Gym Licence in Mumbai: Registrations, Fees and BMC Rules (2026)

To open a gym in Mumbai you need a Shops and Establishments intimation (fewer than 10 workers, free, within 60 days of opening) or registration (10 or more), profession tax enrolment for the business (usually ₹2,500 a year) and PTRC if you pay staff, a Marathi name board, and a building whose zoning and fire approvals cover a gym. Ask your BMC ward office whether your gym also needs a licence under Section 394 of the BMC Act, and register for GST once turnover crosses ₹20 lakh.

This is the Mumbai companion to our gym licence checklist for India. Rules are as of October 2026, and we've linked each one to its source. Where BMC hasn't published a clear answer for gyms, we say so rather than guess. Confirm your address with the ward office and a CA before you sign anything.

Mumbai gym licences at a glance

Start with zoning: the 150 sq m line

Mumbai's development rules treat small and large gyms differently. BMC's DCPR 2034 lists a "gymnasium not exceeding 150 sq. m." as a convenience shopping use, while its definition of assembly buildings includes "gymnasia". Which of the two your gym is decides which zones and buildings can take it.

150 sq m is about 1,615 sq ft. A typical 2,500 sq ft gym is over it, so check that the building's approved use and occupation certificate actually allow an assembly use on your floor. Ask the landlord for the OC and approved plans before you pay a deposit; a mismatch here is very hard to fix later.

Shops and Establishments: intimation or registration

Maharashtra's Shops and Establishments Act, 2017 splits on headcount:

• Fewer than 10 workers: file an online intimation (Form F) within 60 days of starting. You get a receipt, not a certificate. Most single gyms fall here. Count trainers, front desk and cleaners together.
• 10 or more workers: apply for registration (Form A) within 60 days. The rules set 7 working days for a decision, and the certificate can run for up to 10 years.

Under the 2018 rules, no fee is prescribed, though the portal can add a service charge. Ignore agents charging thousands for "gumasta".

The 2026 note. A Maharashtra clarification of 30 April 2026, reported by SCC Online, says establishments with 10 or more workers that are covered by the central OSH Code don't need a separate Shops Act registration. Smaller establishments still file the intimation. Ask your CA which applies once you cross 10 staff.

Marathi name board: do this before the sign maker starts

Section 36A of the Act requires every establishment's name board in Marathi, in Devanagari script, with the Marathi lettering no smaller than any other language. It applies whatever your headcount. In 2023 the Supreme Court told retailers challenging the rule to comply while the case continues.

BMC is enforcing it. In its first 2026 phase, from 14 May to 4 June, it inspected 36,773 establishments and took 638 to court, and continuing violations can cost ₹2,000 a day, according to the Free Press Journal. A bilingual board with your gym's name in Devanagari, at least as large as the English, costs nothing extra if you design it that way from the start.

Lit boards need permission. BMC's licence department regulates sky signs and advertisements under Sections 328 and 328A. A non-illuminated board on your own premises about your own business doesn't need permission; an illuminated board or sky sign does. Ask the ward office for the fee before you order an LED fascia.

Profession tax: two registrations

Maharashtra levies profession tax, and a gym usually needs both of these:

• PTEC (the business's own tax). Enrol online on the Maharashtra GST portal: it's free, auto-approved and usually done in a day, as the PTEC procedure describes. The rate schedule charges ₹2,500 a year for "health centers", the closest entry for a gym, and the same for GST-registered businesses, companies and each partner. Where more than one entry fits, the highest applies, so plan on ₹2,500.
• PTRC (deducting from staff). Every employer registers, free. You deduct PT from salaries and pay it in. Men earning over ₹10,000 a month pay ₹200 (₹300 in February), and ₹175 between ₹7,501 and ₹10,000. Women pay nothing up to ₹25,000 a month.

Fire safety

Under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, as amended in 2023, the owner or occupier of a building covered by the Act must get fire safety approval from the Chief Fire Officer, which in Mumbai is the Mumbai Fire Brigade, and keep fire installations working to at least National Building Code standards.

The ongoing part is Form B. A licensed fire agency inspects the installations and issues it twice a year, in January and July. The Act puts the duty on the owner, or the occupier where the owner can't be traced, so ask your landlord for the latest copy before you sign. If you're fitting out a large gym that counts as assembly use, ask the fire brigade whether your unit needs its own approval.

The BMC licence question

BMC's licence department grants licences under Section 394 for the trades listed in Schedule M of the Act, and must decide applications within 30 days. Its health licence checklist asks for proof of possession, proof the premises are authorised, fire compliance and existing licences.

We couldn't confirm from BMC's published documents whether a gym is a Schedule M trade. So ask your ward office's licence department one direct question: does a gym at this address need a Section 394 licence, and if so, what is the fee? Get the answer in writing or on the application receipt.

Tax and the rest

• GST once aggregate turnover crosses ₹20 lakh; gym services are taxed at 5% without input tax credit. See GST on gym membership or use the gym GST calculator.
• Udyam is free on the official portal, and optional.
• FSSAI registration (₹100 a year up to ₹1.5 crore turnover) if you sell supplements or shakes. See selling supplements in a gym.
• Music if you play recorded songs: read do gyms need a music licence.

In what order should you apply?

1. Before the lease: check the OC and approved use, especially if the gym is over 150 sq m; get the fire compliance status and latest Form B.
2. Before the lease: ask the ward office about the Section 394 licence and illuminated sign permission.
3. First week: PTEC enrolment and PTRC registration.
4. Within 60 days of opening: Shops and Establishments intimation (or registration at 10+ workers).
5. Before the board goes up: Marathi-first design, and permission if it's lit.
6. As you grow: GST before ₹20 lakh, and appointment letters for every hire.

Quick checklist

• OC and approved use cover a gym of your size
• Building fire approval and current Form B seen
• Ward office answer on Section 394 licence, in writing
• PTEC enrolled, PTRC registered
• Shops Act intimation filed within 60 days
• Marathi name board in Devanagari, lettering not smaller than English
• Permission for any illuminated sign
• GST turnover tracked monthly
• Renewal and Form B dates in one calendar

With the paperwork done, retention is where Mumbai gyms win or lose on those rents. MyGymGate costs ₹399 a month and covers QR check-in, expiry lists and WhatsApp renewal reminders. For the wider plan, read how to start a gym in India.