A Rate Type determines how a facility is priced when someone rents it.
CivicRec requires at least one rate type per facility even if the rental is free or else the facility will not appear on the public catalog.
Rate types allow you to define:
How fees are calculated (hourly, daily, by block, flat rate)
Length of time a renter can reserve the facility
Whether rates change by season, date, user type, or rental duration
You should think of a rate type as the “pricing engine” attached to a facility.
Video Instruction
Please watch the video to learn about Creating and Configuring Rate Types. Once finished, review how to apply what you learned in the system before continuing to the next lesson, Configuring Parent and Child Facilities.
When to Use
CivicRec supports multiple pricing models to accommodate many pricing options from hourly rentals to full‑day bookings.
Common Rate Types
Day Rate — A fixed charge for Overnight or Multi-Day rentals
Flat Rate — One fee regardless of hours used
Hourly Rate — Charge per hour with optional minimum/maximum hours
Block Rate — Pre-set time blocks (8am–12pm, 1pm–5pm)
Fee Varied (Advanced) — Rates that depend on number of hours or other variables
How to Apply
While learning how to utilize Creating and Configuring Rate Types, you may experience areas where you have questions. If you have any questions or run into issues, please keep track of them so your CivicPlus representative may address them.
Please complete the following:
Determine the different rates your facility will have.
Create the appropriate rate types for your facility.
If your rate type will be the same for other facilities, you can Copy the rate type to that facility to save time once the other facility has been built.
Use Hourly Rates when:
Renters may choose any start and end time
You need a minimum number of hours
The facility is used for parties, meetings, etc.
Use Flat Rates when:
You charge “one fee” for the entire rental
You don’t allow adjustable time windows
Use Block Rates when:
You offer preset time blocks (morning, afternoon, evening)
You want simplified scheduling or reduced staff review
Use Day Rates when:
The facility is rented for full days only
Parks, fields, shelters, or large event venues require simple pricing
Use Fee Varied when:
Pricing changes after minimum hours are met
Example: first 4 hours at a base fee, additional hours at another rate
FAQ
How do Minimum and Maximum Hours work?
Minimum and maximum units (often hours) determine:
The shortest allowable reservation
Whether additional hours are allowed beyond the minimum
Example:
A facility required a 4‑hour minimum but allowed renters to add single hours beyond that minimum. Setting Min Unit = 4 accomplishes the requirement.
This is ideal for:
Large event venues
Community rooms requiring a deposit
Spaces that need cleanup turnover time
Why isn’t my facility limiting bookings the way I expect? (e.g., Only one booking per day)
Several configuration areas influence booking limits. Checking your Rate Type as well as Rental Options Tab configurations can help determine booking issues.
Check these settings:
Rental Options → Max Daily Bookings
Rate Type Minimum Hours
Prompts that may override the intended scheduling flow
Whether multiple rate types allow overlapping reservation windows
Example Cause of Booking Issue:
Max Daily Bookings was set to 1
Rate types lacked a 4-hour minimum, so overlapping bookings slipped through
Once minimum units were applied, the day became fully unavailable after the first booking
Best practice: Always test in the internal catalog after adjusting rate rules.
How do we test rate types before going live?
Recommended Testing Steps
Use an account with last name Test or Fake
Perform internal catalog bookings first
Then test on public view
Void the transaction afterwards if done in production
Testing ensures:
Pricing calculates correctly
Restrictions are honored
Booking limits function as intended