Starting a gym in Belgium,
step by step.

Most problems a new gym runs into can be seen coming, from a vague offer to a lease that is too heavy. This is what to sort out before you open.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so have your accountant check the important decisions.

Decide what kind of gym you are opening

PT studio, group classes, open gym or a mix: that choice decides your premises, your equipment, your insurance and how many members it takes to make a living.

Small can be very profitable. A PT studio with two coaches and a full schedule needs far fewer members than a chain.

The legal basics

You start as a sole trader or through a company, usually a BV (SRL in French). That decides your liability, taxes and social contributions. A BV no longer needs minimum capital, but it does need a financial plan.

You register through a recognized enterprise counter (ondernemingsloket / guichet d'entreprises). It enters you in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO/BCE) and can have your VAT number activated at the same time. You also join a social insurance fund for the self-employed. Since October 2025, no region requires a certificate of basic management knowledge.

Starter information: VLAIO and UNIZO in Flanders, hub.brussels in Brussels and 1890.be in Wallonia.

Insurance and safety

You need professional liability insurance that explicitly covers sports instruction, and fire insurance for the premises. Sports halls can also be required to carry strict liability insurance for fire and explosion. Once you hire staff, workplace accident insurance is mandatory.

Tell the insurer exactly what you offer: a coached session, an open gym floor and a bootcamp in the park are different risks.

Keep a first-aid kit, agree on what happens in a medical incident and ask the municipality whether it sets extra requirements for sports facilities.

The space

Rent will be your biggest fixed cost. Usually you sign a commercial lease: it runs for at least nine years, and you can end it every three years with six months' notice. Have the contract checked. Before you sign, ask the municipality whether the premises may become a sports facility and whether your renovation needs a permit.

Group classes are loud. Visit at the hours you would train and budget for acoustics. A PT studio can do without showers, but not without good ventilation.

Price your offer before you open

Memberships, class packs and PT rates each attract a different kind of member, and offering all three at once means more admin. Work out how many paying members you need to cover rent, insurance and your own pay.

Gym access has been taxed at 12% VAT since 1 March 2026 (6% before). Personal training and classes without free access to the gym are usually at 21%. Under 25,000 euros turnover a year you can apply for the small business VAT exemption, but then you cannot reclaim VAT on your build-out and equipment. A bill would raise that threshold by 1,000 euros a year from 2027, to 30,000 euros in 2031.

Set up your systems before the first member

Open with a paper diary and a WhatsApp group, and a few months later your bookings and training plans are scattered everywhere. Sorting that out while the gym is busy takes far more work than setting it up properly beforehand. Gym management software brings your members, bookings, credits and invoices together from day one.

Invoicing belongs in that setup. Since 1 January 2026, invoices to other Belgian businesses must be structured e-invoices, usually sent over Peppol, also under the small business exemption. Invoices to private members are not covered. When a company pays for an employee's training, the rule applies.

Sell your first memberships before you open

A limited number of memberships at an opening price shows whether your plan works. Put a link in your Instagram bio where someone can book a trial session in two minutes.

In the first months, learn everyone's name, screen how they move and show them their progress. Members who notice a difference after six weeks bring friends.