Services
Website development agreement template
Website development agreement: A website development agreement sets the terms for designing and building a website: scope, milestones, payments, content, hosting handover and ownership of the code.
Upload yours for a review and e-signature, or save it as a team template.
Start freeWhen to use a website development agreement
- Agencies building marketing sites
- Freelancers building e-commerce stores
- Redesigns and replatforming projects
Website development agreement template: clause-by-clause outline
Sample starting wording for each clause. Replace the text in [brackets] with your details.
Scope
The Developer will design and build a website with [pages and features] on [platform].
Milestones
Design approval by [date]; development complete by [date]; launch by [date].
Client content
The Client will supply text, images and logins by [date] and confirms it has the rights to use them.
Payments
[30]% on signing, [40]% on design approval, [30]% on launch.
Testing and acceptance
The Client will test the site within [5] working days of handover and report defects in writing.
Ownership and licences
On full payment the Client owns the custom code and design. Third-party themes and plugins remain under their own licences.
Hosting and support
After launch the Developer provides [30] days of bug fixes. Ongoing support is available under a separate maintenance agreement.
What to check before you sign
- Who owns the code and design, and when?
- Are browser, device and accessibility standards specified?
- Is there a handover of logins and source code?
How to send a website development agreement for e-signature
- Draft or upload it. Use the outline above with your own wording, upload an existing document, or save it as your organisation’s template.
- Check it against your playbook. Points outside your positions are flagged, and approval rules route it to Legal when needed.
- 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.
- Keep the signed PDF. Everyone receives it with a certificate of completion, and key dates go to Upcoming with reminders.
Website development agreement template: frequently asked questions
Who owns a website after it is built?
Only what the contract says. Make sure custom code and design transfer on payment and that you get admin access.
Should accessibility be in the contract?
Yes. Name the standard, such as WCAG 2.2 AA, so it is part of acceptance.
Is an electronically signed website development 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 website development 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
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.