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What does a cancellation policy say?
State the deadline for canceling a class without a charge, define a late cancel and a no-show, and give the cost for each kind of pass. Say who can waive a charge and how a student can question one.
Write each rule so a student can check it against the clock and their pass. Show it before they buy, when they book, and when they cancel. Fill in the template's brackets, then have a lawyer review the policy for your state before you publish it.
A cancellation and no-show policy template
Copy the template or download the Word version below, then fill in every bracket and delete any line that does not apply. Bracketed numbers are examples, not recommendations or statements of legal requirements. Have a lawyer review the completed policy before you use it; this template is not legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. It covers the class rules only. For the purchase terms on each pass (renewal, expiration, freezes, and canceling a membership), What policies should a yoga studio publish? has the full studio policies template, and How do memberships, class packs, and drop-in fit together? covers which offers to sell.
[Studio name] booking, cancellation, and no-show policy. Effective [date]. This policy applies to every class you book at [studio name], [in the studio and online]. [Workshops, courses, and teacher training have their own terms, shown when you buy them.]
Booking and canceling a class. Book through [the app, the website, or the front desk]. You can cancel a booking with no charge at least [12] hours before class starts. A cancellation less than [12] hours before class starts is a late cancel. Before a late-cancel or no-show fee is charged, the payment account holder authorizes the applicable amount and charge timing through [authorization process approved by your lawyer]. [Studio name] [emails you a receipt] for each charge.
Late cancels. On a class pack, a late cancel [state whether it uses a class and whether an additional fee applies]. On a membership, [the first [4] late cancels in any [12] months cost nothing; after that,] a late cancel costs $[10], charged to the authorized payment method [after the class starts]. On a drop-in, a late cancel [state whether the payment is refunded or retained and whether an additional fee applies].
No-shows. If you have not canceled your booking or checked in by [5] minutes after class starts, it counts as a no-show. [Your spot may then go to the next person on the waitlist.] [If a waitlisted student takes your spot, [state whether the no-show fee is waived and whether a used class or retained drop-in payment is restored].] On a class pack, a no-show [state whether it uses a class and whether an additional fee applies]. On a membership, a no-show costs $[15], charged to the authorized payment method [after the class ends]. On a drop-in, a no-show [state whether the payment is refunded or retained and whether an additional fee applies].
When the studio cancels or changes a class. If [studio name] cancels a class, booked students are told by [notification channels]. A class used from a class pack or a membership with a class limit is restored. For a paid drop-in, [state whether the payment is refunded or credited]. [If the class moves by more than [30] minutes, you can cancel with no charge.]
Questions and exceptions. [Authorized staff role] can waive a late-cancel or no-show charge [in these cases: [list]], and a waived charge is noted on your account. [To request an accommodation related to a disability or medical condition, contact [person or channel]. Your request is reviewed under [accommodation process approved by your lawyer].] To question a charge, contact [email or the front desk].
Your agreement. You see this policy, and accept it, before you pay for a pass or book a class. You can read it again at any time at [link, or the front desk]. Any change follows [notice period and rules for existing purchases and bookings approved by your lawyer].
Show the policy at three moments
Show the relevant policy terms at purchase, booking, and cancellation. Show the part that matters at the moment it applies: the purchase terms before they pay, the cancellation window when they book, and the cost of canceling now when they start to cancel. The same numbers should appear at all three, written the same way.
| Moment | What the student sees | The sentence it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Before they buy | What the pass includes, when it expires or renews, the price, how to cancel, and the date to cancel by to avoid the next charge | What am I agreeing to? |
| When they book | The late-cancel window and the no-show rule for this pass | When do I have to decide? |
| When they cancel | Whether the cancellation is late and what it costs on their pass | What happens if I cancel now? |
When a student buys a pass online, Yoga Sync shows your terms before they pay. When they book or cancel a class online, it shows your late-cancel and no-show rule before they confirm.
Set clear expectations with transparent purchase, cancellation, and no-show terms.
What should a studio charge for a late cancel or a no-show?
Set the amount separately for each pass, and say whether the student loses a class, pays a fee, or both. The template’s dollar amounts are examples, not recommended rates. Choose the cancellation window to give waitlisted students time to respond, and have your lawyer review the fee terms. Read nearby studios’ published policies for examples of how they state their rules.
| Consequence | How it works | Question to settle |
|---|---|---|
| A lost class | On a class pack, a late cancel or a no-show uses the class | Does a no-show also carry a fee, or is the lost class the whole cost? |
| A fee | On a membership, a set amount is charged to the card on file | When is it charged, and who can waive it? |
| An allowance, then a fee | A number of late cancels cost nothing each year, and the fee starts after that | Is the allowance different for a membership, a class pack, and a single class? |
Write down who can waive a charge, the cases they can approve, and where they record the decision. Give front-desk staff a way to refer accommodation requests for review.
The scripts below use sample times and amounts. Replace every bracket with the applicable policy term or cancellation record.
Writing the late-cancel line
AvoidPlease be respectful of our cancellation policy.
BetterCancel at least [12] hours before class and nothing is charged. Inside [12] hours, a class pack uses the class and a membership is charged $[10].
Answering a student who disputes a late cancel
AvoidSorry, rules are rules.
BetterYou canceled at [5:40 a.m.] for the [6:15 a.m.] class, which is inside the [12]-hour window, so it counted as a late cancel and $[10] was charged. Under our policy, I can [waive the charge for an approved reason and record that reason], or [explain why the charge applies].
For a question about a disputed card charge, see How does a studio handle a chargeback on a class pack or membership?. How a membership is frozen or canceled is covered in How should membership freezes, pauses, and cancellations work?.
Settled before you publish
- Every bracket is filled in or deleted.
- The late-cancel window is stated in hours, the same way at purchase, booking, and cancellation.
- What a late cancel and a no-show cost is stated for each kind of pass.
- The payment account holder has authorized the applicable late-cancel and no-show amounts and charge timing through a process approved by the studio's lawyer.
- The policy says who can waive a charge, and how a student questions one.
- Staff know where to refer an accommodation request.
- Students see the policy, and accept it, before they pay or book.
- A lawyer has reviewed the fee, waiver, and charge terms for your state.
Should a class pack carry a no-show fee as well as losing the class?
Decide whether losing the class is the whole consequence or whether an additional fee applies. If you charge both, state both consequences in the purchase terms and have your lawyer review the fee.
How long should the late-cancel window be?
Allow enough time for a waitlisted student to receive the message and get to class. Choose the window from your schedule and waitlist process, state it in hours, and use the same number everywhere the policy appears.
Does a student have to agree to the policy?
Show the policy before payment or booking, ask the student to accept it through a clear action, and keep a record of that acceptance. Separately, have the payment account holder authorize the applicable fees and charge timing through a process your lawyer approves.