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Service Agreement Template

A service agreement is the written contract for a single engagement between a business providing a service and the business paying for it — covering the scope of work, the fee, the term, and who's liable if something goes wrong, all in one self-contained document. Download the ready-to-fill template below, or read the field-by-field checklist first.

Download the Service Agreement

A complete, ready-to-fill PDF — 12 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.

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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 a service agreement

These are the fields and clauses a general service agreement needs. Leaving one out doesn't necessarily void the agreement, but each gap is a spot where the Client and the Service Provider can end up disagreeing about what they actually agreed to.

  • Client & service provider names
  • Scope of services
  • Fees and payment terms
  • Term & termination
  • Standard of care / warranties
  • Independent contractor status
  • Confidentiality
  • Ownership of deliverables
  • Insurance
  • Liability / indemnification
  • Signatures & date

What each clause is for

Client & service provider names. Use the full legal name of each party — the registered business name, not a trade name or nickname. State whether the Service Provider is a company or an individual operating as a sole proprietor.

Scope of services.The specific work being performed, where it's performed, and who supplies the equipment or materials. Say explicitly what falls outside the scope, so extra work doesn't get done — or expected — for free.

Fees and payment terms. The fee (fixed or per unit/hour), invoice frequency, due date, accepted payment method, and what happens if payment is late — a grace period, interest, or suspension of work.

Term & termination. When the agreement starts and ends, the notice period required to end it for convenience, and whether either side can end it immediately for cause, such as non-payment or an unremedied breach.

Standard of care / warranties.The performance standard the Service Provider commits to — typically a professional, workmanlike manner consistent with industry norms — plus a warranty that the work won't infringe anyone else's rights.

Independent contractor status. A statement that the Service Provider is a contractor, not an employee, responsible for its own taxes and insurance and free to control how it performs the work.

Confidentiality. What information either side may not disclose or use outside the engagement, and how long that obligation lasts after the agreement ends.

Ownership of deliverables.Who owns any report, design or other work product created for the engagement once it's paid for — and what the Service Provider keeps, like its own pre-existing tools and methods.

Insurance.What coverage the Service Provider carries — general liability, workers' compensation, or others — and its obligation to prove it on request. Matters most for on-site or hands-on work.

Liability / indemnification.A cap on how much either side can be held liable for, and who covers whose losses if a third party brings a claim. Often the most negotiated clause — don't leave it out or copy it blind.

Signatures & date.Both the Client and the Service Provider (or their authorized representative) sign and date the agreement. An unsigned agreement is just a draft — it isn't binding until both parties have signed it.

Common mistakes to watch for

  • Vague scope of services.“IT support” or “cleaning services” as the entire scope invites disputes over what's actually included — spell out concrete tasks, deliverables, or a defined schedule instead.
  • No termination-for-cause clause. Relying only on a long notice period means a Client stuck with underperforming work — or a Provider stuck chasing a non-paying Client — has no fast way out.
  • Skipping the insurance clause.If the Service Provider will be on the Client's premises or handling its property, the Client should know what coverage is in place before something goes wrong, not after.
  • Confusing this with a master services agreement. An MSA sets terms for future projects with scope and price filled in later by a statement of work; this template is for a single engagement with the scope and fee already known — using the wrong one leaves either too little detail or an unnecessary second document.
  • No liability cap.Without one, either party's exposure on a dispute is effectively open-ended, which is rarely what either side intended when they agreed on the fee.

Get your agreement signed

Download the template above, fill in the blanks, then send it to the other party for signature with a free Evenseal account — 3 documents a month, no card required. Only need your own copy signed? Self-sign for free with no account at /sign-pdf.

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Not legal advice — for engagements involving significant liability, on-site work, or cross-border parties, have a local attorney review your agreement.

Frequently asked questions

What is a service agreement?+
A service agreement (also called a services contract) is the written contract that sets out what one business (the Service Provider) will do for another (the Client), what it costs, and what happens if something goes wrong. It covers a single engagement in full — scope, fees, term, liability — in one self-contained document, rather than deferring terms to a later schedule.
How is this different from a master services agreement (MSA)?+
An MSA is umbrella paperwork: it sets the legal terms that will govern many future projects, but deliberately leaves scope and price blank for a statement of work (SOW) to fill in later. A service agreement like this one is the opposite — it names the actual scope and fee for one engagement, and needs no companion document to be enforceable. Use an MSA when you expect repeat projects with the same party; use a service agreement for a single, defined engagement. Master Services Agreement Template.
Is an e-signed service agreement legally binding?+
In most US states and many other countries, yes — an electronically signed service agreement carries the same legal weight as one signed on paper, under laws like the US ESIGN Act and UETA, and equivalents elsewhere. A service agreement between two businesses is a standard commercial contract, not a document requiring notarization or a qualified signature. Are electronic signatures legally binding?.
Does this template cover insurance and liability?+
Yes. It includes a limitation-of-liability clause with an aggregate cap, mutual indemnification, and an insurance clause where the Service Provider states what coverage it carries (general liability, workers' compensation, or others) and provides proof on request. These are the clauses that matter most when the Service Provider works on the Client's premises or handles the Client's property.
Can I send this agreement to a client or provider to sign online?+
Yes. Download the template above, fill in the blanks, then send it for signature with a free Evenseal account — the other party doesn't need an account to sign it, and the finished file comes back sealed with an audit certificate. Create a free account.

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