No-Show Policy Templates for Salons and Beauty Pros
Published Updated
A no-show policy does two jobs. It tells clients what an empty chair costs you before they book, and it gives you a fair, agreed way to be paid when it happens anyway. Most policies fail at the second job: the words are on an Instagram highlight somewhere, nobody agreed to them, and there is nothing to collect when a client simply doesn't come.
This guide covers what a working policy needs, gives you templates for the most common crafts that you can copy and edit, and ends with how to enforce one without awkward conversations.
What every no-show policy needs
However you word it, a policy that holds up answers the same seven questions.
- Deposit. How much a client pays to book, and whether it counts toward the service total.
- Cancellation window. How much notice a client must give to cancel or reschedule without a fee. 24 hours is the most common; 48 hours is reasonable for long or expensive services.
- Late arrivals. How many minutes of grace a client gets, and what happens after that: a shortened service, or the appointment counts as a no-show.
- Late cancellation fee. What a client pays when they cancel inside the window.
- No-show fee. What a client pays when they don't come and don't tell you.
- Rescheduling. How late a client can move an appointment, and whether moving it more than once counts as a cancellation.
- Exceptions. That emergencies are handled at your discretion. One sentence is enough, and it keeps the policy from reading as a threat.
Keep every number specific. "A fee may apply" invites an argument; "50% of the service price" does not.
How much deposit to charge
There is no single right number, but these are common starting points among independent pros. Pick the one that would cover your time and any product you buy for the appointment.
| Appointment | Common deposit |
|---|---|
| Short services under $50 (cuts, brow wax, polish change) | A flat $10 to $20 |
| Standard services, $50 to $150 | 25% to 50% of the price |
| Long services (color correction, extensions, braids, full lash sets) | 50%, or enough to cover hair and product you buy in advance |
| New clients | The same as above, even if regulars pay less |
Say plainly whether the deposit comes off the final price. Clients are far more comfortable paying a deposit that counts toward their service than one that sits on top of it. To work out the right amount for each of your services, see How Much Deposit to Charge for Salon Appointments.
No-show policy templates
Replace everything in brackets with your own details. Each template is short on purpose: a client should be able to read it in the time it takes to book.
Standard template for any service
Booking and cancellation policy
A deposit of [25%] is required to book and is applied to your service total. Please give at least [24 hours'] notice to cancel or reschedule. Cancellations with less notice are charged [50%] of the service price, and no-shows are charged [100%]. If you are more than [15] minutes late, I may need to shorten your service or reschedule, and a late reschedule counts as a cancellation. Emergencies are handled case by case. By booking, you agree to this policy.
Hair stylists
Booking policy
A [$50] deposit is required for all color, extension and chemical services, and is applied to your total. For extensions, the deposit covers hair ordered for you and is non-refundable once ordered. Please give [48 hours'] notice to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations forfeit the deposit; no-shows are charged [50%] of the booked service. Arriving more than [15] minutes late may mean a shorter service or a new appointment. Thank you for respecting the time set aside for you.
Nail techs
Appointment policy
A [$15] deposit secures your appointment and comes off your total. Please cancel or reschedule at least [24 hours] ahead. Cancellations with less notice keep the deposit, and no-shows are charged [50%] of the service. After [10] minutes late, I may need to switch you to a shorter service, such as a polish change instead of a full set, or move your appointment. Please let me know about any nail art in advance so the right time is booked.
Lash techs
Lash booking policy
Full sets require a [$40] deposit, applied to your total. Please cancel or reschedule at least [48 hours] ahead; later cancellations keep the deposit, and no-shows are charged [100%] of the service. Fills require at least [40%] of your lashes remaining. If fewer remain, your appointment becomes a full set at the full set price. Arriving more than [15] minutes late may shorten your service. Please arrive with clean lashes and no eye makeup.
Barbers
Shop policy
Please cancel at least [12 hours] before your appointment. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged a [$15] fee before your next booking. If you are more than [10] minutes late, your appointment may be given to the next client and you will need to rebook. Two no-shows in a row and future bookings will require a deposit.
Braiders
Braiding policy
A [$75] non-refundable deposit is required to book and is applied to your total. It covers the time reserved for you, which for most styles is most of a day. Please give [72 hours'] notice to reschedule; the deposit can be moved once. Hair must be washed, detangled and blow-dried before your appointment unless you booked a wash. Arriving more than [30] minutes late may mean I can't finish your style that day, and the appointment will be treated as a late cancellation.
Estheticians and massage therapists
Session policy
Please give at least [24 hours'] notice to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations are charged [50%] of the session price, and no-shows are charged in full. Sessions start and end on time, so arriving late shortens your session, and the full price still applies. If you are unwell, please let me know as early as you can; illness is always an exception.
Making the policy stick
A policy only works if clients see it before they book and you already hold what they agreed to pay.
- Show it at booking. The policy should appear before the client pays, with a line they agree to. A policy they saw first is one they rarely argue with.
- Repeat it in reminders. A reminder a day or two before the appointment that restates the cancellation window gives clients a last, easy chance to move it, which is better for you than a no-show.
- Take the deposit at booking. A fee you have to ask for after a client has already walked away is hard to collect. A deposit you already hold isn't.
- Apply it every time. Waiving the fee for some clients and not others is what makes a policy feel personal. If you make an exception, make it the emergency clause, and say so.
- Watch where it happens. If no-shows cluster on particular days or services, a larger deposit for those slots usually fixes more than a stricter policy does.
Setting your policy up in Fidden
Fidden builds this policy into booking, so you set it once and it runs on every appointment. You choose:
- A deposit, as a percentage or a fixed amount, which you can adjust for individual services.
- Your cancellation window in hours, and a short grace period after booking in which a client can still cancel for free.
- A late cancellation fee and a no-show fee, each a percentage of the deposit, a fixed amount, or none.
- How late a client can reschedule.
Deposits are collected when the client books, on every plan, the free one included. Clients see the deposit before they pay it, and a client who cancels late sees the fee before they confirm. When a client cancels late or doesn't show, the fee comes out of the deposit they already paid and the rest is refunded, so there is nothing to chase. Card processing is the standard rate, 2.9% + 30¢ online, deposits included.
Card network rules and some local laws affect how fees must be disclosed. If you're unsure about yours, ask a local business adviser before you publish your policy.