SEPTEMBER 1, 2026
4 min read
Should I require a deposit for grooming appointments?
Twenty percent of the first groom
Yes, for new clients. Take about 20 percent of the estimated groom when they book and count it toward the final price; regulars don't pay one. This guide covers the amount, the sentence for your booking page, why a card hold won't do the job, and where to draw the line for clients you already know.
A first-time no-show costs you the slot, and in most cases the client too, since few people who ghost you once call back. With a small deposit you find out who meant to come and who was browsing while there's still time to fill the spot.
The arithmetic behind the amount
A deposit of that size reads to the client as a reservation, and it's still enough money that they'll check their calendar before booking. Across grooms priced inside the published 2026 ranges, it comes to:
| First groom | 20 percent | Round to |
|---|---|---|
| $60 | $12 | $15 |
| $85 | $17 | $15 or $20 |
| $120 | $24 | $25 |
| $150 | $30 | $30 |
Round it to one number, since a flat $20 is easier to say out loud than $17. FurSlot takes the deposit as one flat dollar amount you set and charges it at booking through your own Stripe account, so set it near 20 percent of your most common first groom (how deposits and no-show fees work).
- Real clients pay $20 without blinking. They were going to spend that money that week anyway.
- Casual bookers hesitate. Someone who won't commit $20 to their own appointment is telling you something useful in advance.
- A much bigger deposit backfires on a first visit. Half or full prepay comes across as distrust of all your new clients, and it gives a nervous owner a reason to pick a shop that asks for nothing. Save it for clients who've already missed. The Soggy Doggy Spa works this way, taking a 50 percent deposit only after a late cancel or a no-show, according to its posted policy.
One sentence on the booking page
Clients accept a deposit they saw before booking as part of your policy, but they'll argue about one they only hear about afterward. Put one sentence next to your prices:
"New clients leave a $20 deposit when they book. It comes off the price of the groom, and you get it back if you cancel more than 24 hours ahead."
Keep the words "comes off the price," because owners who read them see the deposit as a reservation. Behind that sentence, your written policy needs five answers:
- The amount, in dollars.
- Applies to: new clients, and anyone who's missed before.
- Credit: it counts toward the groom.
- Refund: for a cancel outside your window.
- Forfeit: after a late cancel or a no-show.
Then confirm it in the booking text, so the client can't say they didn't know: "Hi [name], you're booked for [day] at [time] with [dog's name]. Your $20 deposit is in and comes off the groom. Need to move it? Give me 24 hours' notice and it moves with you."
Hold yourself to the same policy. If you're the one who cancels, for a flat tire or a sick day, refund the deposit that day before the client asks. If you keep a client's $20 after cancelling on them yourself, you've shown them the policy only applies to one side.
Why a card hold expires before the dog arrives
Some groomers try to get the protection without taking any money: they authorize the card at booking and capture the charge only if the client vanishes. The hold runs out too soon for that to work. Stripe's documentation, checked in September 2026, says an online card authorization stays valid for 7 days in most cases, and a merchant-initiated Visa hold for under five.
Clients book grooms further out than that. A regular who rebooks at pickup on a six-week cycle has a hold that lapsed five weeks before the dog is due. That leaves you two options that last: take a small charge now, which is the deposit, or save the card and charge it later with the client's written consent.
Card on file, the lighter version
If collecting money from someone you haven't met feels wrong, there's a lighter setup: save the card at booking and charge it only if the client cancels inside your window or doesn't show. The client pays nothing up front, and you can collect your no-show fee when you need to.
Get the client's consent first. Stripe's own guide to saving cards says that before you save or charge one, you need terms that say how you'll use it and how you'll work out the amount, explicit consent for that specific use, and a record of the client's agreement. Charge a card without that agreement and a $40 fee turns into a chargeback and a one-star review. The card on file page shows how the saved card and the deposit fit together.
Regulars, repeat offenders and the clients between
Don't charge regulars deposits. They've already proven they show up, and the ask reads as an insult. If one of them starts missing appointments, deal with that one person: "Happy to keep your Thursday spot, I just need a card on file after the last two misses."
Match the ask to the client's record:
- New client: a flat deposit near 20 percent.
- Regular with a clean record: nothing.
- Regular with two misses: a card on file, or the deposit again.
- Three misses: prepay. Good Dog Grooming requires prepayment after three no-call no-shows, according to its posted policy.
For the moment a client cancels late, use the replies in what to say when a client cancels last minute, and find the rest of the no-show playbook in how to stop no-shows.
References
FAQ
How much deposit should I charge for grooming?
Take around 20 percent of the estimated first groom, round it to a flat number, and apply it to the final price. On an $85 groom that's $17, so charge $15 or $20, which is low enough that serious clients don't push back.
Should the deposit be refundable?
Make it refundable when the client gives notice. If they cancel outside your window, move the deposit to their next booking or refund it; if they cancel inside the window or don't show, keep it to cover part of the hour you lost.
Can I just put a hold on the card instead?
A hold won't last for a groom booked weeks out. Stripe's documentation says an online card authorization lasts 7 days in most cases, so the hold is gone before the appointment. Take a small deposit instead, or save the card with the client's written consent.
Will deposits scare away new clients?
Few clients who meant to come will walk away over a small deposit that comes off the price, and the bookings you lose were the likeliest no-shows. Keep it small and mention it before they book, and clients will read it as a reservation.