Contract variation agreement template
A variation agreement records an agreed change to an existing contract, signed by every party, so the contract and the change can be read together. It names the original contract, sets out each changed clause in a table, says when the changes take effect and confirms that everything else stays the same. This version is a signed agreement rather than a deed, and it is not for wills, leases or land.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
What changes each time
15 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The parties
- Each party's full legal name
- Company or individual
- Registered office or address
- Short name
- Third party joining
The contract being changed
- Original contract
- Its date
- Earlier variations
- Its variation clause
The changes
- Effective date
- One row per changed clause
- Nominal payment
- Governing law
Signing
- Signatory for each party
- Job title
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- Once for each item
“One row in the changes table for each clause being changed.”
The email agreed two changes, the support desk hours in clause 6.1 and the monthly fee in Schedule 2, so the table had two rows.
- One of several wordings
“Each party is described either as a company, with its number and registered office, or as an individual, with an address.”
The original contract showed both parties as companies, so both got the company wording with their numbers and registered offices.
- One of several wordings
“Say "as varied on" only if the contract has been varied before, and cite its variation clause only if it has one.”
The contract had been varied on 3 March 2025 and has a variation clause at 18.2, so both were cited.
- One of several wordings
“Add a nominal payment only where one party gains most of the benefit.”
Both sides gained something (longer support hours for a higher fee), so no payment was added.
- The AI decides from the paperwork
“Include a third party, and a signature line for it, only if the paperwork shows a third party joining.”
The email said no one else needed to be party to it, so the third party was left out, with that reason shown.
One worked example, start to finish
The contract variation agreement in DocuWeave, from upload to approval.
1The document uploaded
The variation agreement, a Word file, uploaded as it is.
- 2
The template it became
It found 20 sections and 30 values, and asked 15 questions before publishing. The changes table adds a row for each changed clause.
3The paperwork dropped in
The original services agreement, the customer's email agreeing the changes, and a short typed note.
4What was found, with sources
24 of 32 values filled from the paperwork, each with the passage it came from.
5What it asked
2 things for a person: which company is Party 1, which the contract and the email gave differently, and the changes table, which a person always checks.
6The approved output
Approved, with Word and PDF downloads.
A free contract variation agreement to download
- Variation agreement, filled with fictional details (Word)
- Variation agreement, filled with fictional details (PDF)
Use it as it is, or upload it to DocuWeave and make it a template.
DocuWeave is not a law firm. A general template for common situations in England and Wales. It is not tailored to you and we do not update it when the law changes, so check it suits your situation before you use it. Terms.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
Questions people ask
Does a contract variation have to be a deed?
Not usually. A variation agreed in writing and signed by the parties is enough for most commercial contracts, as long as each side gives something in return. This template is a signed agreement, not a deed.
Can a contract be varied by email or by phone?
If the contract says changes must be in writing and signed, an informal change will not be effective. The Supreme Court confirmed in 2018 that these clauses are binding, which is why this agreement is signed by every party.
Why might a variation include a payment of £1?
A change needs something given in return. Where both sides gain, their agreement to the changes is enough. Where one side gains most of the benefit, a small payment makes the change safer to rely on.
Is this the same as a deed of variation of a will?
No. Changing who inherits under a will is a different document with its own rules. This template is for changing a business contract.
Do the changes apply to things that happened before?
No. Unless the table says otherwise, the changes apply only from the effective date, and the rest of the contract carries on as before.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.