HealthClubsRegulations

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13:45A25.1"Healthclub"defined

(a)Theterm"healthclub"shallincludeanyestablishmentwhich:
1.Devotesatleast40percentofitsfacilitytothepreservation,maintenance,encouragement
orbasicdevelopmentofphysicalfitnessorphysicalwellbeingthroughphysicalexercise;and
2.Wherepatronuseispredominantlyatwill(thatis,usageispermittedwhenevertheestab
lishment is open or during specified time periods, such as "weekends", "weekdays", "mornings",
etc.).
(b)Theterm"healthclub"shallnotincludeasinglefocusestablishment/facilitythatisdevoted
tothedevelopmentofoneparticularphysicalskill,oractivityorenjoymentofonespecificsport.
The following facilities are not subject to the Act Regulating Sellers of Health Club Services, P.L.
1987,c.238("Act"):
1.Basicaerobicand"danceexercise"centersoperatingonascheduledlessonorhourlybasis;
2.Children'sgyms(commercialplayspaceswithtrampolinesandothergymnasticequipment)
operatingonascheduledlessonorhourlybasis;
3.Martialartsschools(forexample,karateinstitutes);
4.Dancingschools(forexample,balletandjazz);
5.Gymnasticschoolsoperatingonascheduledlessonorhourlybasis;
6.Tanningsalons("sunstudios");
7.Weightcontrolcenters;
8.Metabolicandnutritioncenters;
9.Othersinglesportcenters(forexample,swimclubs,tennisclubsandracquetballclubs).
(c) Health club facilities located in hotels, motels, condominiums, cooperatives, corporate of
ficesorotherbusinessfacilitiesandwhichchargefeescomparabletootherforprofithealthclubs
aresubjecttotheActunlessusageislimitedtoguests,residentsoremployeesatnochargeorat
nominalcost,inwhicheventthefacilitiesarenotwithinthescopeoftheAct.

13:45A25.2Registration;fees

(a)Applicant(s)shallrequestinformationfromtheHealthClubCoordinator,OfficeofConsumer
Protection,PostOfficeBox45025,Newark,NewJersey07101regardingtheinitialregistrationofa
facility;thereafteranapplicationshallbeforwardedtotheapplicant,alongwithacopyoftheAct
andacopyofallcurrentrules.
(b)AnypersonwhooffersforsaleorsellshealthclubservicesshallpaytotheDirectorofthe
DivisionofConsumerAffairsaregistrationfeeof$300.00everytwoyearsforeachhealthclubfa
cilityoperated,$150.00ifpaidduringthesecondhalfofthebiennialperiod.
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(c)Uponverificationoftheinformationsubmittedintheapplication,paymentoftheregistra
tion fee and posting of a security, if not exempt from that requirement pursuant to N.J.A.C.
13:45A25.4, a Certificate of Registration and the Notice described in (e) below shall be issued to
the facility. The Certificate of Registration and Notice shall be displayed in a prominent place at
themainentranceofeachhealthclubfacility.
(d)Eachcontractforhealthclubservicesshallcontain,intheupperrighthandcorner,thefa
cility'sCertificateofRegistrationnumber.
(e) The following shall be the text of the Notice to be provided by the Division to each regis
teredfacility:
NOTICE
ThisfacilityisregisteredasasellerofhealthclubservicesbytheStateofNewJersey,Depart
mentofLawandPublicSafety,DivisionofConsumerAffairs,124HalseyStreet,Newark,NewJer
sey 07102. Such registration does not mean that this facility has been approved or endorsed by
thatagency.PatronsareadvisedthatunderNewJerseylaw,facilitiesofferingcontractsforhealth
clubservicesforlongerthanathreemonthperiodmustpostwiththeDivisionofConsumerAffairs
securityagainstfailuretoprovidesuchservices.
(f)Aregistrantmaynoteinadvertisingthatitisaregisteredhealthclub;however,aregistrant
shallnotstateorimplythatthefacilityhasbeenapprovedorendorsedbytheDivision.
(g)Allregistrationsshallexpireeverytwoyearsonthe10thdayofFebruary.

