Martial Arts Laws in Indiana: Contracts, Cancellation, Safeguarding and Combat Sports

Indiana's Health Spa Services Act, IC 24-5-7, limits contracts and payments to 36 months, requires a bold 3-business-day cancellation notice, and gives cancellation rights for death, total disability, and club relocation or closure. It likely reaches martial arts schools through its broad 'exercising' and 'physical culture' wording. Every person in Indiana must report suspected child abuse. The biggest 2025 change is HEA 1073: since July 1, 2025 the Indiana Gaming Commission's Athletic Division has authority over martial arts including karate, taekwondo, judo, jujutsu, kickboxing, and sparring, with implementing rules still being developed.

Indiana at a glance

A field that reads “none located” means our research did not find a statewide rule. It does not prove that none exists, and local rules may still apply.

Which martial arts businesses does Indiana law reach?

IC 24-5-7-1 defines a 'health spa' as any business entity offering health spa services to the public, except entities exempt from tax under Internal Revenue Code § 501. 'Health spa services' include instruction, training, or assistance in physical culture, bodybuilding, exercising, reducing, figure development, or any other health spa service, plus use of facilities and membership in related groups. Martial arts are not named. Most martial arts schools provide instruction in exercise and physical training, so coverage is likely by definition. Nonprofit (501(c)) programs are outside the definition.

The Indiana Attorney General's Health and Fitness Clubs fact sheet summarizes the Act for consumers. Indiana also has a Home Solicitation Sales chapter (IC 24-5-10) that may apply when memberships are sold away from your place of business; we did not review its terms.

What are the membership contract rules in Indiana?

Contracts must be in writing, and the buyer must get a copy when the contract is formed (IC 24-5-7-2). Under IC 24-5-7-3, payments or financing may not run beyond 36 months from signing, the term may not be measured by the buyer's life, and contracts are limited to 3 years, though buyers may renew. Services at an existing facility must begin within 45 days, and buyers of contracts for planned facilities may void them if services are not available within 12 months (IC 24-5-7-4).

A seller that sells contracts for planned or under-construction facilities must file a surety bond of at least $25,000 with the Secretary of State, which ends once services begin (IC 24-5-7-13 to -15). There is no general registration requirement for operating schools.

IC 24-5-7-11 voids contracts made in reliance on willfully or fraudulently false or misleading statements or advertising. Waivers of the chapter are void (IC 24-5-7-12). A buyer of a club takes on its membership contract liability (IC 24-5-7-16), and if promised services end early, members are owed a prorated refund or a transfer to an affiliated location (IC 24-5-7-16.5).

Cancellation, refunds and automatic renewal in Indiana

IC 24-5-7-5 requires every contract to state, in at least 10-point boldface type, that the buyer may cancel before midnight of the third full business day after signing. 'Business day' excludes Sundays and legal holidays. The buyer cancels by written notice in any form, delivered in person or by certified or registered mail to the seller's address in the contract, returning membership cards. All money paid must be refunded within 30 days.

IC 24-5-7-6 lets the buyer or estate cancel if the buyer dies, becomes totally physically disabled for the rest of the contract, or the seller moves the facility more than 5 miles or permanently stops operating (unless the contract is transferred to a similar facility within 5 miles that accepts it). The contract must disclose these rights in 10-point bold. The spa may require reasonable proof, including a doctor's exam at its cost (IC 24-5-7-7). For these cancellations the seller may keep the value of services used plus expenses, capped at 25% of the total price, and any linked loan must be cancelled within 30 days (IC 24-5-7-8). The Act gives no right to cancel when the member moves.

The Attorney General's fact sheet notes a contract may renew automatically unless the member gives notice. We located no general Indiana automatic renewal or negative option statute in IC 24-5, and the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act list of deceptive acts (IC 24-5-0.5-3) does not specifically address automatic renewal. The federal ROSCA statute and general deception rules still apply to online sign-ups.

Child safeguarding, abuse reporting and background checks in Indiana

Indiana is a universal reporting state. Under IC 31-33-5-1, any individual who has reason to believe a child is a victim of abuse or neglect must report it to the Department of Child Services or local law enforcement. The DCS hotline page states that anyone who suspects abuse or neglect must report. This covers instructors, coaches, front desk staff, and volunteers.

We did not locate an Indiana statute requiring background checks for private martial arts schools or private youth sports staff. Note that the Gaming Commission requires FBI fingerprint checks for owners and key persons of licensed combat sports promoters, which is a licensing rule, not a youth safeguarding rule.

Indiana's concussion law, IC 20-34-7, applies to 'student athletes': students in grades 5 to 12 at a school who play interscholastic or certain intramural sports (IC 20-34-7-1.7). Coaching education duties for football coaches also reach 'organizing entities', defined as youth sports programs for people under 20 that use public property (IC 20-34-7-1.5 and -6). A private martial arts school on private property does not appear to be covered, but adopting a removal and medical clearance protocol is a best practice.

Business registration, tax, workers' compensation and insurance in Indiana

Businesses register through the Indiana Secretary of State (INBiz). We located no state license to operate a martial arts or fitness school. Local permits, zoning, and occupancy are municipal or county matters.

