Tutor cancellation policy template
Three copy-ready example policies for private tutors, plus a free generator that writes one to your own rules. Paste it into a welcome email or WhatsApp.
Why a solo tutor needs a written policy
When you work alone, every late cancel is a slot you cannot fill and an hour you do not get paid for. Without anything in writing, each one turns into a new conversation: was that enough notice, does it get made up, who pays.
- Late cancels: a written notice period means you do not have to argue the case each time.
- No-shows: parents know up front that a missed lesson with no message is charged.
- Make-ups: a clear limit stops make-ups from piling up into a backlog you can never clear.
- Chasing payment: a due date and a pause rule turn reminders into a routine, not a favour you are asking.
A short policy that parents agreed to before the first lesson is much easier to point to than a rule you bring up after something goes wrong.
3 example tutor cancellation policies
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details. Pick the one closest to how you work, then edit freely.
1. Flexible (24 hours' notice)
For tutors who bill per lesson and would rather move a lesson than charge for it.
[Your name] Tutoring — Lesson and Cancellation Policy Lessons Lessons cost [Rate] per [length]-minute lesson and are paid [before each lesson / by the end of the lesson day] by [payment method]. Cancelling Please cancel at least 24 hours before the lesson by messaging me at [contact]. - 24 hours' notice or more: no charge. We will find another time that week if we can. - Less than 24 hours' notice: I will try to move the lesson to another slot in the same week. If no slot works, the lesson is charged at [Rate]. Missed lessons If a student does not attend and no message was sent, the lesson is charged at [Rate]. If I cancel If I need to cancel, there is no charge and I will offer another time. Thank you for helping me keep lesson times fair for every student.
2. Standard (24 hours' notice, late cancels charged, 1 make-up per month)
For tutors who want a firm line on late cancels but still offer some flexibility.
[Your name] Tutoring — Lesson, Cancellation and Make-up Policy Lessons and payment Lessons cost [Rate] per [length]-minute lesson. Invoices are sent [weekly / every 4 lessons] and are due within [number] days by [payment method]. Cancelling Please cancel at least 24 hours before the lesson by messaging me at [contact]. - 24 hours' notice or more: no charge, and you can book a make-up lesson (see below). - Less than 24 hours' notice: the lesson is charged in full at [Rate] and is not made up. Missed lessons If a student does not attend and no message was sent, the lesson is charged in full and is not made up. Make-up lessons Each student can have 1 make-up lesson per calendar month, for a lesson cancelled with 24 hours' notice. Make-ups are booked into my open slots and must be taken within [number] days. Other lessons cancelled with notice that month are simply not charged. If I cancel If I need to cancel, you choose: a make-up lesson at a time that suits you, or no charge for that lesson. Unpaid invoices If an invoice is more than [number] days overdue, lessons pause until it is paid, and your regular slot may be offered to someone else. By booking lessons you agree to this policy. Thank you.
3. Strict monthly in advance (48 hours' notice)
For tutors with a full schedule who bill for the month up front and hold a fixed weekly slot for each student.
[Your name] Tutoring — Monthly Billing and Cancellation Policy Billing Lessons are billed monthly in advance. At the end of each month I send an invoice for the lessons scheduled in the next month ([Rate] per lesson). Payment is due by the 1st of the month by [payment method]. If payment has not arrived by the [day] of the month, lessons pause until it is paid, and your weekly slot is no longer held. Cancelling Please cancel at least 48 hours before the lesson by messaging me at [contact]. - 48 hours' notice or more: you can book a make-up lesson in the same calendar month, if I have an open slot. - Less than 48 hours' notice, or no message at all: the lesson is lost and is not made up. No refunds for missed lessons Lessons paid for and missed by the student are not refunded or credited. Make-up lessons Make-ups must be taken within the same calendar month. Make-ups that are not used by the end of the month do not carry over. If I cancel If I need to cancel, I will offer a make-up that month. If we cannot find a time, the lesson is credited to next month's invoice. Holidays and stopping lessons My closed dates for the term are [dates] and are never billed. To stop lessons, tell me before the [day] of the month and the following month will not be invoiced. By booking lessons you agree to this policy. Thank you for helping keep every student's slot reliable.
Free cancellation policy generator
Pick your rules and get a plain-language policy you can paste into a welcome email or WhatsApp. It runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
Billing monthly in advance
Billing for the whole month before it starts means one invoice and one payment per student each month, instead of chasing every lesson. The policy only works if the invoice is easy to get right, so count it the same way every month.
How to count lessons in a month
- Look at the calendar for next month and count how many times each student's lesson day falls in it. Most months have 4 of each weekday; some have 5.
- Cross off dates you will be closed (your holidays, public holidays you take off, term breaks).
- Cross off dates the family told you about before you sent the invoice.
- Invoice: lessons left × [Rate]. Example: a Tuesday student in a month with 5 Tuesdays, one of them a day you are closed, is billed for 4 lessons.
Another option is one flat amount every month, worked out as the lessons you teach in a whole year × [Rate] ÷ 12. It is simpler for parents, but you have to explain that months with more lessons and months with fewer even out over the year.
Skipped weeks
Decide one rule and write it into your policy: weeks the family tells you about before the invoice goes out are left off; weeks they cancel after paying follow your normal cancellation rules (make-up in the month, or lost if too late).
Holidays
Send your closed dates for the term or the year at the start, and never bill them. If you close unexpectedly, credit the lesson to next month's invoice or offer a make-up. Keep it the same for every family so nobody has to ask.
Doing this by hand for every student each month is the part the Tutor Billing + Policy Kit is for: a billing sheet with one row per student that does the lessons-per-month count, skips your closed dates and writes the invoice text.
Questions tutors ask about cancellation policies
How much notice should I ask for?
Ask for enough time to fill the slot or plan your day. 24 hours is a simple, easy-to-remember choice. If your slots are hard to refill or you travel to students, 48 hours is fairer to you. Whatever you choose, use the same number for every family.
Should I charge for no-shows?
A no-show (no message at all) usually costs you the full slot, so it is reasonable to treat it at least as strictly as a late cancel. You could waive the first one as a reminder and charge after that; if you do, say so in the policy so it is not a favour you have to remember.
What about sick students?
Illness usually comes with short notice, so it is where policies get tested. Choose one approach and write it down: treat it like any other late cancel, allow one sick-day exception per month or term, or offer to switch the lesson to online if the student is well enough. Being consistent matters more than which one you pick.
Should I limit make-up lessons?
Yes, if you offer them at all. Without a limit, make-ups can stack up faster than you have open slots. A cap per month and a time window (for example, within the same month) keeps them manageable. Say clearly what happens to make-ups that are not used.
How do I handle holidays?
Share your own closed dates in advance and do not bill for them. For family holidays, ask for notice before you invoice the month; with notice, leave those lessons off, and without it, your normal cancellation rules apply.
How do I tell existing parents about a new policy?
Send it in writing with a short, friendly note: what is changing, why (for example, so lesson times stay fair for everyone), and the date it starts. Give at least one full billing cycle before it applies, start it at the beginning of a month, and ask each family to reply to confirm they have read it.
Is one of these templates legally binding?
This page is not legal advice. Rules on fees, refunds and contracts differ by country and region, so check what applies where you teach before you rely on a policy.
Tutor Billing + Policy Kit
A monthly-in-advance billing sheet (one row per student, lessons-per-month math, invoice text, paid/unpaid tracker), the full cancellation and make-up policy pack with a parent welcome email, and reminder templates for WhatsApp and email.
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