Salon deposit and cancellation policy template
A client should know what they pay at booking, when they can change their appointment, and what happens to their deposit if they cancel.
The template below uses a deposit-only approach for a nail, lash, or salon appointment. The deposit goes toward the service. For a late cancellation or no-show, the stated consequence is retaining that deposit, with no additional charge.
This is an operational starting point, not legal advice. Check your local requirements and payment-provider terms before using it. Clear wording alone doesn't establish that a particular fee is permitted or enforceable. Square's guidance also makes fee collection conditional on applicable law and required customer authorization. Square cancellation policy guidance
Choose your rules before editing the template
Choose the services covered and a fixed deposit or percentage. Show the dollar amount before payment. For variable-price services, explain how the final price will be agreed.
Choose a notice window you can manage. A short manicure and a long full set may need different rules. This template doesn't prescribe one period for every business.
Also decide:
- Where clients can cancel or reschedule
- Whether an on-time reschedule transfers the deposit
- When you submit eligible refunds
- What happens if you cancel the appointment
- Who can approve an exception
Decide these terms before collecting payment.
Copy and edit this deposit-only policy
Appointment deposit and cancellation policy
Effective date: [date]
For [services covered], a deposit of [fixed amount or percentage and how the amount is calculated] is required to confirm your appointment. We'll show the exact deposit amount before payment. Your deposit is applied to the price of the service you receive.
Please cancel or request a reschedule at least [number] hours before your scheduled start time. Use [booking-management link, phone number, or email]. Your request counts from the time it reaches one of these channels, including a timestamped voicemail or message. Social media messages are [accepted / not an accepted cancellation channel].
If you cancel before the deadline, we'll submit a full deposit refund to the original payment method within [number] business days. Your bank or payment provider may take additional time to show it. If you request a reschedule before the deadline, you may transfer the deposit once to an available appointment within [number] days. We'll confirm the new date with you.
If you cancel or request a reschedule after the deadline, we retain the deposit, subject to applicable law and any exception we approve. The deposit is the only late-cancellation charge under this policy. A new appointment requires a new deposit.
A no-show means you have not arrived or contacted us by [number] minutes after your scheduled start time. For a no-show, we retain the deposit under the same conditions above, with no additional no-show charge.
If you're running late, please contact [contact]. We will tell you whether we can complete the booked service, offer a shorter service with an agreed price, or need to reschedule. If the appointment cannot go ahead because of your late arrival, [state the specific deposit treatment, subject to applicable law].
If we cancel your appointment, you may choose a full deposit refund or a transfer to a new date. We'll submit any refund within [number] business days.
For an emergency or circumstances you want us to consider, contact [contact]. [Owner or manager] will review requests for an exception. Questions about this policy? Contact [contact] before paying your deposit.
Booking acknowledgment
I have read the appointment deposit and cancellation policy dated [date], including the deposit amount, cancellation deadline, refund terms, and late-cancellation and no-show terms.
Put a short version beside the payment link
Use this summary with a link to the full policy:
A [amount] deposit confirms your [service] appointment and goes toward your service. Cancel by [day, date, time] for a full deposit refund. After that deadline, or for a no-show, the deposit is retained under our policy. No extra cancellation or no-show charge applies. Read the full policy: [link]. Questions: [contact].
Check the summary, full policy, and booking-platform fee settings agree. A "deposit only" policy shouldn't sit beside a setting that also charges the full service price.
If you want a separate card-on-file cancellation fee, use a policy designed for that arrangement and obtain the required authorization. A payment link for a deposit doesn't itself establish permission for later card charges. Square's documentation, for example, treats prepayment and card-held no-show protection as distinct booking options. Square payment and cancellation settings
Give staff wording for the awkward moments
When a client cancels before the deadline:
Thanks for letting us know. I've cancelled your [date, time] appointment. Your [amount] deposit qualifies for a refund under our policy. We'll submit it by [date] to your original payment method.
When a late cancellation retains the deposit:
I've cancelled your [date, time] appointment. The cancellation deadline was [deadline]. Under the policy shared at booking, your [amount] deposit is retained. No additional cancellation charge applies. Please contact [contact] if there's something you'd like us to review.
Check the booking, notice timestamp, policy version, and payment status first. Record any exception and tell the client. Avoid collecting private medical details when a brief scheduling explanation is enough.
Keep records and review changes before the next booking
Keep the policy version shown to the client, their acknowledgment, appointment details, payment receipt, and cancellation or refund record. These help you explain what happened; they don't guarantee a dispute will be decided in your favor.
For a policy change, set an effective date, update every booking channel, and show the revised terms before future bookings and payments. Review existing appointments separately rather than assuming a new fee can be applied to them.
Need a way to organize deposit requests and appointment records around your current booking setup? Explore SlotSure and check whether its workflow fits the policy you've chosen.