How to write a salon deposit policy (with template)

A good deposit policy does three things: it commits the customer to showing up, it protects your revenue when they don't, and it feels fair enough that nobody argues. Get those three right and deposits become invisible — just part of how you book.

How much should a salon deposit be?

• Short appointments (£20 – £40): £5 – £10 flat.
• Colour, extensions, longer services: 20% – 30% of the price.
• First-time customers: consider a higher deposit for the first booking.

Refund window

24 hours is the UK norm. Cancel or reschedule 24+ hours in advance, deposit refunded (or applied to the new booking). Inside 24 hours, deposit is kept. A clearly written window is easier to enforce than a vague "we may charge".

Where to publish the policy

• On the booking page, above the "confirm" button.
• In the confirmation email or SMS.
• In your reminder message the day before.

Deposit policy template

Feel free to copy this into your own booking page:

To confirm your appointment we take a £[X] deposit at booking. Your deposit is fully refundable if you cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your appointment. Inside 24 hours, deposits are non-refundable so we can offer the slot to another customer. Thank you for respecting our team's time.

Handling exceptions

Life happens. It's fine to make case-by-case exceptions for genuine emergencies — just don't advertise it. A written policy plus quiet flexibility is the best of both worlds.