What a Booth Deposit Policy Covers
A deposit policy answers four questions an exhibitor asks before they book: how much now, how much later and when, what happens if they miss a date, and whether they get money back if they cancel. Write the answers once and use the same wording in the prospectus, the booking page, the exhibitor agreement and every invoice.
| Element | What to decide | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit amount | Percent of booth price or a flat amount per booth | 50% of the booth total |
| When the deposit is due | At booking, or within a set number of days of the invoice | At booking, to confirm the booth |
| Balance due date | A fixed date or a number of days before move-in | [DATE], about 75 days before move-in |
| Late bookings | What happens for bookings after the balance date | Paid in full at booking |
| Payment methods | Card, ACH, check, wire, and how long offline payments take | Checks must arrive by the due date |
| Missed payments | Reminders, final notice and release of the booth | Booth released 14 days after the due date |
| Cancellation and refunds | Whether the deposit is refundable and until when | Deposit non-refundable; balance refundable until [DATE] |
| Add-ons | Whether services and sponsorships follow the same schedule | Paid in full at order |
Copy-Ready Booth Deposit Policy Template
Have counsel review the policy before you publish it, especially the release and cancellation clauses. Put the same text into the exhibitor agreement template so exhibitors accept it when they sign.
Sample Deposit and Payment Schedule
The schedule below is an example for a show that opens booth sales about 12 months out. The percentages and timings are planning assumptions; move them to match your contractor deadlines and cash needs.
| Booking date | Due at booking | Balance due | If unpaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 to 6 months before the show | 50% deposit | 75 days before move-in | Final notice, then booth released 14 days after the due date |
| 6 months to 75 days before | 50% deposit | 75 days before move-in, or 14 days after booking if later | Same as above |
| Less than 75 days before | 100% at booking | None | Booth not confirmed until paid |
| Add-ons and services | 100% at order | None | Item not delivered |
| Sponsorships | 50% at signing | 60 days before the show | Benefits paused until paid |
For a $3,000 booth booked eight months out, that means $1,500 at booking and $1,500 on the balance date. For the same booth booked 40 days out, the exhibitor pays $3,000 at booking. Use the exhibitor pricing calculator to check what the deposit and balance come to for each booth size on your rate card.
Reminders and Releasing Unpaid Booths
- 1
30 days before the due date
Send the balance amount, the due date and a payment link or invoice so the exhibitor can forward it to accounts payable.
- 2
7 days before
A short reminder with the same link. Offline payers need this time for a check or wire to arrive.
- 3
On the due date
Tell the exhibitor the balance is due today and how to pay.
- 4
Final notice
Send a final notice with the date the booth will be released if payment isn't received, and call the contact as well as emailing.
- 5
Release
Release the booth for resale as the policy allows, confirm in writing, and offer the space to your waitlist.
Released booths are easiest to resell when you already have a list of companies waiting; the booth sales tracker template shows how to log holds, balances and release dates in one sheet. Once a show has more than a few dozen exhibitors, booth sales software takes the deposit at checkout and sends balance reminders with a payment link, and exhibitor management software keeps payment status beside each exhibitor's forms and deadlines.