Graphic design contract template
A graphic design contract is the agreement between a designer and a client for a logo, brand identity, print or digital design project. It sets out what will be delivered, how many concepts and revisions are included, the fee, who owns the copyright and what happens if the project is cancelled. A designer completes one for each new project.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
What changes each time
26 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The parties
- Date
- Designer name or company, address and number
- Client name or company, address and number
- Client contact for decisions
The project
- Brief date and quote date
- Deliverable and what it includes
- File formats
- Delivery date
- What is not included
Process
- Initial concepts
- Rounds of revisions
- Days waiting for the client before dates move
Fees
- Project fee
- Deposit and due date
- Stage payment and trigger
- Balance
- Rate for extra work
- Days to pay an invoice
Copyright and credit
- Assignment or licence
- Licence exclusivity and length
- Permitted uses and territory
- Moral rights waiver or credit
Legal and signatures
- Cancellation address or email
- Liability cap
- Privacy notice link
- Signatories, positions and dates
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- Only when…
“Include company numbers if either party is a company.”
The party lines add the company number.
- Once for each item
“Add a row for each deliverable.”
The deliverables table lists each with a description, file formats and delivery date.
- One of several wordings
“The fee is not VAT registered, or plus VAT.”
Clause 3.1 shows which.
- Once for each item
“Add a payment row for each stage.”
The payment table lists the deposit, stage payments and balance.
- One of several wordings
“Copyright is assigned to the client, or the designer keeps it and grants a licence.”
Clause 5 gives the assignment, or the licence with its exclusivity, length, uses and territory.
- One of several wordings
“The designer waives moral rights, or keeps them and is credited.”
Clause 5 shows the choice.
- Only when…
“Include the portfolio tick box to give the client a choice.”
The client can tick that they do not want the work shown in the portfolio.
- Only when…
“Include the 14-day right to cancel if the client is a consumer and the contract is made by email, phone, online or away from the premises.”
A cancellation section and the model cancellation form are added.
Questions people ask
What should a graphic design contract include?
The deliverables, the process (how many concepts and revisions), the fee and payment dates, who owns the finished design and what happens if the project is cancelled. This template has all of these.
Who owns the copyright in a design?
In general the designer owns copyright in their work unless it is assigned. This template gives a choice: assign the copyright to the client once paid, or keep it and grant a licence.
What counts as a round of revisions?
Here, a round means one set of consolidated comments from the client. The contract states how many rounds are included, and extra work is charged at an agreed rate.
Can I charge a deposit?
Yes. The payment table has a deposit on signing, optional stage payments and a balance on delivery of final files.
Can the designer show the work in a portfolio?
The contract says they may once the work is public, with an optional tick box for clients who do not want that.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.