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Freelance Graphic
Design Contract

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Prepared for:
[CLIENT/CLIENT COMPANY]

Prepared by:
[GRAPHIC DESIGNER]

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Freelance Graphic Design Contract

 This Freelance Graphic Designer Contract (hereby referred to as the “Contract”) is entered on [Date] between

[Client/Client Company Name], incorporated at [Client/Client Company Address] (hereby referred to as the “Client”)

and

[Graphic Designer Name], incorporated at [Graphic Designer Address] (hereby referred to as the “Graphic Designer”).

The Client and the Graphic Designer shall be collectively referred to as “Parties” and individually as “Party”.

The Client wishes to engage the Graphic Designer in Graphic Designing and other design services, as elaborated in this Contract. 

The Parties hereby agree to the below terms and conditions:

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Terms of the Contract

1. Scope of Work

The Graphic Designer agrees to provide the following services:

Logo Designing
Brand Printing
[Add services]

2. Term

This Contract shall commence as of the Effective Date and shall continue for [Time Period] following the acceptance of the Contract. 

3. Deliverables

The payment table sets forth the pricing for each of the services provided:

Service	Timeline	Mode of Delivery	File Type	Total
[Services 1]	[Date]	[Mode of Delivery]	[File Type]	$ [0.00]
[Services 2]	[Date]	[Mode of Delivery]	[File Type]	$ [0.00]
[Services 3]	[Date]	[Mode of Delivery]	[File Type]	$ [0.00]
				Total : $ [0.00]

4. Payment Policy

All balances shall be due upon completion of the work or receipt of the invoice. Invoices shall be delivered regularly and are due upon receipt.
The Graphic Designer may cease work if any balances remain unpaid for a period of [Time Period].
If the scope of work gets modified during the project’s completion, additional costs shall be added to the final amount.
All clients are required to maintain a valid credit card on file before the commencement of any work. Credit cards on file will only be charged if a balance is over [Time Period] days past due, or if the Client specifically opts for one-time or ongoing scheduled payments by credit card.

5. Client Approval

The Client shall be notified for approval upon any or all services provided under this Contract for finalization and submission.
The number of revisions, the Client is entitled to, is [Frequency].
The number of revisions above [Frequency] shall be charged at a rate of $[0.00].

6. Confidentiality

All confidential information that is communicated to and obtained by the Graphic Designer from the Client in connection with performing the scope of services under this Contract shall be held by the Graphic Designer in full trust. At no time will the Graphic Designer use any confidential information obtained through conducting this service contract either directly or indirectly, for personal benefit, or disclose or communicate such information in any manner to any third party. This provision shall continue to be effective after the termination of this Contract.

7. Cancellation

This Contract may be cancelled/terminated by either Party submitting a written notice to the other Party or may immediately be cancelled under the following circumstances:
If there is a failure to make a required payment when due
In the event of bankruptcy by either Party 
The failure to make available or deliver the services in the time and manner as described in this Contract.
Upon termination of this Contract, the Graphic Designer shall cease reproducing, advertising, marketing, and distributing any material or information pertaining to the Client immediately.

8. Limitation of Liability

Under no circumstances shall either Party be liable to the other Party or any third party for any damages or any special, indirect, or consequential damages, that might result from any part of this Contract such as, but not limited to, loss of profit, revenue, or failure in the delivery of services.

9. Independent Contractor

The Graphic Designer shall be retained as an independent contractor. The Graphic Designer shall be fully responsible for payment of its income taxes on all compensation earned under this Contract. The Client shall not withhold or pay any taxes on behalf of the Graphic Designer. The Graphic Designer understands that they will not be entitled to any added employee benefits that Client provides for its employees generally or to any statutory employment benefits, including without limitation worker's compensation or unemployment insurance.

10. Indemnification

The Parties each agree to indemnify and hold harmless the other Party, its respective affiliates, employees, and permitted successors. Assigns against any losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities, punitive damages, expenses, reasonable legal fees of whatsoever kind or amount, which result from the negligence of or breach of this Contract by the indemnifying Party; its respective affiliate or successors and any assign that occurs in connection with this Contract. This section remains in full force and effect even after the termination of the Contract.

