Under the Florida Health Studio Act, all health studios and gyms need to register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) before opening.
Learn how to get your Florida health studio registration in this guide.
What Is a Health Studio?
Any person or business who sells physical exercise services or offers facilities in Florida needs a health studio license.
This includes gyms, fitness centers, yoga studios and martial arts centers. However, individual personal trainers are not considered health studios.
How to Register a Health Studio in Florida
Step 1: Apply with FDACS online
Registration applications are completed online through the FDACS licensing portal. Sign in or create an account and follow the instructions.
You’ll submit a copy of your membership contract as well as other required materials through the consumer compliance portal. Learn more about membership contract requirements below.
Step 2: Get a surety bond, if applicable
If your health studio collects prepaid membership fees through a third party, you’ll need to file a $25,000 surety bond, letter of credit, or CD with the FDACS for five years.
This financial security protects prepaid memberships if the business closes. If your total prepaid memberships are under $5,000 per year, you can lower to a $10,000 bond instead.
Step 3: Pay the registration fee
Pay the $300 annual registration fee to the FDACS for each health studio location you have.
If you are a current active duty member or honorably discharged veteran of the United States Armed Forces or a surviving spouse, the initial registration fee can be waived. Contact the FDCAS for details.
What Are the Health Studio Membership Contract Requirements?
You’ll submit a copy of your health club membership contract as well as other required materials through the consumer compliance portal.
Your membership contract must include the following on at least 10-point bold-faced type:
- A space for the buyer’s signature
- A provision for penalty-free contract cancellation
- A provision for cancellation refunds if the studio goes out of business or relocates
- A provision that cancellation intent by buyers must be in writing
- A provision on refund calculation
- A provision about annual renewal
- A provision on identification to enter
- The health studio’s name, address and primary place of business
For detailed information on provisions and contract requirements, read Florida Statutes 501.017 and the Contract Requirements Checklist.
How to Get a Florida Health Spa Bond
Surety bonds are often the simplest financial security option because they require no collateral and are easily available for online purchase.
You can get your health studio bond in minutes with SuretyBonds.com. The $10,000 bond costs $120 and the $25,000 bond costs $300.
Remember to file your bond through the Consumer Compliance portal with your license application.
What Do I Do If Ownership Changes?
If you change ownership of your health studio, the license cannot be transferred. Instead, the new owner must register as a new health studio with the FDACS. Be sure to select “New Filing” and “Change of Owner” when completing your application. You’ll also need to provide the license number of the previous health studio.
Last Updated: August 26, 2026
