Independent contractor agreement

What an independent contractor agreement covers

Hiring an independent contractor is different from hiring an employee, and the agreement should make that difference clear. A good contractor agreement spells out exactly what is being done, what it costs, who owns the finished work, and the fact that the contractor runs their own business rather than working as staff. Getting these points in writing protects both sides and helps avoid confusion about the working relationship.

• The parties. The business hiring and the contractor providing the work.
• The scope. A clear description of the services and any deliverables.
• The term. Whether it is a one-off project or ongoing, with start and end dates.
• Payment. The amount, the schedule, and when invoices are due.
• Ownership of work. Who owns the intellectual property once it is paid for.
• Contractor status. A statement that the contractor is self-employed, not an employee.
• Confidentiality. How private information is protected.
• Termination. How either side can end the agreement early.

This is a general template, not legal advice. The line between a contractor and an employee is set by law and matters for tax and benefits, so if you are unsure how a role is classified, check your local rules or ask a professional. For a high-value or unusual arrangement, have a lawyer review the agreement first.

Free independent contractor agreement template

Copy the text below, or open it in the fill tool and type your details straight onto the page. Every blank line is a field you complete.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT

This Agreement is made on ____________________ [date]

BETWEEN:
  [Client / company name] ____________________________
  Address: ___________________________________________
  (the "Client")

AND:
  [Contractor name] __________________________________
  Address: ___________________________________________
  (the "Contractor")

1. SERVICES
   The Contractor agrees to provide the following services:
   _________________________________________________________________
   Deliverables: ___________________________________________________

2. TERM
   This Agreement starts on ______________ and:
   [ ] ends on ______________
   [ ] continues until the services are complete
   [ ] continues month to month until ended under Section 8.

3. PAYMENT
   The Client agrees to pay the Contractor:
   [ ] $ ________ as a fixed project fee
   [ ] $ ________ per [ ] hour [ ] day [ ] month
   Invoices are due within ______ days. Late amounts may be charged
   ______ % interest per month.

4. EXPENSES
   The Client [ ] will  [ ] will not reimburse pre-approved expenses.

5. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS
   The Contractor is self-employed, not an employee. The Contractor
   handles their own taxes, supplies their own tools, and controls how
   the work is done. This Agreement does not create employment,
   partnership, or benefits.

6. OWNERSHIP OF WORK
   Once payment is received in full, all work created under this
   Agreement belongs to the Client. The Contractor may keep samples for
   their portfolio unless stated otherwise: ____________________

7. CONFIDENTIALITY
   The Contractor will keep the Client's private information confidential
   during and after this Agreement.

8. TERMINATION
   Either party may end this Agreement with ______ days written notice.
   The Client pays for all work completed up to the end date.

9. GOVERNING LAW
   This Agreement is governed by the laws of ____________________.

SIGNATURES

Client: ____________________   Date: ____________
Print name: ________________

Contractor: ________________   Date: ____________
Print name: ________________

How to fill out the contractor agreement

1. Open the template in the fill tool. Copy the text above, or load it into the fill a PDF tool to type your details directly onto the page.
2. Name both parties. Enter the client's and the contractor's full names and addresses. Use exact legal names, not short forms.
3. Describe the scope. Write the services and any deliverables in plain, specific terms. The clearer the scope, the fewer disputes later.
4. Set the term. Choose a fixed end date, a until-complete arrangement, or month to month, and fill in the dates.
5. Enter the payment details. Pick a fixed fee or a rate, then set how many days each invoice has before it is due.
6. Confirm status and ownership. Keep the clause that names the contractor as self-employed, and set who owns the finished work once it is paid for.
7. Sign and date. Both parties sign and date. Draw, type, or upload a signature with the sign a PDF tool.
8. Download a clean PDF. Click download. Your entries are flattened into the page so they cannot be easily changed, and there is no watermark.

Writing a clear scope of work

The scope is the section that prevents the most arguments, so make it specific. Vague wording like design help invites disagreement about what was promised, while two landing page designs delivered by a set date does not. List the actual services, name the deliverables, and where it helps, note what is not included, so nobody expects extra work for the same fee. If the project has stages, describe them, and tie payment to those stages where that makes sense. A scope written in plain, concrete terms is the single best protection against a project that drifts and a client and contractor who remember the deal differently.

Payment terms that get you paid

Decide how the contractor is paid and write it plainly. A fixed project fee suits well-defined work, while an hourly or daily rate suits open-ended or ongoing tasks. Whichever you choose, state the amount, say when invoices are due, and set what happens if payment is late, since a clear due date and a late fee are what turn a polite reminder into an enforceable term. For larger projects, many contractors ask for a deposit up front and the balance on completion, which protects both sides. Writing the payment terms in detail is what keeps money from becoming the sticking point at the end of a job.

Ownership of work and intellectual property

For creative, technical, or written work, who owns the result once it is paid for matters as much as the fee. The template hands ownership to the client on full payment, which is what most businesses expect when they hire out work. If the contractor needs to keep samples for a portfolio, or wants to reuse general tools and methods they bring to every job, say so here so there is no later dispute. Being explicit about ownership protects the client, who gets the rights they paid for, and the contractor, who knows exactly what they can and cannot reuse. This clause is worth reading closely on any project that produces something original.

Contractor status and why it matters

The clause naming the contractor as self-employed is not just wording. It reflects that the contractor runs their own business, handles their own taxes, uses their own tools, and controls how the work is done. That distinction has real consequences for tax and benefits, and misclassifying an employee as a contractor can cause problems for a business. The agreement helps show the relationship is a genuine contractor arrangement, but the actual working practices matter too, so treat the person as a contractor in practice, not only on paper. If a role looks a lot like employment, check your local rules on classification before you sign.

Tips for a contractor agreement that holds up

• Be specific about scope. Name the deliverables and note what is not included.
• Set clear payment terms. State the amount, the due dates, and a late fee.
• Settle ownership up front. Say who owns the work and whether the contractor may keep samples.
• Keep the status clause. Confirm the contractor is self-employed, and treat the role that way in practice.
• Give both sides a signed copy. The client and contractor each keep the same signed PDF.

Before signing, read the whole agreement out loud. A scope line that could be read two ways, or a payment term with no due date, usually reveals itself when you hear it, and fixing it before work begins costs nothing. It also helps to agree how changes to the scope will be handled once the project is under way, since extra requests are common, so a short line saying that added work is quoted and approved separately keeps a growing project from quietly eating the contractor's time for the original fee.

When your agreement is ready, open the fill tool, type in your details, and download a clean PDF you can send and sign today. You can also browse other document templates for a matching invoice or contract. Because everything runs in your browser, an agreement with private terms stays on your own device.