A good cancellation policy fits in three sentences. Long policies feel hostile and don’t get read.
Here are templates by industry. Use one verbatim or adapt the structure to your situation.
What every policy must say
- The window — how far in advance the customer must cancel
- The fee — what happens if they cancel late or don’t show
- The exceptions — what counts as a legitimate exception (or “none — please reach out”)
That’s the entire structure. Three lines, plain language.
Salon / barber template
Cancellation policy. Please cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your appointment. Cancellations within 24 hours are charged 50% of the service cost; no-shows are charged the full amount. Emergencies happen — call us if something comes up and we’ll work it out.
Clinic / medical-adjacent template
Cancellation policy. We require 48 hours notice to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations are charged a $50 fee; no-shows are charged $100. The full fee may apply for missed appointments billed to insurance.
Spa / wellness template
Cancellation policy. Please give us 24 hours to fill your slot. Cancellations within 24 hours are subject to a 50% fee; no-shows are charged in full. We hold a card on file at booking to honour this policy.
Fitness studio / class template
Cancellation policy. Cancel up to 2 hours before class starts to avoid forfeiting the credit. Late cancellations and no-shows count as a used class.
Lessons / coaching template
Cancellation policy. Please give us 24 hours notice. Late cancellations forfeit the lesson. We’re flexible for illness or genuine emergencies — just tell us.
Trades / home services template
Cancellation policy. Cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before the appointment. Late cancellations are charged a $75 trip fee; same-day cancellations or no-access at arrival are charged $150.
Where to put the policy
In four places, ideally:
- On the booking page — visible before the customer confirms.
- In the booking confirmation email — reinforces it.
- In the SMS reminder — short version: “Reply YES to confirm or call to reschedule (24hr policy)”.
- On your physical signage / in the room if you have one.
Customers who agree at booking time treat the policy as fair when it’s enforced.
How to enforce without burning the relationship
Most operators are too soft on first violations and too harsh on repeat ones. Better:
- First late cancellation: waive the fee, mention the policy.
- Second: charge 50% of the fee with a note.
- Third: charge full fee + require deposit on future bookings.
- Repeat no-shows: decline to rebook.
This signals: we have a policy, we’re not asshole about it, but we are serious.
What not to do
- Don’t write a long policy. Anything over 4 sentences gets ignored.
- Don’t use legalese. “Cancellations occurring within 24 hours of the scheduled appointment time will be subject to a charge of fifty percent (50%)…” — nobody reads this.
- Don’t waive every fee. If you never charge, the policy doesn’t exist.
- Don’t forget to actually charge. Most operators write a policy and never enforce it. Either enforce or remove the policy.