Template
Services agreement template for any service business
A services agreement template is a contract for any business that sells its time and skills, from agencies and IT support to cleaning, bookkeeping and training. It covers the scope of services, fees, payment schedule, changes, ownership of work, termination and liability. Signee fills it from your deal details and sends it for e-signature.
- Scope, fees and payment schedule
- Change orders and client responsibilities
- Termination with payment for work done
- Not legal advice, review before signing
Services Agreement
Template, 12 clauses
- 1.Services. What the provider does, where and how often
- 2.Client responsibilities. Access, information, approvals, timely feedback
- 3.Fees. Fixed fee, hourly rate or monthly retainer
- 4.Expenses. Which costs are reimbursed and with what approval
- 5.Invoicing and payment. Billing cycle, payment window, late fees
- 6.Term. Start date, fixed term or ongoing
- 7.Changes to scope. Written change orders
- 8.Ownership of deliverables. Client owns paid deliverables, provider keeps its know how
- 9.Independent contractor. No employment, provider handles its own taxes
- 10.Confidentiality. Both sides keep shared information private
- 11.Limitation of liability. Cap on damages, no indirect loss
- 12.Termination. Notice, breach, payment for work done
Provider
Customer
When to use a services agreement
Use a services agreement when one business performs work for another and the relationship can be described in a single document: a six month marketing retainer, monthly IT support for an office, a bookkeeping engagement, a training programme. It replaces the email that says sounds good, let us start Monday, which is where most payment disputes begin.
When the same client buys several separate projects over time, move the legal terms into a master service agreement template and put each project into a short statement of work. If you are an individual expert selling advice rather than delivery, the consulting agreement template is closer to what you need.
Short on time? Describe the engagement in one sentence and the ai contract generator drafts a services agreement with your parties, fee and notice period already in place.
Describe your agreement in one sentence
Agreement type
Services, retainer
Governing law
New York
- Reading the deal terms done
- Drafting 12 clauses done
- Checking missing fields done
- Placing signature fields done
Clause by clause
What each clause does and what to negotiate
Plain notes for every clause in the outline. Adapt them to your service and your local law.
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1Services
Describes the work in enough detail that a third party could tell whether it was done: tasks, frequency, location, deliverables.
Negotiate. Concrete outputs and service standards instead of broad phrases such as marketing support or general maintenance.
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2Client responsibilities
Lists what the client must provide so the provider can do the work, and states that delays caused by the client do not count against the provider.
Negotiate. Response times for approvals and what happens to the schedule and fees if the client is late.
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3Fees
States the price and the pricing model, including rates for extra work outside the agreed scope.
Negotiate. Annual rate increases, minimum monthly hours on a retainer, and whether unused retainer hours roll over.
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4Expenses
Says which out of pocket costs, such as travel, software or materials, the client repays and whether prior approval is needed.
Negotiate. A threshold above which expenses need written approval, and whether they are billed at cost or with a markup.
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5Invoicing and payment
Sets when invoices go out, when they are due and what happens when they are late.
Negotiate. Payment terms, a deposit for new clients, and the right to pause work after an invoice is overdue.
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6Term
States whether the agreement covers a single project, a fixed period or an open ended relationship.
Negotiate. Automatic renewal and the notice period needed to stop it.
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7Changes to scope
Requires extra work to be agreed in writing with its price before it starts.
Negotiate. Who on each side can approve a change order.
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8Ownership of deliverables
Transfers rights in deliverables made for the client, usually after payment, while the provider keeps its methods, templates and tools.
Negotiate. Whether the provider may reuse general know how and show the work in its portfolio.
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9Independent contractor
Confirms the provider is not an employee and is responsible for its own taxes, insurance and staff.
Negotiate. Real independence matters more than the label. Control over how and when work is done drives classification.
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10Confidentiality
Protects non public information exchanged during the work.
Negotiate. Duration after the agreement ends and exceptions for information required by law.
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11Limitation of liability
Caps each party exposure, commonly at the fees paid over a set period, and excludes indirect losses.
Negotiate. The cap amount and exclusions for confidentiality breaches and gross negligence.
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12Termination
Explains how either party can end the agreement and requires payment for work completed up to that date.
Negotiate. Notice period for convenience termination and a kill fee for work already scheduled.
Common mistakes
Small gaps that cost service businesses money
Scope written as a slogan
Full social media management means something different to every client. List channels, post counts and reporting instead.
No right to pause work
Without it, you keep working while invoices stay unpaid. Add a clear right to suspend after a set number of days overdue.
Changes agreed verbally
Extra work done on a call is rarely paid. A one line change order with the price closes the gap.
Contractor in name only
Setting the hours and tools of an independent provider can turn the relationship into employment, whatever the contract says.
Unlimited liability
A small retainer should not expose the provider to losses many times the fee. Cap liability and exclude indirect loss.
Silent auto renewal
A retainer that renews without a reminder leads to awkward refund requests. State the renewal and notice terms plainly.
In Signee
Fill it in and send it for signature
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1
Choose a starting point
Generate the agreement from one sentence, or start from the Master Services Agreement or Consulting Agreement in the library.
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2
Fill the deal terms
Enter parties, fee, payment days and termination notice. Empty fields are highlighted before you send.
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3
Adjust clauses
Edit scope, expenses or liability in the editor, then save the result as your own template for the next client.
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4
Send and get paid
Set signing order and reminders. The signed PDF is stored with key dates and renewal alerts.
This template is not legal advice. Signee is not a law firm, and the template is a general starting point. Rules on worker classification, late payment interest and consumer contracts differ between countries and states. For high value engagements, or when you sell to consumers rather than businesses, have a qualified lawyer review your version. The rest of the work, from sending to filing, runs in the same contract management software.
Services agreement template questions
What is the difference between a services agreement and a statement of work
Is a services agreement the same as a consulting agreement
Should a services agreement have a fixed term
Can I use this services agreement template with consumers
How do I get a services agreement signed quickly
Can I change the clauses
Keep reading
Send your services agreement today
Fill the template from your deal terms, send it for e-signature and keep the renewal date in view. Plans start at 24 USD a month billed yearly.