13:45A25.3Exemptionfromregistration

(a)Whereafacilityclaimsexemptionfromregistrationbecauselessthan40percentofitssquare
footageisdevotedtohealthclubservices,thefacilityshallcalculatethe40percentsquarefootage
onthebasisofthetotalindoorsquarefootageoftheestablishmentincludingtheexerciseequip
ment area(s), sauna(s),swimming pool(s), locker facilities and shower areas. Thefacility shall re
turn a completedapplication form to the Division of ConsumerAffairsalong with documentation
ofthe"lessthan40percent"claim,whichshallinclude:
1.Aschematicdrawingnotingthedimensionsanduseofeachareaofthefacility;
2.Alistofthevariousrooms/spaceswiththetotalsquarefootageofeachroom/space;
3.Astatementofthetotalsquarefootageofthefacility;and
4.Twosampleadvertisementsorbrochuresifanyhavebeenpublishedbythefacilitywithina
threemonthperiodpriortothedatedocumentationisfiled.
(b)If,afterthefilingoftheclaimofexemptionfromregistration,afacilitymakesaninternalor
externalchangeinspaceallocationwhichchangestherelationshipofthehealthclubservicesarea
tothetotalpremises,thefacilityshallfilearevisedschematicdiagramwiththeDivision.Thisfiling
shall be made no later than 90 days after the date when the change in space allocation is com
pleted.
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(c)Aclaimofexemptionfromregistrationbecauselessthan40percentofthefacility'ssquare
footage is devoted to health club services shall be subjectto onsite verification at the discretion
oftheDirectoroftheDivision.

13:45A25.4Exemptionfromsecurityrequirement

A separate Declaration of Exemption from Security Requirement shall be filed for each facility
claiming exemption from the bond/letter of credit/security requirement of N.J.S.A. 56:841 be
causeitsmembershipcontractsareforaperiodnolongerthanthreemonths.WhentheDeclara
tionofExemptionfromSecurityRequirementisfiled,itmustbeaccompaniedbyacopyofawrit
ten contract as proof that the contract duration is for a period of no longer than three months.
TheDeclarationofExemptionfromSecurityRequirementshallbeavailableuponrequestfromthe
HealthClubCoordinator,OfficeofConsumerProtection,PostOfficeBox45025,Newark,NJ07101.

13:45A25.5Documentationofmaintenanceofsecurity

Each establishment which has posted a bond as security shall maintain complete and accurate
records relating to the bond and premium payments made thereon. Each establishment which
has posted a letter of credit or provided other security acceptable to the Director of the Division
shall maintain complete and accurate records relating to those items. These records shall be
availableonthepremisesoftheestablishmentforreviewbytheDirectororhisorherdesignated
representativeonanyoperatingday.

13:45A25.6Healthclubcontracts

(a)Forthepurposeofthissection,thefollowingwordsandtermsshallhavethefollowingmean
ings,unlessthecontextclearlyindicatesotherwise:
"Affiliated health club" means a health club located within 25 miles of a member's new per
manentresidencethatwillprovidethesameorsimilarservicesandfacilitiestothememberasthe
originatinghealthclub.
"Member"meansabuyerofahealthclubservicescontractfromtheoriginatinghealthclub.
"Originating health club" means the health club that is party to a contract sought to be can
celled.
"Originatinghealthclub'sfacility"meansthefacilityidentifiedinthecontractbetweenamem
berandtheoriginatinghealthclubbynameandstreetaddressasthehealthclubthatthemember
joined.
(b) A health club services contract subject to cancellation pursuant to N.J.S.A. 56:842g shall
notbecancelledif,afterreceiptofanoticeofcancellationfromamember,whichnoticeshallbe
sent or delivered to the originating health club's facility, the originating health club reaffirms the
contractinwritingtothememberguarantyingthatthereisanaffiliatedhealthcluborclubsthat
willprovidetothatmembertheuseofthesameorsimilarservicesandfacilitiesastheoriginating
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healthclubatnoadditionalexpensefortheremainingtermofthecontract,givingthenameand
addressoftheaffiliatedcluborclubs.
(c) If, during the remaining term of a health club services contract that is subject to cancella
tionbutfor(b)above,theservicesandfacilitiescontractedforbecomeunavailablefromtheaffi
liatedhealthclubwithoutadditionalexpenseandtheoriginatinghealthclubreceivesnoticefrom
themembertothateffect,theoriginatinghealthclubshallrefundtothemember,within20days
of receipt of notice, the pro rata portion of the contract price paid to the originating health club
thatrelatestotheportionofthecontracttermforwhichtheservicesandfacilitiesareunavailable
andthemembershallhavenofurtherobligationunderthecontract.
(d)Theobligationtomaketherefundprovidedforin(c)above,isanobligationoftheoriginat
ing health club under the health club services contract secured by any bond or other security it
maintainsunderN.J.S.A.56:841.

13:45A25.7Violations;sanctions

Without limiting the prosecution of any other practices which may be unlawful under the Con
sumerFraudAct,N.J.S.A.56:81etseq.,anyviolationoftheprovisionsofthissubchaptershallbe
subjecttothesanctionscontainedintheConsumerFraudAct.