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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84951</law_id><section_number>59.1-296.2:1</section_number><catch_line>Prepayment contracts; prohibited practices; relocation; refund</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="59.1">Trade and Commerce</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="24">Virginia Health Club Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No health club shall sell a <span class="dictionary">health club contract</span> on a <span class="dictionary">prepayment</span> basis without disclosing in the contract the date on which the <span class="dictionary">facility</span> shall open. The opening date shall not be later than 12 months from the signing of the contract. <a id="paragraph-304396" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-296.2_1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No health club shall close or relocate any <span class="dictionary">facility</span> without first giving notice to the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> and conspicuously posting a notice both within and outside each entrance to the <span class="dictionary">facility</span> being closed or relocated of the closing or <span class="dictionary">relocation</span> date. Such notice shall be provided at least 30 days prior to the closing or <span class="dictionary">relocation</span> date. If a <span class="dictionary">relocation</span> is to occur, the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> and the <span class="dictionary">facility</span>&#x2019;s members shall be provided with the address of the specific new <span class="dictionary">facility</span> at the time of this notice. <a id="paragraph-304397" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-296.2_1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> No health club shall knowingly and willfully make any false statement in any registration application, statement, report, or other disclosure required by this chapter. <a id="paragraph-304398" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-296.2_1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> No health club shall refuse or fail, after notice from the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>, to produce for the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>&#x2019;s review any of the health club&#x2019;s books or records required to be maintained by this chapter. <a id="paragraph-304399" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-296.2_1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Unless it so discloses fully in 10-point bold-faced type or larger on the face of each <span class="dictionary">health club contract</span>, no health club shall sell any <span class="dictionary">health club contract</span> if any owner of the health club, regardless of the extent of his ownership, previously owned in whole or in part a health club that closed for business any <span class="dictionary">facility</span> and failed to: <a id="paragraph-304400" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-296.2_1/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Refund all moneys due to holders of <span class="dictionary">health club contracts</span>; or <a id="paragraph-304401" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-296.2_1/#E1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Provide comparable alternate facilities with another health club that agreed in writing to honor all provisions of the <span class="dictionary">health club contracts</span> or at another <span class="dictionary">facility</span> operated by the originally contracting health club. <a id="paragraph-304402" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-296.2_1/#E2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> No health club that has failed to provide the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> the appropriate <span class="dictionary">surety</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Bond or letter of credit required; exception" href="/59.1-306/">59.1-306</a> shall sell a <span class="dictionary">health club contract</span> unless that contract contains a statement that reads as follows: &#x201C;This club is not permitted, pursuant to the Virginia Health Club Act, to accept any <span class="dictionary">initiation fee</span> in excess of $125 or any payment for more than the prorated <span class="dictionary">monthly fee</span> for the month when the contract is initially executed plus one full month in advance.&#x201D;
			Such disclosure shall be printed in 10-point bold-faced type or larger on the face of each contract. <a id="paragraph-304403" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-296.2_1/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1990, cc. 392, 433; 1993, c. 686; 2003, c. 344; 2004, c. 988; 2010, c. 439; 2014, c. 459.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
