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Employment and contractors

Independent contractor agreement template

Independent contractor agreement: An independent contractor agreement engages a self-employed person or company to deliver work, without creating an employment relationship.

Last reviewed 6 November 2026 · 7 clauses · General guidance, not legal advice

Fill in the terms and send it for e-signature in minutes.

Use this template free

When to use an independent contractor agreement

  • Hiring a specialist for a defined project
  • Engaging overseas talent without a local entity
  • Ongoing part-time work billed by invoice

Independent contractor agreement template: clause-by-clause outline

Sample starting wording for each clause. Replace the text in [brackets] with your details.

  1. Services

    The Contractor will provide [services] as described in Schedule 1.

  2. Independent status

    The Contractor is an independent business, controls how the work is done and is responsible for its own taxes and insurance.

  3. Fees and invoices

    The Client will pay [rate] per [hour/day/project] within [30] days of a valid invoice.

  4. Equipment and substitution

    The Contractor uses its own equipment and may, with the Client’s approval, use a qualified substitute.

  5. IP

    On payment, the Contractor assigns to the Client all IP in the deliverables.

  6. Confidentiality

    The Contractor will keep the Client’s information confidential.

  7. Termination

    Either party may end this Agreement with [14] days’ written notice.

What to check before you sign

  • Does the real working relationship match contractor status? Labels alone do not decide it.
  • Does IP transfer to you on payment?
  • Who handles tax and social security in the contractor’s country?

How to send an independent contractor agreement for e-signature

  1. Start from the built-in template. Fill in the parties and terms; the contract and its plain-language review write themselves.
  2. Check it against your playbook. Points outside your positions are flagged, and approval rules route it to Legal when needed.
  3. Send it by email. Signers get a plain-language review and a secure link, sign on any device in the order you set, and can suggest changes as tracked changes.
  4. Keep the signed PDF. Everyone receives it with a certificate of completion, and key dates go to Upcoming with reminders.

Independent contractor agreement template: frequently asked questions

What makes someone a contractor rather than an employee?

Tests vary by country, but control over how work is done, use of own tools, the right to substitute and working for several clients all point to contractor status.

Can I hire a contractor in another country?

Yes. Set the governing law, payment currency and who is responsible for local tax, and check the contractor is not treated as an employee locally.

Is an electronically signed independent contractor agreement legally binding?

In most countries, yes. E-signatures are recognised for commercial contracts under laws such as the ESIGN Act (US), eIDAS (EU), the Electronic Communications Act (UK) and the Information Technology Act (India). econtracts.ai adds a certificate of completion with each signer’s identity check and a fingerprint of the signed content.

Can I get an independent contractor agreement I received reviewed?

Yes. Upload it to econtracts.ai and you get a plain-language review: key dates, money and points to check, each quoting the clause it comes from.

Related contract templates

Freelance contract templateFreelance contractConsulting agreement templateConsulting agreementIP assignment agreement templateIntellectual property assignment agreement

This outline is a starting point for discussion, not legal advice, and it is not a complete contract. Laws differ by country and sector; have a qualified lawyer review contracts that matter.