↗ · Free template
Independent contractor agreement, signed before the first invoice.
Scope, rate, IP ownership, and contractor status in one signed document. Protect both sides before the work starts, with a sealed PDF and audit trail on every agreement.
Free forever · 2 forms · No credit card
Last updated
Contractor agreement
Template- Contractor name*text
- Contractor email*email
- Scope of work*text
- Rate and payment terms*text
- Start and end datesdate
- IP assignment acknowledgement*checkbox☐
- Signature*signatureSign here
↗ · What it's for
An independent contractor agreement does two jobs: it sets the commercial terms (scope, rate, deadlines, IP ownership) and it documents the contractor relationship itself, which matters for tax and employment classification. Signing it electronically gets both on the record in minutes, with proof of who agreed to what and when.
Worth knowing · Worker-classification rules differ by jurisdiction and are enforced aggressively in some. This template documents the agreement; it doesn't by itself make someone a contractor, so check the classification tests that apply to you.
When to use it
- Businesses engaging a freelancer or consultant for a defined project
- Agencies subcontracting overflow work with IP assignment on the record
- Startups bringing on fractional help before they can hire full-time
- Contractors who want their own standard terms signed by every client
Built for a specific workflow? See how freelancers & agencies teams use Sign Sail →
↗ · Questions
The template, answered.
Does this work for the contractor sending it to clients?
Yes, the template is symmetric: a freelancer can save their standard terms and send them to each new client, or a business can send its terms to each contractor. Whoever sends it gets the signed, sealed copy back with the audit trail automatically filed.
Can both parties sign?
Yes. On the Business plan, route the agreement to both signers in order or in parallel, each from their own private link, with one audit trail across both signatures.
What makes the signed agreement defensible?
Every signature stores the signer's IP, a UTC timestamp, an explicit consent step, a SHA-256 hash, and a frozen copy of the exact terms, and completed documents are cryptographically sealed (PAdES) so later edits are detectable in any PDF reader.
Get the terms signed, then start the clock.
Start free with two forms. Set your standard contractor terms once and send them for signature before any work begins.