Legal Guide for Personal Trainers

Last updated: 12 October 2024

Legal Guide for Personal Trainers – This step-by-step guide outlines everything you need to know about personal trainer legal requirements and running a personal training business from an Australian legal standpoint. We cover:

• Personal trainer qualifications, legislation, licenses and permits
• Forms you should get a new client to sign
• Legal notices you should post on your website and
• Setting up your personal training business

Being a personal trainer is not without its risks, for example, being sued by a client for causing them to be injured. However, doing things right will help avoid personal trainer legal issues and protect you and your business from lawsuits.

Click on any of the questions below to jump to that section of this legal guide.

If, after reading this guide, you still have a question, get in touch, as we’d love to keep adding your questions to this comprehensive guide.

Personal Trainer Legal Requirements [Infographic]

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Personal Trainer Registration

What qualifications do I need to be a personal trainer in Australia?

In Australia, personal trainers have legal requirements to have an official personal trainer certification. Personal trainers need both a Certificate III in Fitness (was SIS30315, now SIS30321) and Certificate IV in Fitness (was SIS40215, now SIS40221). If you have the Certificate III qualification, you can only act as a gym floor instructor – instructing gym members on properly using the equipment and working with small groups.

In addition, many personal trainers find it helpful to join one of the Australian associations, such as Fitness Australia or Exercise & Sports Science Australia. However, this is not mandatory or required.

These associations will need evidence of your fitness certification and current first aid and CPR certificates to join. The associations do not provide personal training certification themselves. The benefits of joining include access to discounted Exercise Professional Insurance, use of the association’s logo in your business marketing and a listing on their directory of personal trainers.

Can I be a personal trainer without certification?

No. You need to have official certification to be a personal trainer in Australia. You need a Certificate III in Fitness (SIS30315) to be a gym floor instructor, supervising and instructing gym members on properly using the equipment. Then, in addition to a Certificate III, you’ll also need a Certificate IV in Fitness (SIS40215) to coach individual clients.

Do I need a license or permit to run a personal training business?

No. If you are conducting a normal personal training business, you do not need special personal trainer licences or specific business permits. You must ensure your employees have the required accreditation with current fitness certificates and registration.

What qualifications do I need to run a boot camp?

You may need to obtain a permit, depending on your local council. Some councils impose fees on personal trainers who conduct fitness classes in their parks and reserves. Other councils may apply time restrictions to ensure no noise disturbances early in the morning. You need to check with your local council to see what rules and regulations apply and whether you need a permit to train your clients outdoors.

Personal Trainer Contract & Legal Forms

What legal forms should I use in my personal training business?

Here are the legal forms that we recommend you use in your personal training business:

• Personal Training Contract: This clarifies the details of your personal training services. The Personal Trainer Contract must include a Disclaimer, Cancellation Policy, Refunds Policy and Limitation of Liability clauses.
• Medical History Checklist: This ensures you understand your client’s medical history and any conditions before you start training with them. You can include the Checklist as a page in your Personal Training Contract or get your clients to sign a separate form.
• Release & Waiver of Liability: Where your client acknowledges and accepts the risks of injury from physical exercise. You can include the Waiver as a page in your Personal Trainer Contract or get your clients to sign a separate form.
• Website Privacy, Disclaimer and Terms & Conditions: Exactly what legal notices you need on your website depends on what is on or sold through your website. For example, if you are selling supplements, you’ll need to disclaim responsibility (other than what is legally required) for any loss or damage customers may suffer due to using or misusing your products and limit your liability.
• Membership/Subscriber Terms: If you run a membership or subscription service on your website, you’ll need special Terms to cover this.

None of the legal forms is complicated – and using them will show you’re a professional operator. As we said at the beginning of this guide, doing things right will help avoid legal issues and protect you and your business from lawsuits.

Should I use a Personal Training Contract with my clients?

Yes. You should always use a written Personal Training Contract with your clients. This agreement outlines the terms under which you do business and limits your liability for any claims. Using a Personal Trainer Contract is professional, saves time and can reduce potential misunderstandings.

A properly drafted Personal Training Contract should include the following:

• Description of your personal training services
• Payment amounts and frequency
• Acknowledgment and acceptance of all fitness activity risks by your client
• Indemnity and release from your client
• Cancellation and no-show policy

You should also post a standard version of your Personal Training Contract on your website under your Terms & Conditions.

Should I use a Medical History Checklist with my clients?

