Writing a salon cancellation policy clients respect
What to put in a cancellation and no-show policy, with an example you can adapt, and how to apply it without losing good clients.
By Eyroxis · 18 October 2026 · 4 min read
A cancellation policy protects your time without scaring clients away. The best ones are short, specific and applied the same way every time.
What to include
- How much notice you need to cancel or move (24 or 48 hours is common)
- What happens with late cancellations and no-shows
- How late a client can be before the appointment is shortened or moved
- How to cancel or move (a link, a phone number, or both)
An example to adapt
"We need 24 hours' notice to change or cancel. You can do it from the link in your confirmation email. If you cancel later than that or don't come, we may charge up to half the price of your booking. If you're more than 15 minutes late, we may need to shorten your service or rebook you."
Check what you can charge and how you tell clients with the Australian Consumer Law in mind: say it clearly before they book, and keep fees reasonable for the time you lose. If you're unsure, ask your business adviser.
Apply it kindly
- Let a first-time slip go with a friendly reminder of the policy
- Be consistent after that, so it doesn't feel personal
- Make it easy to move instead of cancel: most clients would rather rebook than pay a fee
Where clients should see it
On your booking page, with a tick box to agree before booking, and again in the confirmation email. A policy clients agreed to is much easier to apply than one they never saw.
In Eyroxis, your policy goes in Settings → Booking rules. Clients agree to it before booking, and the change-or-cancel link stops working inside your notice period.