Guides / Studio Haven
How much should a tattoo deposit be?
There is no single right number. There is a number that covers your drawing time, holds the chair, and still gets people to book. Here is how most artists land on theirs.
What the deposit is actually for
A deposit is not extra money. It pays for the hours you spend drawing before anyone sits down, and it holds a slot you could have given to someone else. If the client ghosts, the deposit is what's left of that day.
Most artists take it off the final price. The client is not paying more. They are paying part of it early, which is also the part that proves they are serious.
Flat amount or a percentage
Flat is easier to explain and easier to put on a flash sheet. A percentage scales with the job, which matters once you are quoting a back piece. Plenty of artists use both: flat for flash, bigger for customs and anything that runs multiple sessions.
- Flash: a flat deposit per design. The price is known, so the deposit can be too.
- Customs: at least enough to cover your drawing time at your normal rate.
- Multi-session work: one deposit up front, held and applied to the last session so it stays on the hook the whole way through.
- Touch-ups: often no deposit, or a small one to stop people booking and forgetting.
Make the rule visible where they pay
Non-refundable only works if they read it before they paid. Put it on the booking page and at checkout, not in a DM from three weeks ago. Say what happens if they reschedule with notice (usually the deposit moves once) and what happens if they no-show (it's gone).
If you have not written that part down yet, the cancellation policy guide has wording you can steal.
Stop chasing it by hand
Taking deposits over text means matching payments to names, and someone always sends it with no note. On Studio Haven the deposit is part of booking. Each flash piece has its own deposit and total. Custom requests come in as inquiries, and you send a deposit link once you've quoted. The money goes to your own Stripe or Square account.
On Stripe you can also pass the card fee on to the client so you get the full deposit. Surcharge rules change depending on where you work, so check yours before you switch that on. Tattooing in Canada? There are more details in taking tattoo deposits online in Canada.
See it from the client side
Open the demo studio and book it the way a client would, deposit and all. You don't need an account. When you're ready, set up your own page.
Related guides
Questions artists ask
Are tattoo deposits refundable?
Usually not, and that's the point of them. Most artists let the deposit move once if the client reschedules with enough notice, and keep it on a no-show or a late cancel. Whatever your rule is, put it at checkout so nobody can say they never saw it.
Does the deposit come off the final price?
For most artists, yes. The client pays the rest on the day. If you do not take it off the price, say that clearly up front, because most clients will assume you do.
Should I take a deposit for small flash?
If a no-show would cost you the slot, yes. A small flat deposit on flash cuts down on people who book five things and show up for one.
$15 a month. No cut of your deposits.
14-day free trial starts when you sign up. No card needed. Flash, customs, deposits, calendar, aftercare.