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Retainer agreement template

Retainer agreement: A retainer agreement secures a provider’s availability for a recurring monthly fee, covering a set number of hours or an agreed scope of ongoing work.

Last reviewed 6 November 2026 · 5 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 retainer agreement

  • Legal, accounting or design support on call
  • Marketing agencies on monthly scopes
  • Advisers available for a set number of hours

Retainer agreement template: clause-by-clause outline

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

  1. Retained services

    The Provider will be available to provide [services] up to [hours] per month.

  2. Monthly fee

    The Client will pay [amount] on the first day of each month in advance.

  3. Unused and extra hours

    Unused hours [do not roll over / roll over for one month]. Additional hours are billed at [rate].

  4. Response times

    The Provider will respond to requests within [1] working day.

  5. Term

    The retainer runs month to month and either party may end it with [30] days’ notice.

What to check before you sign

  • What happens to unused hours?
  • Is the rate for overflow work agreed?
  • Is there a minimum term?

How to send a retainer 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.

Retainer agreement template: frequently asked questions

Is a retainer fee refundable?

Typically not for availability retainers. For advance-payment retainers, unused amounts may be refundable. Say which applies.

How do I track retainer hours?

Agree a monthly report of hours used, and attach it to each invoice.

Is an electronically signed retainer 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 retainer 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.

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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.