Sales tax treatment of martial arts tuition or memberships was not verified with the Indiana Department of Revenue.

We found no general state mandate to carry liability insurance. IC 22-3-5-1 requires every employer covered by the Worker's Compensation Act to insure with an authorized carrier or qualify to self-insure, with no employee-count or payroll threshold stated in that section. Exemptions are in IC 22-3-2-5, which we did not review.

MMA, kickboxing and combat-sports regulation in Indiana

The Indiana Gaming Commission's Athletic Division regulates combat sports under IC 4-33-22. Under IC 4-33-22-13, the commission has sole jurisdiction over boxing, sparring, and unarmed combat matches or exhibitions, and no match or exhibition may be held without a commission license and permit unless an exception applies. Exempt events are those conducted by a school, college, or university in Indiana and those sanctioned by USA Boxing. The statute says the school exemption does not include an institution whose principal purpose is instruction in boxing or other athletics, so a martial arts school does not get it.

House Enrolled Act 1073, effective July 1, 2025, amended IC 4-33-22-12. The commission's June 6, 2025 memo states that the Athletic Division now regulates mixed martial arts; martial arts including jujutsu, karate, kickboxing, kung fu, taekwondo, judo, sambo, pankration, and shootwrestling; professional wrestling; boxing and bare-knuckle fighting; and sparring. The commission said it will adopt new rules under 68 IAC. IC 4-33-22-8.5 makes the ABC Unified Rules apply to commission-regulated conduct from July 1, 2025. 'Sparring' is defined in IC 4-33-22-5 as combat in a contest, exhibition, or performance with intentional, actual blows that could reasonably injure an opponent.

For amateur MMA, IC 4-33-22-18 requires only the sanctioning body and the promoter to be licensed. Rules must require a licensed doctor and an ambulance at each event, participant medical and life insurance, and medical testing. The commission lists licensed amateur MMA and amateur martial arts sanctioning bodies. Its 2025 martial arts promoter application requires an annual $300 license expiring September 30, FBI fingerprint checks for owners and key persons, and a $10,000 surety bond for professional or pro-am events. If you run a karate, taekwondo, BJJ, or kickboxing tournament, contact the Athletic Division before you schedule it.

Who enforces these rules in Indiana?

The Indiana Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division (https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/consumer-protection-division/) enforces the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, IC 24-5-0.5. Under IC 24-5-7-17, a violation of the Health Spa Services Act is a deceptive act, and the Attorney General or a buyer may sue under IC 24-5-0.5.

A contract that violates the Act is voidable by the buyer, but IC 24-5-7-10 gives the seller a cure process: a buyer may sue for noncompliance only if, after written notice, the seller fails within 30 days to notify affected buyers and bring contracts into compliance.

Frequently asked questions

Can a martial arts school in Indiana sell a multi-year membership?

Yes, up to 36 months. The Health Spa Services Act bars contracts longer than 3 years, payments or financing beyond 36 months, and lifetime terms (IC 24-5-7-3). Members may renew.

When can an Indiana student cancel?

Before midnight of the third full business day after signing, for a full refund within 30 days. Later cancellation is allowed for death, total disability, or if the school moves more than 5 miles or closes. Indiana's Act does not give a cancellation right when the member moves.

Does Indiana require background checks for martial arts instructors?

We did not locate a statewide mandate for private schools or youth programs. Everyone in Indiana is a mandatory reporter of suspected child abuse. Background checks are a recommended practice.

Does my Indiana MMA or martial arts gym need a license?

Ordinary classes are not listed as licensed activities. Matches and exhibitions need commission licenses and permits unless exempt, and amateur MMA requires a licensed sanctioning body and promoter (IC 4-33-22-18). Since July 1, 2025, HEA 1073 extends commission authority to karate, taekwondo, judo, kickboxing, and sparring, so check with the IGC Athletic Division before any event.

Official sources

1. IC 24-5-7, Health Spa Services (2025 Indiana Code via Justia; official text at iga.in.gov) · Indiana General Assembly (secondary host) secondary source
2. Indiana Code (official) · Indiana General Assembly
3. Health and Fitness Clubs fact sheet · Indiana Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division
4. IC 24-5-0.5-3, Deceptive Consumer Sales Act deceptive acts · Indiana General Assembly (secondary host) secondary source
5. Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline · Indiana Department of Child Services
6. IC 20-34-7, Student Athletes: Concussions and Head Injuries · Indiana General Assembly (secondary host) secondary source
7. IC 4-33-22, Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts · Indiana General Assembly (secondary host) secondary source
8. Athletic Division · Indiana Gaming Commission
9. Memo: New Regulations Regarding Kickboxing, Bareknuckle fighting, and other forms of unarmed combat (June 6, 2025) · Indiana Gaming Commission
10. List of Licensed Sanctioning Bodies · Indiana Gaming Commission
11. Application for Licensure as a Martial Arts Promoter (R1 / 6-25) · Indiana Gaming Commission
12. IC 22-3-5-1, Worker's compensation insurance requirement · Indiana General Assembly (secondary host) secondary source
13. INBiz business registration · Indiana Secretary of State