Yes. A Medical History Checklist is used to identify people who may have medical conditions that put them at higher risk of injury during physical activity and exercise. Always use a Checklist to decide whether the potential benefits of exercise outweigh the risks for a particular individual.

Also, remember that medical information is personal and confidential and needs to be protected under Australia’s Privacy legislation. This means you have specific obligations for collecting, using and storing your client’s medical and personal information.

Should my clients sign a Liability Waiver or Risk Warning Form?

Yes. These are two names for the same form, where your client acknowledges and accepts the risks of injury from physical exercise. You can include this waiver in your Personal Training Contract or Medical History Checklist or get your clients to sign a separate form.

Website Legals

What Terms & Conditions should my personal training website include?

This depends on the type of personal training business you run and how you use your personal training website. For example:

If your website is just an advertisement for your personal training services with a contact form, you can get away with having a Privacy Policy statement. But we would also encourage you to include a standard version of your Personal Training Contract so your potential clients see you as a professional operation.

If you use your website to sell equipment, clothing, instruction videos, e-books or online courses, you will need to have comprehensive website Terms & Conditions that meet a number of Australian Consumer Law requirements.

If your website is a subscription or membership-type model, then you should have special website Terms & Conditions that include taking recurring monthly/annual payments and an agreement not to on-sell your materials.

If you need help deciding what kind of Website Terms & Conditions you need, contact Legal123 here.

What Privacy Policy should I have if I collect personal health information?

Health and medical information are among the most sensitive types of personal information. For that reason, Australian privacy legislation requires you to have extra protections when handling this type of information.

Your Privacy Policy notice should include the following:

• What personal information do you collect and store
• How the personal information is collected and stored
• Why do you collect and use this personal information
• When is the personal information updated or destroyed
• When you might have to disclose this personal information
• If the personal information is shared with overseas recipients
• If the information is shared overseas, in which countries are the recipients
• Your business contact details

And your personal training business should live by that Policy. For example, if you say you purge your customer database every year of non-current customer information, that is what you should do. So make sure to build it into your business processes, for example, as part of your annual financial year-end accounting process.

What legal issues are there with offering nutrition or supplement advice?

Fitness professionals can provide basic healthy eating information that follows the Australian Dietary Guidelines. There should be no issues as long as the nutrition advice is scientifically correct, promotes healthy eating and includes a referral to a dietician for matters outside the Guidelines.

However, there are risks with people changing their diet and taking new supplements – potentially suffering allergic reactions, illness or other negative impacts. So protect yourself by covering allergies in your Medical History Checklist and including a Disclaimer that covers any nutrition or supplement advice you provide in your Personal Training Contract.

How to Become a Personal Trainer

What business structure should I use for my personal training business?

In Australia, there are generally 4 options for structuring your business:

• Sole trader
• Pty Ltd Company
• Partnership, and
• Trust

The best business structure for you will depend on your personal circumstances – and getting this decision right is very important. So talk to your accountant about the pros and cons of each option. Here’s a quick summary of each option.

Being a Sole Trader is the simplest and least expensive option. Designed for business owners who are the sole proprietors of their companies, this structure doesn’t give you much protection if things go wrong. Your personal assets are unprotected from any claims arising from your business.

Incorporation (i.e. forming a Proprietary Limited Company) effectively makes your business a separate legal entity from you. This structure involves a lot of paperwork and can be more expensive to maintain, but it protects your personal assets from liability. Only your company assets are at risk in case of any legal actions and company debts.

Creating a Partnership allows you to go into business with multiple people and share income. Partnerships are easier and less expensive than Companies to set up. However, all partners are personally responsible for business debts and actions against the Partnership. And each partner is individually liable for debts incurred by the other partners. This means you have unlimited liability, unlike a Company structure.

A Trust isn’t an organisation at all, but instead, a legal structure to hold assets. For example, you might set up a Trust to hold your business assets and then appoint a Trustee to manage them. Commonly, the Trustee is a Company, and the Trust provides asset protection and limits liability from operating the business. Trusts are very flexible for tax purposes. However, a Trust is a complex legal structure and establishing a Trust costs significantly more than a Sole Trader or Partnership.

For more detailed information on these business structures, see our feature article: How to Choose the Right Business Structure in Australia.

Should I trademark my personal training business name?

Just because you set up a Pty Ltd company or registered your business name with ASIC, this does not protect your brand name. Any business can use your brand name. The only way to protect your brand name and restrict its use is to register your trademark with IP Australia.

