> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.fleetwire.io/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # Booking Rules: Approve or Block Trips by Length and Lead Time # 📏 Booking Rules: Approve or Block Trips by Length and Lead Time Booking rules let you decide which online bookings go straight through, which ones come to you as a request first, and which ones can't be booked online at all. They look at two things: **how long the trip is** and **how far ahead it's booked**. For example: * **Long rentals need a look first.** Trips longer than 14 days come in as requests, so you can check the renter before committing a car for weeks. * **No one-day trips weeks out.** Trips shorter than 2 days can only be booked within 2 days of pickup, so a short rental doesn't block a longer one that might come in later. || **Note**: Booking rules only apply to bookings made on your booking page or website. Orders you create yourself in the dashboard are never affected. --- ## 🛠 Set Up Your Company's Rules 1. Go to [Settings > Booking rules > Approval & requests](https://tenant.fleetwire.io/settings/booking-rules/approval) and find **Booking requests**. 2. Under **Booking rules**, click **Add rule**. 3. Build the rule from left to right: * **Needs approval** or **Not allowed** * for trips **shorter than** or **longer than** a number of **days** * Optional: tick **Only when booked more than** and enter how many **days before pickup**. The rule then only applies to trips booked further ahead than that. 4. Rules save as soon as they're complete. The line under each rule says what it does, for example "Trips shorter than 2 days booked more than 2 days ahead can't be booked online." ![A Not allowed rule for trips shorter than 2 days booked more than 2 days ahead, with its timeline.](https://app.fleetwire.io/images/help/booking-rules/01-company-rules.png =543xauto) Under each rule, a timeline shows sample trips starting from today and whether each one **Books instantly**, **Needs approval** or is **Not allowed**. Use **Try a trip** to change the length, or pick a date to move it, and check the rule does what you expect. ![A Needs approval rule for trips longer than 14 days.](https://app.fleetwire.io/images/help/booking-rules/02-approval-rule.png =702xauto) You can add up to 10 rules. If a trip matches more than one, **Not allowed** wins over **Needs approval**. | **Quick Tip**: Trip length is counted the same way your checkout prices the trip, including any grace hours, so a rule and the price always agree on how many days a trip is. || **Note**: If **Require approval** is ticked above the rules, every online booking already needs approval, so your booking rules only matter once it's off. --- ## 🚗 Change the Rules for One Listing Every listing follows your company's rules unless you change it. 1. Open the listing and go to the **Setting** tab. 2. Under **Booking Rules**, choose: * **Use your company's booking rules** (the default) * **No booking rules for this listing** * **Custom rules for this listing**, then add rules the same way as above. They replace the company rules for this listing only. ![The Booking Rules section on a listing's Setting tab.](https://app.fleetwire.io/images/help/booking-rules/03-listing-rules.png =819xauto) | **Pro Tip**: Rules work alongside the listing's **Shortest trip** and **Longest trip** in **Trip Duration**. Use those for limits that always apply, and booking rules when it depends on how far ahead the trip is booked, or when you'd rather approve than refuse. --- ## 👀 What Renters See As soon as a renter picks dates that match a rule, the booking page tells them. **Not allowed:** the trip can't be booked, and the message explains why, for example "Trips shorter than 2 days can only be booked within 2 days of pickup." ![The booking page telling a renter a 1-day trip can only be booked within 2 days of pickup.](https://app.fleetwire.io/images/help/booking-rules/04-booking-page-not-allowed.png =586xauto) **Needs approval:** the renter can still check out, but it's sent as a request. They see "You won't be charged until your request is approved," and no payment is taken at checkout. ![The booking page telling a renter that trips longer than 14 days need the host's approval.](https://app.fleetwire.io/images/help/booking-rules/05-booking-page-approval.png =599xauto) --- ## ✅ Approve or Decline a Request Requests show up in [Orders](https://tenant.fleetwire.io/orders/) with the status **Pending approval**. A request doesn't block your calendar until you approve it. 1. Open the order. 2. Click **Approve** to confirm it. The dates are blocked, and the renter gets your **Booking approved** email with a link to their booking. 3. Or click **Decline**. You can add a reason and choose whether to email the renter. ![A pending booking request with the Approve and Decline buttons.](https://app.fleetwire.io/images/help/booking-rules/06-approve-decline.png =579xauto) Since no payment is taken with a request, collect it once you've approved, for example with a payment link. See [Send Payment Requests to Customers](/en/article/send-payment-requests-to-customers-vtvokn/). | **Quick Tip**: The request received, approved and declined emails are all templates you can edit. See [Custom Email Templates in Fleetwire](/en/article/custom-email-templates-in-fleetwire-1apedin/). --- ## 🚀 Next Steps * **Set trip length limits**: [Set Up Your Fleetwire Calendar](/en/article/set-up-your-fleetwire-calendar-for-seamless-vehicle-availability-5svtxz/) * **Book phone and walk-in customers**: [Manually Creating Orders in Fleetwire](/en/article/manually-creating-orders-in-fleetwire-1a0bxvw/) * **Collect payment after approval**: [Send Payment Requests to Customers](/en/article/send-payment-requests-to-customers-vtvokn/) * **Need help?** Contact us at [hi@fleetwire.io](mailto:hi@fleetwire.io) or via the in-app chat.