Tutoring Contract Template: Payment and Cancellation (2026)
A tutoring agreement is easier to use when the payment section matches how you actually bill. Copy the template below, keep one payment option—per lesson, a prepaid package, or a monthly plan—and fill in a cancellation window the family can see before the first lesson. This article is not legal advice and is not a substitute for a lawyer. When you want those payment terms to take effect at booking instead of only on paper, take payment when the lesson is reserved: TutorFluid Solo is $9.99/month after a 45-day trial, with 0% commission.
The sample uses a fictional U.S. tutor. Dollar amounts, notice windows and names are examples, not market rates or required legal terms. For bills you send after lessons, see the tutoring invoice template.
What to put in the agreement
| Clause | What to write | Dispute it helps prevent |
|---|---|---|
| Parties | Tutor name and the client who is paying (often a parent or guardian); name the student separately if they are not the signer | A document signed only by a minor student, or confusion about who owes the fee |
| Services | Subject, session length, in-person or online, and where lessons happen | A disagreement about what was included in the rate |
| Schedule and term | Typical weekly time, start date, and how the agreement ends | An open-ended arrangement with no way to stop |
| Payment (choose one) | Per-lesson rate and when it is due; or package size, price and unused-lesson rule; or monthly plan price, what it includes and how renewal works | A family that thought they were on a different billing model |
| Cancellation and no-shows | How much notice you need, what a late cancel or no-show costs, and any illness exception you will honor | A fee that appears without a written rule, or a slot you held with no pay |
| Late payment | When payment is late and what happens (for example, pausing new bookings) | An unpaid balance that keeps growing with no stated next step |
| Materials | What is included in the rate and what is billed separately | A supplies charge the family did not expect |
| Online lessons | How the video link is shared and what happens if it changes | A missed lesson blamed on a stale meeting link |
| Signatures | Dated signatures; a parent or guardian should sign for a minor student | An unsigned “agreement” no one can point back to |
How to use this template
This template is a starting point for independent U.S. tutors. It is not legal advice, and it is not tailored to your state, school district or professional license. Contract law generally requires a person to have the capacity to enter a binding agreement, which often includes a minimum age; have a parent or guardian sign as the client when the student is a minor. Do not invent local rules from this page—ask a lawyer if you need advice for your situation.
Use only one payment section. Delete the other two so the family is not looking at rates that do not apply.
Downloads:
Tutoring agreement template
Examples below are for Jordan Hale, Hale Tutoring, Phoenix, AZ. Contact details, family names, rates and the 24-hour notice window are fictional examples. Adjust them to your own policy before anyone signs.
Hale Tutoring — Tutoring Agreement
This Tutoring Agreement (the "Agreement") is between:
Tutor: Jordan Hale, Hale Tutoring, Phoenix, AZ · [email protected] · (480) 555-0142
Client (payer): Sam and Priya Patel, Phoenix, AZ
Student: Asha Patel (the Client is the Student's parent/guardian)
The Tutor will provide the tutoring services described below. The Client agrees to pay for those services on the terms in the payment section the parties keep in this Agreement.
1. Services
- Subject: Algebra I
- Session length: 60 minutes
- Format: Online (or in person at: _______________)
- Location / video: A lesson link will be sent with the booking confirmation. If a lesson is rescheduled, a new link may be issued for the new time.
The Tutor will provide instruction in the subject above during scheduled sessions. Homework assigned by the Student's school is not completed by the Tutor. Materials included in the session rate: _______________. Materials billed separately, if any: _______________.
2. Schedule and term
Lessons are typically held on _______________ at _______________, starting _______________. Either party may end this Agreement by written notice (email is enough), subject to the cancellation rules below for already-scheduled sessions. Unused prepaid sessions are handled in the payment section you keep.
3. Payment — use only one of the following sections
Option A — Per lesson
The Client pays $55.00 (example) for each 60-minute session. Payment is due _______________ (example: at booking, or within 7 days after the session). Accepted methods: _______________.
Option B — Prepaid package
The Client pays $500.00 (example) in advance for 10 sessions of 60-minute Algebra I ($50.00 each, example). The package is valid until _______________. Unused sessions: _______________ (example: unused sessions remain available until the validity date and are not refundable after that date, except as required by law). Additional sessions after the package is used are billed at the per-lesson rate then in effect, unless the parties buy another package.
