Deposit and cancellation policy template.
A booking deposit policy tells clients what they pay to hold a date, when the rest is due, and what happens if they cancel or reschedule. Say clearly whether the deposit is refundable, why, and when that changes. Copy the wording below, choose the option that fits, and show it before the client pays.
Updated
Deposit, balance and what the deposit covers.
BOOKING DEPOSIT. A deposit of [Deposit amount or share of the total] is required to book your date. Your date is held once we have received both your deposit and your signed agreement. Until then, the date is open to other clients.
WHAT THE DEPOSIT COVERS. The deposit is [credited toward your total / not credited]. It pays for the time we set aside and the other work we turn down to keep your date.
BALANCE. The remaining balance is due [Number] days before your event / on the day, before we begin. We accept [Payment methods]. If the balance is not received by the due date, we may [charge a late fee of [Amount] / release your date / pause the booking].
Non-refundable, refundable until a date, or partly refundable.
OPTION A, NON-REFUNDABLE. Your deposit is non-refundable. It secures your date and covers the time and other bookings we decline for it. If you need to cancel, the deposit is kept. If you reschedule under the policy below, it carries over to the new date.
OPTION B, REFUNDABLE UNTIL A DATE. Your deposit is fully refundable if you cancel in writing before [Date or number of days before the event]. After that date, it is non-refundable.
OPTION C, PARTLY REFUNDABLE. If you cancel in writing before [Date], we will refund the deposit less [Admin or processing amount]. After that date, the deposit is non-refundable.
Whichever option you choose, use the same words everywhere you show it: your quote, your contract and your booking page. Say "non-refundable" only if you mean it and keep to it.
Cancellation, rescheduling and no-shows.
CANCELLATION BY YOU. If you cancel more than [Number] days before your event, we keep the deposit and refund any other payments. If you cancel [Number] days or fewer before, the full fee, or [Share of the fee], is due because we cannot rebook the date. Please cancel in writing by emailing [Email].
RESCHEDULING. You may move your date once at no charge if you ask at least [Number] days before the event and we are available on the new date. Further changes, or changes made later than that, may be treated as a cancellation and a new booking.
CANCELLATION BY US. If we have to cancel, we will tell you as soon as we can, [help you find a replacement where possible,] and refund everything you have paid for services we did not deliver.
NO-SHOWS AND LATE ARRIVAL. If we arrive and cannot start because the venue is closed, the client is unavailable or access has not been arranged, the fee is still due. If you are more than [Number] minutes late to a scheduled appointment, we may shorten the service or treat it as a missed appointment.
Local rules and a lawyer's review.
Rules on deposits, cancellation fees and what counts as a fair charge differ by state and sometimes by trade. Check the rules where you operate, and have a lawyer review your final wording once.
Also check the rules of any platform or card processor you take payments through, since they may set their own refund and dispute processes. This page is not legal advice.
Show the policy where clients book.
- Clients request a date from your packages and pay the deposit online, and the balance can be charged automatically.
- Attach your policy to the contract the client signs before they pay.
Common questions.
What is a booking deposit policy?
It is the part of your terms that says how much a client pays to hold a date, when the balance is due, and what happens to the money if they cancel or reschedule. Put it in your quote, contract and booking page.
How do I word a non-refundable deposit?
State that the deposit is non-refundable, say what it pays for (your held date and the work you turn down), and say what happens if the client reschedules. Use the same wording in the quote, contract and checkout.
Is a non-refundable deposit always enforceable?
Not necessarily. Rules differ by state and by how the terms were shown. Make the policy clear and agreed before payment, and ask a lawyer where you operate to review your wording.
What if a client needs to reschedule?
Decide your rule ahead of time. Many vendors allow one reschedule with enough notice, carry the deposit over to the new date, and treat later changes as a new booking. Write that rule down.
When should the balance be due?
Choose a date that gives you time to confirm supplies, staff and travel, such as a set number of days before the event, or on the day before service starts. Make it the same in the quote, contract and invoice.
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