Independent Contractor Agreement
An independent contractor agreement is a contract that establishes the terms under which a business engages a self-employed individual or company to perform specified work without creating an employment relationship. Use this when you're bringing on a contractor for ongoing or project-based work and need to spell out that they're not an employee, who owns the resulting work product, and how they get paid.
What's included
A ready-to-use independent contractor agreement with signature fields already placed for Company and Contractor. Fill in the bracketed details (like [Company Name] or [Date]) using Docracy's built-in text editor, then send it out for signature.
This is a general template for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney to review it for your specific situation and jurisdiction before use.
Key clauses
- Scope of work and deliverables
- Payment terms and invoicing schedule
- Independent contractor status (not employee) disclaimer
- Ownership of work product and intellectual property
- Confidentiality obligations
- Termination conditions
What you'll fill in
[Company Name][Contractor Name][Description of Services][Payment Rate/Amount][Payment Schedule][Start Date][Term/End Date][Governing State/Jurisdiction]Legal summary
This agreement legally establishes that the contractor is self-employed and responsible for their own taxes and benefits, rather than an employee entitled to employer-provided protections. It defines what work must be delivered, how and when payment is made, and typically assigns ownership of the resulting work product to the hiring company once payment is complete.
Free for up to 2 signers, no account required. Need unlimited? Flat $10/month.
FAQ
Is this Independent Contractor Agreement legally binding?
Signing through Docracy uses a simple electronic signature (SES), which is legally recognized for everyday business agreements under laws like the U.S. ESIGN Act and the EU's eIDAS regulation. This is a general template, not legal advice — for high-stakes or regulated agreements, have a qualified attorney review it for your situation.
Who needs to sign this Independent Contractor Agreement?
This template includes signature fields for Company and Contractor — already placed, so you just fill in the details and send.
Can I edit this Independent Contractor Agreement before sending it?
Yes — Docracy's editor lets you edit the text, add or remove signature fields, redact sections, and reorder pages before you send it.
Do I need an account to send this Independent Contractor Agreement?
No — it's free for up to 2 signers with no account required. Create a free account only if you want to save it to a dashboard or reuse it later.
Try it with an AI assistant
Paste one of these into ChatGPT, Claude, or your assistant of choice:
“Generate a filled Independent Contractor Agreement for a freelance software developer building a website.”
“Explain the key risks in this Independent Contractor Agreement before I sign it as the contractor.”
“Adjust this Independent Contractor Agreement's IP ownership clause for a contractor who wants to retain rights to reusable code.”
Why teams start with Docracy
“Docracy is a great product that I have tested and am using. It is easy to use, has good tools, is always up to date, and implements new features. Highly recommended.”— DACH Advisory
Free for up to 2 signers, no account required. Need unlimited? Flat $10/month.