diff --git a/application/config/constants.php b/application/config/constants.php
index 9b667b0..12b372d 100644
--- a/application/config/constants.php
+++ b/application/config/constants.php
@@ -83,3 +83,15 @@ defined('EXIT_USER_INPUT')     OR define('EXIT_USER_INPUT', 7); // invalid user
 defined('EXIT_DATABASE')       OR define('EXIT_DATABASE', 8); // database error
 defined('EXIT__AUTO_MIN')      OR define('EXIT__AUTO_MIN', 9); // lowest automatically-assigned error code
 defined('EXIT__AUTO_MAX')      OR define('EXIT__AUTO_MAX', 125); // highest automatically-assigned error code
+
+/*
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+| Booking lead time
+|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+|
+| Minimum number of days ahead a guest can book a job. 5 means the earliest
+| selectable date is today + 5 days. Applies to the public booking form only
+| - the admin portal can still book any date.
+|
+*/
+defined('BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS') OR define('BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS', 5);
diff --git a/application/controllers/Pages.php b/application/controllers/Pages.php
index 85ef264..51a153d 100644
--- a/application/controllers/Pages.php
+++ b/application/controllers/Pages.php
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class Pages extends CI_Controller {
 		}
 
 		if(isset($_POST['action']) && $_POST['action'] == 'isTimeAvailable' && isset($_POST['selectedDate'])){
-			$results = $this->Service_model->getAvailableTimes($_POST['group_id'], $_POST['selectedDate'], $_POST['servicelength']);
+			$results = $this->Service_model->getAvailableTimes($_POST['group_id'], $_POST['selectedDate'], $_POST['servicelength'], BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS);
 
 			$timeIsAvailable = 0;
 			if(is_array($results)){
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ class Pages extends CI_Controller {
 		}
 
 		if(isset($_POST['action']) && $_POST['action'] == 'getAvailableTimes' && isset($_POST['selectedDate'])){
-			$results = $this->Service_model->getAvailableTimes($_POST['group_id'], $_POST['selectedDate'], $_POST['servicelength'].':00');
+			$results = $this->Service_model->getAvailableTimes($_POST['group_id'], $_POST['selectedDate'], $_POST['servicelength'].':00', BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS);
 
 			$rowIndex = 1;
 			if(!empty($results)){
@@ -515,6 +515,13 @@ class Pages extends CI_Controller {
 
 
 		if(isset($_POST['sendBooking'])){
+			//guest bookings must be at least BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS days ahead
+			$earliestBookingDate = date('Y-m-d', strtotime('+'.BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS.' days'));
+			if(!isset($_POST['booking_date']) || $_POST['booking_date'] < $earliestBookingDate){
+				header('Location:'.SITEURL.'booking');
+				exit;
+			}
+
 			//calculate finish time
 			$serviceStartTime = date("H:i:s", strtotime($_POST['booking_start_time']));
 			$serviceLengthTime = date("H:i:s", strtotime($_POST['servicelength']));
diff --git a/application/models/Service_model.php b/application/models/Service_model.php
index 1340915..4a5b99f 100644
--- a/application/models/Service_model.php
+++ b/application/models/Service_model.php
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ class Service_model extends CI_Model {
         }
     }
     
-    public function getAvailableTimes($group_id, $selectedDate, $servicelength){
+    public function getAvailableTimes($group_id, $selectedDate, $servicelength, $minLeadDays = 0){
         $this->load->database();
         $serviceLengthDateTime = new DateTime($selectedDate.' '.$servicelength);            
         $service_length_time = strtotime($servicelength);
@@ -366,6 +366,12 @@ class Service_model extends CI_Model {
         $selectedDay=date_create($selectedDate);
         $dateDiff=date_diff($today,$selectedDay);
 
+        //minimum booking lead time - no times offered before today + $minLeadDays days.
+        //$minLeadDays = 0 means no restriction (admin portal).
+        if($minLeadDays > 0 && intval($dateDiff->format('%R%a')) < $minLeadDays){
+            return array();
+        }
+
         $tmpDateStart = date_create(date('2024-02-29'));
         $tmpDateEnd = date_create(date('2024-03-07'));
 
diff --git a/application/views/pages/includes/booking-form.php b/application/views/pages/includes/booking-form.php
index da5c12f..74d9e54 100644
--- a/application/views/pages/includes/booking-form.php
+++ b/application/views/pages/includes/booking-form.php
@@ -787,7 +787,7 @@
                 <div class="bookingResultsWrapper">
                     <div class="availableTimesContainerTitle"></div>
                     <div class="availableTimesContainer" style="padding:5px;">
-                        <input type="hidden" name="booking_date" id="booking_date" value="<?php echo date('Y-m-d');?>">
+                        <input type="hidden" name="booking_date" id="booking_date" value="<?php echo date('Y-m-d', strtotime('+'.BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS.' days'));?>">
                         <input type="hidden" name="booking_start_time" id="booking_time" value="">
                         
                         <div class="availableTimes">
@@ -1122,7 +1122,8 @@
         
         $("#datepicker").datepicker({
             firstDay: 1,
-            defaultDate: new Date(),
+            minDate: <?php echo intval(BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS);?>,
+            defaultDate: +<?php echo intval(BOOKING_MIN_LEAD_DAYS);?>,
             dateFormat: 'yy-mm-dd', 
             onSelect: function(dateText) {
                 $('#booking_date').val(this.value);