for health studio services requires payment of two thousand one dollars ($2,001) to two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), inclusive, including initiation fees or initial membership fees, by the person receiving the services or the use of the facility, the person shall have the right to cancel the contract within 30 days after the contract is executed. (3) If a contract for health studio services requires payment of two thousand five hundred one dollars ($2,501) or more, including initiation fees or initial membership fees, by the person receiving the services or the use of the facility, the person shall have the right to cancel the contract within 45 days after the contract is executed. (4) The right of cancellation provided in this subdivision shall be set out in the membership contract. (5) The rights and remedies under this paragraph are cumulative to any rights and remedies under other law. (6) A health studio entering into a contract for health studio services that requires a payment of less than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), including initiation or initial membership fees and exclusive of interest or finance charges, by the person receiving the services or the use of the facilities, is not required to comply with paragraph (1), (2), or (3). (e) Upon cancellation, the consumer shall be liable only for that portion of the total contract payment, including initiation fees and other charges however denominated, that has been available for use by the consumer, based upon a pro rata calculation over the term of the contract. The remaining portion of the contract payment shall be returned to the consumer by the health studio.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.86. Section 1812.86.

(a) No contract for health studio services shall require payment by the person receiving the services or the use of the facilities of a total amount in excess of the amount specified in subdivision (b) or (c). (b) The limit specified in subdivision (a) shall, on and after January 1, 2006, be three thousand dollars ($3,000), inclusive of initiation or initial membership fees and exclusive of interest or finance charges. (c) The limit in subdivision (a) shall, on and after January 1, 2010, be four thousand four hundred dollars ($4,400), inclusive of initiation or initial membership fees and exclusive of interest or finance charges.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.87. Section 1812.87.

No contract for health studio services shall require or entail the execution of any note or series of notes by the buyer which when separately negotiated will cut off as to third parties any right of action or defense which the buyer may have against the seller.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.88. Section 1812.88.

No right of action or defense arising out of a contract for health studio services which the buyer has against the seller, and which would be cut off by assignment, shall be cut off by assignment of the contract to any third party whether or not he acquires the contract in good faith and for value unless the assignee gives notice of the assignment to the buyer as provided in this section and within 30 days of the mailing of notice receives no written notice of the facts giving rise to the claim or defense of the buyer. A notice of assignment shall be in writing addressed to the buyer at the address shown on the contract and shall identify the contract and inform the buyer that he must, within 30 days of the date of mailing of the notice, notify the assignee in writing of any facts giving rise to a claim or defense which he may have. The notice of assignment shall state the name of the seller and buyer, a description of the services, the contract balance and the number and amount of the installments.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.89. Section 1812.89.

(a) (1) Every contract for health studio services shall contain a clause providing that if, by reason of death or disability, the person agreeing to receive services is unable to receive all services for which he has contracted, he and his estate shall be relieved from the obligation of making payment for services other than those received prior to death or the onset of disability, and that if he has prepaid any sum for services, so much of such sum as is allocable to services he has not taken shall be promptly refunded to him or his representative. (2) In every case in which a person has prepaid a sum for services under a contract for health studio services, and by reason of death or disability, is unable to receive all such services, the party agreeing to furnish such services shall, on request, immediately refund to such person or his personal representative such amount of the sum prepaid as is proportionate to the amount of services not received. (3) For the purposes of this section, “disability” means a condition which precludes the buyer from physically using the facilities and the condition is verified by a physician. (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of any contract to the contrary, whenever the contract price is payable in installments and the buyer is relieved from making further payments or entitled to a refund under this section, the amount of the contract price allocable to services not received shall represent at least as great a proportion of the total contract price as the sum of the periodic monthly balances not yet due bears to the sum of all the periodic monthly balances under the schedule of installments in the contract. (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), every contract for health studio services shall contain a clause providing that if the person agreeing to receive health studio services moves further than 25 miles from the health studio and is unable to transfer the contract to a comparable facility, such person shall be relieved from the obligation of making payment for services other than those received prior to the move, and if such person has prepaid any sum for health studio services, so much of such sum as is allocable to services he or she has not taken shall be promptly refunded. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a contract for health studio services may contain a clause providing that if the person agreeing to receive health studio services moves further than 25 miles from the health studio and is unable to transfer the contract to a comparable facility, such person may be charged a predetermined fee not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100), or, if more than half the life of the contract has expired, such person may be charged a predetermined fee not exceeding fifty dollars ($50).

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.90. Section 1812.90.

The provisions of this title are not exclusive and do not relieve the parties or the contracts subject thereto from compliance with all other applicable provisions of law.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.91. Section 1812.91.

Any contract for health studio services which does not comply with the applicable provisions of this title shall be void and unenforceable as contrary to public policy.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.92. Section 1812.92.

Any contract for health studio services entered into in reliance upon any willful and false, fraudulent, or misleading information, representation, notice or advertisement of the seller shall be void and unenforceable.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.93. Section 1812.93.

Any waiver of the buyer of the provisions of this title shall be deemed contrary to public policy and shall be void and unenforceable.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.94. Section 1812.94.

(a) Any buyer injured by a violation of this title may bring an action for the recovery of damages. Judgment may be entered for three times the amount at which the actual damages are assessed plus reasonable attorney fees. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this title, any failure to comply with any provision of this title may be corrected within 30 days after the execution of the contract by the buyer, and, if so corrected, neither the seller nor the holder shall be subject to any penalty under this title, provided that any correction which increases any monthly payment, the number of payments, or the total amount due, must be concurred in, in writing, by the buyer. “Holder” includes the seller who acquires the contract or, if the contract is purchased by a financing agency or other assignee, the financing agency or other assignee.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.95. Section 1812.95.

If any provision of this title or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the title and the application of such provision to other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.96. Section 1812.96.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c) or (d), all money received by the seller of health studio services from a consumer for a health studio facility that has not yet opened for business shall be held in trust and shall be deposited in a trust account established in a state or federally chartered bank or savings association. The seller shall not draw, transfer, or encumber any of the money held in trust until five business days after the health studio facility has opened and the seller has fully paid refunds to consumers who canceled their contracts as provided in subdivision (b) or in Section 1812.85. (b) In addition to any other cancellation rights, a consumer who pays any money under a contract for health studio services for a health studio facility that has not yet opened for business has the right to cancel the contract and receive a full refund at any time prior to midnight of the fifth business day after the date the health studio opens for business. The cancellation right shall be set forth in the contract. The refund shall be paid within 10 days of receipt of notice of cancellation. (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a seller of health studio services may draw on money held in trust to pay refunds or may draw, transfer, or encumber funds to the extent that the amount is offset by a bond of equal or greater amount that satisfies this subdivision. The bond shall be issued by a surety insurer admitted to do business in this state and shall be filed with the Secretary of State. The bond shall be in favor of the State of California for the benefit of consumers harmed by a violation of this title. (d) Subdivision (a) does not apply to a seller of health studio services that is, at the time money is received from the consumer, operating at least five health studio facilities in this state that have been in operation for a period of at least five years, and that has an excess of current assets over current liabilities of at least one million dollars ($1,000,000).

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1812.98. Section 1812.98.

Nothing in this title is intended to prohibit month-to-month contracts. This section is declaratory of existing law.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026