11. Representation and Warranties

The Graphic Designer represents and warrants that it has the right to enter into and perform this Contract. 
The Graphic Designer further represents and warrants that it is the rightful owner; and therefore has the right to utilize and distribute the designs created for the Client. 
The Graphic Designer warrants to take full responsibility and repay associated damages if it uses any third party's existing intellectual property. 
The Graphic Designer warrants it shall adhere to the requested deadline and comply in any other manner by which the Client's requirements shall be fulfilled. 

12. Ownership of Rights

The Client continues to own any and all proprietary information it shares with the Graphic Designer during the term of this Contract. The Graphic Designer has no rights to this proprietary information and may not use it except to complete the Graphic Design services. Upon completion of the Contract, the Client will own the final Graphic Design Deliverables. 

13. Arbitration 

In the event of any dispute arising in and out of this Contract between the Parties, it shall be resolved by arbitration. There shall be [Number of Arbitrators] arbitrators which shall be appointed by [Party Name]. The venue of arbitration shall be [Venue/Location of Arbitration] and the seat shall be [State]. The arbitrators' decision shall be final and will be binding on both the Parties.

14. Miscellaneous

Assignability: Neither Party may assign this Contract or the rights and obligations thereunder to any third party without the prior express written approval of the other Party which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Notices: Any notice required to be given to the Client shall be delivered by certified mail, personal delivery, or overnight delivery paid for by the Company.
Force Majeure: Neither Party shall be liable for any failure in performance of the obligation under this Contract due to cause beyond that Party's reasonable control (including and not limited to any pandemic, fire, strike, act or order of public authority, and other acts of God) during the pendency of such event.
Modification: No modification of this Contract shall be made unless in writing, signed by both parties.
Severability: If any term, clause, or provision hereof is held invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, all other terms will remain in full force and effect until the termination.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction: If the disputes are not resolved by arbitration, the parties agree to resolve disputes through litigation in accordance with the laws of [State].
Legal and Binding Contract: This Contract is legal and binding between the Parties as stated above. This Contract may be entered into and is legal and binding in the [State/Court/Region]. The Parties each represent that they have the authority to enter into this Contract.
Entire Agreement: This Contract constitutes the entire understanding of the Parties, and revokes and supersedes all prior Contracts between the Parties and is intended as a final expression of their Contract. It shall not be modified or amended except in writing signed by the Parties hereto and specifically referring to this Contract. This Contract shall take precedence over any other documents which may conflict with this Contract.

Acceptance and Signature

The Parties signing this Contract represent and warrant that they are duly authorized and have the legal capacity to execute and deliver this Contract. 

[Graphic Designer]

[Client Company]

Signature

Assign signer 1

Name

Assign signer 1

Date

Assign signer 1

Signature

Assign signer 2

Name

Assign signer 2

Date

Assign signer 2

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THANK YOU

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DISCLAIMER: Revvsales, Inc is not a law firm. The content provided herein is for general information purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. Revvsales, Inc and its partners make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information mentioned hereunder. The use or reliance of any information contained herein is for your personal use and solely at your own risk. You agree to fully release and indemnify Revvsales, Inc from any liability associated with the use of this content. You are advised to obtain independent legal advice before taking or refraining from any action on the basis of the content provided here.

Free Freelance Graphic Design Contract Template

Are you a freelance graphic designer who is looking for a contract to close a deal? Then check out this template that consists of all the required information and is ready to use.

Get started with this template

Agency

Digital Marketing

Graphic Design

Services

Social Media

Nine things every graphic design contract template must include

Have you ever been in a situation where you agreed to work for the client, and put all your time into it but ended up not receiving the promised fees? If yes, chances are you and your client had not signed a graphic design contract.

Why does a freelancer need a graphic design contract?

A graphic design contract helps avoid compensation and intellectual property theft situations. It is a legally binding document between you and your client that clearly defines the specifics of the design project and prevents miscommunications.

