Every tutor has a story about the session that wasn’t. The text that arrives at 4:45 for a 5 o’clock slot. The student who simply never logs on. It’s easy to shrug off one missed session, but they add up quickly: one late cancellation a week at $40 a session, over a 36-week school year, is $1,440 you’ll never see. That’s why every tutor needs a clear cancellation policy.
A cancellation policy isn’t about being strict. It’s about agreeing on the rules while everyone’s still friendly, so there’s nothing to argue about later. Most parents expect one, and most are quietly relieved to see it in writing.
Below is a free tutor cancellation policy template you can copy and adapt. It’s written for independent tutors in the United States, including a note on the FTC’s three-day cooling-off rule for in-home sign-ups. There are also UK and Canadian versions if you work with families outside the US.
Free download: an editable Word version of the US policy, ready to fill in and send to families. No sign-up needed.
How to use this tutor cancellation policy template
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details, delete any sections that don’t apply, and keep the wording plain and friendly. A policy parents can read in two minutes is more useful than a long legal document nobody reads.
Share it before the first session, not after the first problem. Send it with your welcome email or link to it from your booking page, and ask the parent or learner to confirm they’ve read it.
This template is general information, not legal advice. Consumer rules vary from state to state, so the section after the template lists a few points worth checking before you use it.
[Your business name]: Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy
Last updated: [date]
Thank you for choosing [your name / business name]. I hold a regular time slot for each student, so this policy explains what happens when sessions need to move or be canceled. It’s designed to be fair to you and to me, and to keep things simple.
1. Booking sessions
Sessions are [weekly / every other week / booked as needed] and last [60 minutes]. Your regular slot is [day and time], held for you during the school year [and over the summer, if agreed].
The fee is $[amount] per session, payable [in advance by card, Zelle or Venmo / monthly in advance / as a package of [number] sessions].
2. Canceling or rescheduling a session
If you need to cancel or move a session, please let me know at least [24 / 48] hours before it’s due to start, by [text / email / the booking system].
- With [24 / 48] hours’ notice or more: there’s no charge. I’ll do my best to offer another time that week, or the session will be refunded or credited.
- With less than [24 / 48] hours’ notice: the session will be charged at [50% / 100%] of the usual fee, because I’m usually unable to fill the slot at such short notice.
- First late cancellation: I understand things happen. The first late cancellation [each semester] is free of charge. After that, the charge above applies.
- Rescheduling within the same week: if we can find another time that works for both of us, [no charge applies even with short notice].
3. Missed sessions (no-shows)
If a student doesn’t attend and I haven’t been told beforehand, the session is charged in full. For online sessions, I’ll wait [15 minutes] and try to reach you before treating the session as missed.
4. Illness and emergencies
If a student is sick or there’s a genuine emergency, please let me know as soon as you can. I’ll use my discretion and won’t usually charge for a session canceled because of sudden illness or a family emergency. If a student is well enough to learn but can’t travel, we can [switch the session online].
5. If I need to cancel
If I have to cancel a session for any reason, there is no charge. I’ll give as much notice as I can and offer another time. If we can’t find one, the session will be refunded or credited in full.
6. Lateness
- If the student is late: the session will still end at the usual time, so the next student isn’t affected, and the full fee applies.
- If I’m late: I’ll make up the time, either at the end of the session or in a later one.
7. Online sessions and technical problems
If a session can’t go ahead because of a problem on my end, such as my internet or equipment failing, there’s no charge and I’ll reschedule. If the problem is on the student’s end and can’t be fixed within [15 minutes], I’ll try to continue by [phone / another platform]. If that isn’t possible, [the session will be rescheduled at no charge the first time; after that, the late-cancellation charge may apply].
8. Session packages and prepaid sessions
If you’ve paid for a package of sessions, canceled sessions are handled under section 2: with enough notice, the session stays in your package to use later; with late notice, [it is deducted from the package / half a session is deducted]. Prepaid sessions are valid for [the current semester / 3 months]. If I’m unable to deliver them, any unused sessions will be refunded.
9. Stopping sessions
You can stop sessions at any time. I ask for [two weeks’ / one session’s] notice where possible, so I can offer the slot to someone on my waitlist. Any sessions you’ve paid for but not yet received will be refunded, [minus any late-cancellation charges already due].
10. [Optional] Your right to cancel an in-home sign-up
Include this section only if you sometimes agree on a package with a family in person at their home, workplace or another temporary location, and the total is $25 or more.
If you agreed to sessions with me in person at your home or another location that isn’t my regular place of business, you may cancel this agreement without penalty within three business days. To cancel, send me written notice by [date three business days after signing]. Any payment will be refunded within [10] business days.
11. Agreement
By booking sessions, you confirm you’ve read and agree to this policy.
| Detail | Response |
|---|---|
| Student’s name | |
| Parent or guardian’s name (if under 18) | |
| Signature | |
| Date |
[Your name] · [Business name] · [Email] · [Phone]
Tips for putting your tutor cancellation policy into practice
Pick a notice period you’ll actually stick to. 24 hours is the most common, and 48 hours suits tutors with waitlists. Apply it consistently, because a policy enforced for some families and not others causes more friction than having none.
Take payment in advance. Packages or monthly prepayment by card make a late cancellation simple: the session just isn’t refunded or credited. Many scheduling tools can also keep a card on file and apply the fee automatically, which saves an awkward conversation.
Use the free first cancellation. It shows goodwill and gives you a natural moment to remind the family of the policy: “No problem at all, this one’s on me. Just so you know for next time, sessions canceled within 24 hours are usually charged.”
Make your online setup as reliable as your policy. Technical hiccups cost more than the minutes they eat. In The Spinning Wheel Problem, we looked at a study that found even one- or two-second loading delays went with less engagement and lower scores. A steady connection and a lesson platform that loads quickly will save you more lost minutes than any policy clause.
Keep a simple record. Note the date and time each cancellation message arrives. If there’s ever a dispute, that record is what settles it.
US legal points to check before using your tutor cancellation policy
There’s usually no general cooling-off period for online or phone sign-ups. The FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule gives a three-day right to cancel for certain sales made at the customer’s home, workplace or dormitory, or at a seller’s temporary location. It doesn’t cover sales made entirely online, by mail or by phone. It applies to sales of $25 or more at the buyer’s home, and $130 or more at temporary locations. If you ever sign families up in person at their home, include section 10, and give them the written and spoken notice of their right to cancel that the rule requires, along with a cancellation form.
State rules vary. Some states have their own home-solicitation, prepaid-services or consumer-contract rules on top of the federal rule. Your state attorney general’s consumer protection office is the best place to check.
Keep charges reasonable. Charging the full fee for a no-show, or half to all of it for very short notice, is common practice. Avoid extra penalties on top of the session price, which are harder to defend if a family disputes a charge.
Platforms and agencies. If you get students through Wyzant, Varsity Tutors or an agency, their cancellation rules usually apply to those sessions instead of yours.
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