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Referral agreement template

Referral agreement: A referral agreement pays a partner a fee for introducing customers who go on to buy, without the partner selling or negotiating itself.

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

Upload yours for a review and e-signature, or save it as a team template.

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When to use a referral agreement

  • Partner programmes and affiliate deals
  • Accountants or advisers referring clients
  • Agencies passing leads to each other

Referral agreement template: clause-by-clause outline

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

  1. Referrals

    The Referrer may introduce potential customers to the Company using the referral form or link.

  2. Qualified referral

    A referral qualifies if the customer was not already in discussions with the Company and signs a contract within [6] months.

  3. Fee

    The Company pays [x]% of the first [12] months’ fees received from each qualified referral, paid quarterly.

  4. No authority

    The Referrer is not the Company’s agent and may not make promises on its behalf.

  5. Disclosure

    The Referrer will tell referred customers it may receive a fee where required by law or professional rules.

  6. Term

    Either party may end this Agreement on [30] days’ notice. Fees for referrals made before then remain payable.

What to check before you sign

  • How is a qualified referral proven?
  • Do professional rules require the referral fee to be disclosed?
  • Do fees survive termination?

How to send a referral agreement for e-signature

  1. Draft or upload it. Use the outline above with your own wording, upload an existing document, or save it as your organisation’s template.
  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.

Referral agreement template: frequently asked questions

How much is a typical referral fee?

Often 10–20% of first-year revenue for software and services, or a fixed amount per customer.

Does a referral partner need a licence?

In regulated sectors such as finance or insurance, introducers may need authorisation. Check before paying fees.

Is an electronically signed referral 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 a referral 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

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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.