When you pursue freelancing, you have to wear many hats: you’re a graphic designer, a marketer, a salesperson, an accountant, and so much more. You may start by sending across a graphic design proposal followed by a quick quote and then proceed to draft a contract that defines your graphic design services to your customer. But sometimes freelancers (or any independent creative professionals) are vulnerable to unethical business practices. Unlike agencies and in-house designers, they may not have the benefit of lawyers to settle a dispute with the client.

If a legal document is not laid out in writing at the start of the project, it will be difficult to prove any ambiguous terms. Therefore, you need a contract to protect yourself and your design business.

Below are some benefits of signing a graphic design contract:

It explains the design project in detail so there are no misunderstandings between you and your client
It outlines the milestones of the project that keeps you organized
It secures payment
It clarifies who owns the final product

What should you include in your freelance graphic design contract template?

As a freelance designer, you should always include the following points in your contract to build a professional relationship with your clients:

1. Scope of work

You may have a verbal understanding of the project with your client. But it’s important to have all the details in writing to ensure you’re clear with your responsibilities and the project’s deliverables. You can also use this section to include what you are not responsible for.

Once everything is documented, it reduces the chance of miscommunications and avoids scope creep.

2. Deliverables

This section specifies exactly what your clients expect from you at the end of the project. Usually, designers send mockups to give clients an idea of what the final deliverables may look like.

In this section, include the following details:

Final deliverables (what is expected out of you at the end of the project, logos, business cards, web designs, brochures, etc.)
Timeline for each deliverable
Delivery method (whether it will be delivered by email or should flash drives work)
File types (what will be the preferred file types for the project, PNG, JPG, or PDFs)

3. Payment terms

This is the section where you need to mention the project fee. It can be based on your hourly rate or by project scope. Before the start of the work, you may ask for any upfront payments (deposit) as it is a common practice among freelancers. This reduces the chance of clients ghosting you.

Along with the project fee, also clarify how and when will you receive the final payment. Don’t forget to mention the late fees if the payment is not made by the due date.

4. Revisions and additional work

Generally, clients are offered some free revisions as the project may go through a few rounds of feedback. Including this clause will stipulate the number of revisions a client can ask for. It will also specify the charges for additional revision if any. This will reduce the client's inclination for frequent changes and work on only necessary revisions.

5. Intellectual property ownership

Every graphic design contract needs to address who owns the copyright of the final deliverables.

Clients may claim that they own all intellectual property rights in your work because they’ve paid you to work for them. But this is not the case. In the United States, generally, designers retain intellectual property rights to their work (except for in work-for-hire situations). The ownership transfers to the client only if you sign a written agreement that governs such transfer.

6. Promotion of your work

This section enables you to promote or showcase your work in your design portfolio or on social media.

7. Relationship between parties

This employer-employee relationship clause specifies that you are not an employee of your client but are working as an independent contractor. This means that you can work on your schedule, at your place, and for different clients at the same time.

8. Confidentiality

You may get access to private information as a result of working with the client. This clause prevents both you and your client from sharing any confidential information with any third party.

9. Cancellation

This clause clearly states the reasons to cancel or terminate the contract. It also mentions what will happen if there is a cancellation from either party.

Including the right clauses in your contract safeguards you, your business, and even your working relationship with your customer. Using Revv’s legally vetted templates helps ensure that the clauses included in your contract are legally binding and do not conflict with any existing state laws.

Revv’s editable freelance graphic design contract template

Now that you know what to include in a freelance graphic design contract, you’re ready to draft one for yourself. But creating one may feel like a daunting task as there is so much information to include in the contract.

Revv’s freelance graphic design agreement template is legally vetted and will help manage your working relationship with your client. It also comes with an in-built electronic signature that allows your client to sign the contract from anywhere. Revv also includes quotes and other agreement templates, helping you to streamline your sales process.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a freelance contract?

To write a freelance contract, ensure to include your job responsibilities to prevent scope creep, payment terms and methods, retainer details, timelines and deliverables, terms for late payment, ownership of the project, and termination and cancellation clauses. This will help to protect you and your business from unforeseen circumstances.

Do freelancers need contracts?

You should have a freelance contract before starting any new project. Oral agreements may be easier to execute, but as stated before a written freelance contract helps to protect you and even the customer.