Option C — Monthly plan
The Client pays $199.00 (example) per month. The monthly fee covers 4 sessions of 60-minute Algebra I in that month (example). The plan renews automatically on _______________ of each month until cancelled with the notice in section 4. If the parties use a card processor that auto-renews, the Client authorizes those renewals. (Some payment methods charge each month as a one-time payment instead of an automatic renewal—write down which method you will use.) Unused sessions in a month: _______________ (example: do not roll over, or roll over up to 1 session).
4. Cancellation, rescheduling and no-shows
The Client should cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours (example) before the scheduled start. A cancellation or reschedule with less notice, or a no-show, may be charged as a completed session at the applicable per-lesson rate, or counted as one session from a package or monthly plan, as written here: _______________.
If the Tutor cancels with less than the same notice, the Tutor will offer a makeup session at a mutually agreed time and will not charge for the cancelled session.
Exceptions the Tutor will consider (example: sudden illness or a school closure): _______________. Write any exception clearly so it is not an unwritten favor.
Notice windows vary. For context only, not as your required policy: Wyzant lets tutors set their own policies up to 36 hours in advance, and Wyzant's Instant Book lessons use a standard 24-hour window (a late Instant Book cancel still owes the lesson). Huntington Learning Center of Elk Grove treats cancellations with less than two business days' notice as unexcused and charges the regular rate. The University of Utah Learning Center processes cancellations made at least 24 hours ahead without a penalty, and applies a four-day scheduling block for later cancellations (a campus policy, not a private-tutor fee). Copy none of those rules blindly—write the window you will actually enforce.
5. Late payment
If a payment is more than _______________ days late, the Tutor may pause new bookings until the balance is paid. Returned-payment fees, if any: _______________.
6. Other terms
This Agreement is the parties' understanding of the tutoring relationship described here. Changes should be made in writing (email is enough). This template does not create an employment relationship and does not give legal, tax or educational advice.
Signatures
Tutor: ______________________________ Date: _______________
Client (parent/guardian if the Student is a minor): ______________________________ Date: _______________
Student (optional acknowledgement, not a substitute for a parent/guardian signature when the Student is a minor): ______________________________ Date: _______________
Make the payment terms easier to keep
A signed agreement still has to be collected on. If you already invoice the same family every month, taking payment when the lesson is booked, selling a package of 5, 10 or 20 sessions, or using a Stripe monthly plan that renews automatically (PayPal purchases stay one-time) is often less chasing. That is the default on TutorFluid: students pay at booking, and you can still bill lessons by invoice when a family needs a bill. TutorFluid automatically generates a unique link for each booking with Zoom, Google Meet, TutorFluid Video Room or Lessonspace, and adds it to the confirmation (TutorFluid homepage). If a lesson is rescheduled, a fresh link is generated automatically (how it works).
TutorFluid does not store a signed copy of this agreement, and it does not enforce your cancellation window for you. The contract is still yours to keep and apply.
Solo tutors get a 45-day free trial, then $9.99/month, with 0% TutorFluid commission. Build without a card; add a TutorFluid billing card before students can book or buy packages. New Teams subscriptions are $19.99/month including one active teaching tutor, plus $3.99 per additional active tutor, and have no free trial (pricing). Card processing fees belong to Stripe or PayPal, not TutorFluid.
When you do need to bill after the fact, use the tutoring invoice template.
FAQ
Is this tutoring contract legal advice?
No. This is a general U.S. starting template. It is not legal advice, and it is not a lawyer-reviewed form for your state. Get local advice if you need it.
What should a tutoring contract include?
The parties (with a parent or guardian as the client when the student is a minor), the services, the schedule, one clear payment model, a cancellation and no-show policy, how late payments are handled, and dated signatures.
Should a parent sign if the student is a minor?
Yes—have a parent or guardian sign as the client. U.S. contract law generally requires capacity to enter a binding agreement, which often includes a minimum age. This page does not state the rule for every state.
Can I charge for a late cancellation?
Only if the family already agreed to that policy in writing. Put the notice window and the fee (or the package-session count) in the agreement before the first lesson. This article is not legal advice.
Does TutorFluid enforce my cancellation policy?
No. TutorFluid can collect payment at booking, sell packages or monthly plans, and issue a unique video link for each booking. It does not store this signed agreement or apply your cancellation window automatically.
Ready to collect payment when lessons are booked?
Start a 45-day Solo trial, then pay $9.99/month with 0% commission. Running a center? See TutorFluid for Teams—new Teams subscriptions bill from signup and have no free trial.