Independent Contractor Agreement Template
An independent contractor agreement sets out the scope, pay, and terms between a client and a self-employed contractor — and, critically, documents that the relationship is not employment. Download the ready-to-fill template below, or read the field-by-field checklist first — it covers what every agreement should include and the mistakes that create classification risk.
Download the Independent Contractor Agreement
A complete, ready-to-fill PDF — 14 clauses, blanks for every detail, and a signature block for both parties. Free, no email, no account. Read it and adapt it before you use it; the cover page explains what it can and cannot do for you.
Need the other party to sign it too? Send it for signature with a full audit trail and a tamper-evident seal on the finished file — they never need an account. See pricing.
This is a template, not legal advice
This document is a general-purpose template provided for information only. It is not legal advice, it does not create a lawyer–client relationship, and nobody has reviewed it against your situation.
Laws differ by country, state and province, and they change. A clause that is standard in one place can be unenforceable — or illegal — in another. Terms that are ordinary between two businesses can be void in a consumer or employment context.
Read every clause before you use it, fill in every blank, and delete anything that does not apply. For anything high-value, unusual, or that you could not afford to lose a dispute over, have a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction review it before it is signed.
What to include in an independent contractor agreement
These are the fields and clauses an independent contractor agreement needs. Leaving one out doesn’t necessarily void the agreement, but each gap is a spot where the client and contractor can end up disagreeing about what they actually agreed to — or where a regulator could question how the relationship was really structured.
- Client & contractor names
- Scope of work/services
- Payment terms & rate
- Deadline / timeline
- Independent-contractor status clause (not an employee)
- Confidentiality
- Termination terms
- Signatures & date
What each clause is for
Client & contractor names. Use full legal names or registered business names for both parties — if the contractor operates through an entity (an LLC or similar), name the entity, not just the individual doing the work.
Scope of work/services. Describe the specific deliverables or services, not just a general job title. Vague scope is the single biggest source of disputes over what was actually promised — and, separately, a broad open-ended scope can itself look more like employment than a defined project.
Payment terms & rate. The rate (hourly, per-project, or milestone-based), invoicing schedule, payment method, and what happens if an invoice is late. State whether the rate is inclusive of expenses or whether expenses are billed separately.
Deadline / timeline. The project’s start and end dates or key milestones. For ongoing work, note whether the agreement auto-renews, runs indefinitely, or has a fixed review date.
Independent-contractor status clause. A clause stating plainly that the contractor is self-employed, not an employee — no tax withholding, no benefits, and the contractor controls how and when the work gets done. This clause is evidence of intent; it does not, by itself, guarantee that classification if the actual working relationship looks like employment.
Confidentiality. What information the contractor may not disclose or use outside the engagement, and for how long that obligation survives after the agreement ends.
Termination terms. How either party can end the agreement early — notice period, payment for work completed up to that point, and what happens to any deliverables or materials already in progress.
Signatures & date. Both the client and the contractor sign and date the agreement. An unsigned agreement is just a draft — it isn’t binding until both sides have signed it.
Common mistakes to watch for
- Treating the label as the outcome. Calling someone a contractor in the document doesn’t make them one in the eyes of tax or labor authorities. If you set their hours, dictate exactly how the work is done, and it’s their only client, the written label may not hold up.
- Undefined scope. “Marketing help” or “ongoing support” invites disagreement over what’s actually owed — and makes the engagement look more like an open-ended job than a defined project.
- No termination path. Without clear termination terms, ending a non-performing engagement — or one that’s simply no longer needed — becomes a dispute instead of a formality.
- Copying a generic template without local review. Contractor classification rules, required clauses, and tax treatment vary widely by country and by state or province — a template written for one jurisdiction can miss requirements in another.
Get your agreement signed
Fill in the template above and send it for signature with a free Evenseal account — 5 documents a month, no card required. Only need your own copy signed? Self-sign for free with no account at /sign-pdf.
Not legal advice — for anything unusual, or if you’re unsure how a contractor should be classified in your jurisdiction, have a local attorney or accountant review your agreement.