This concept is one of the most misunderstood aspects of starting or running a business. And business owners frequently contact us because someone has started using their brand name – which they thought they owned!

Should I register my personal training business for GST?

If your personal training business has annual revenues of over $75,000, you must register for GST. Talk to your accountant about your options if you have less than $75,000 in annual revenues.

Do I need liability insurance to be a personal trainer?

Having personal trainer insurance is a good idea due to the high risk of client injury and potential claims. As a personal trainer, you should consider 2 types of liability insurance:

• Professional Indemnity Insurance, and
• Public Liability Insurance

Professional Indemnity Insurance covers you if a client claims that the professional advice, goods or services you provided as a personal trainer were negligent and caused them injury or loss. When you hold yourself out to be a professional, you have a duty of care, and people rely on your expertise.

For example, if your client suffers an injury while using a fitness program that you designed, you may be sued by the client for medical costs and loss of income while they are off work. Professional Indemnity Insurance is intended to cover such claims.

Public Liability Insurance covers you if a third party suffers personal injury or property damage from the operation of your personal training business. Public Liability Insurance covers claims arising from a breach of duty you owe to the public. However, it does not cover claims resulting from your negligence.

For example, if someone tripped over weights you left out in the park while boot camp training, you would be liable, and Public Liability Insurance is intended to cover this circumstance.

As with all insurance policies, read the terms and conditions carefully and ensure the insurance you buy covers your particular circumstances. And if in doubt, engage an insurance broker and get their help.

Personal Trainer Legal FAQs

What if my client sues me for getting injured?

Your Personal Training Contract, signed by your client, should include Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability clauses. These will provide your first layer of protection. Your second layer of protection will come from your Professional Indemnity Insurance. This covers any financial loss your client claims from medical expenses and loss of income.

How can a personal trainer get out of a gym contract?

If you’re a personal trainer and you want to get out of your gym contract, follow these steps:

1. Review the contract: Carefully read the terms and conditions of the contract, paying close attention to clauses related to termination, cancellation, and breach of contract. This will give you a clear understanding of your obligations and any penalties that may apply if you terminate the contract.
2. Identify grounds for contract termination: Determine if there are valid reasons for terminating your contract with the gym, such as a breach of contract by the gym, a significant change in circumstances or any other legal grounds that may apply.
3. Communicate with the gym: Contact the gym management or owner to discuss your concerns and the possibility of terminating your contract. Keep the communication professional, as this may lead to a mutual agreement for either a payment plan or termination without any penalties.
4. Be prepared for possible consequences: Terminating a gym contract may result in penalties or fees, as stipulated in the contract. Be prepared to pay these fees or negotiate a resolution with the gym.
5. Provide written notice: If you decide to terminate the contract, ensure that you provide written notice to the gym, following the guidelines outlined in your contract. This may include providing a specific notice period and following required leaving procedures.
6. Seek legal advice if necessary: If you are unsure of your rights or the gym is unwilling to negotiate, it might be worthwhile to consult a lawyer and discuss your options.

Here at Legal123, we’ve helped a number of personal trainers get out of their gym contracts. It’s not easy, but it can be done. If you need help, get in contact.

Can a personal trainer have a romantic relationship with a client?

While it is not strictly forbidden for a personal trainer to have a romantic relationship with a client, it is generally considered unprofessional. Here are three factors to consider:

• Workplace policies: Some gyms may have strict workplace policies prohibiting personal trainers from engaging in romantic relationships with clients. It is essential to familiarize yourself with and abide by these rules to avoid disciplinary action.
• Professional reputation: Other clients may perceive a romantic relationship between a personal trainer and a client as unprofessional, leading to a loss of trust and potentially damaging your reputation and business.
• Potential legal consequences: If a romantic relationship with a client were to end poorly, it could result in legal issues, such as claims of harassment or breach of professional conduct. This could have serious consequences for your career and reputation.

In summary, maintain clear boundaries between your personal and professional relationships to avoid these potential problems.

We hope you found this Legal Guide for Personal Trainers and personal trainer legal requirements helpful.

About the Author: Vanessa Emilio

Vanessa Emilio (BA Hons, LLB, ACIS, AGIA) is the Founder and CEO of Legal123.com.au and Practice Director of Legal123 Pty Ltd. Vanessa is a qualified Australian lawyer with 20+ years experience in corporate, banking and trust law. Click for full bio of Vanessa Emilio or follow on LinkedIn.

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