Retainer Agreement
A Retainer Agreement is a contract in which a client pays a consultant or professional a recurring fee in exchange for ongoing availability and services over a defined period. Use this when a client is paying a consultant a recurring monthly fee for ongoing availability, rather than a one-off project fee.
What's included
A ready-to-use retainer agreement with signature fields already placed for Client and Consultant. 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
- Monthly retainer fee and payment schedule
- Scope of services included in the retainer
- Hours or deliverables covered versus work billed separately
- Term of the engagement and renewal terms
- Termination and notice requirements
- Confidentiality and ownership of work product
What you'll fill in
[Client Name][Consultant Name][Monthly Retainer Amount][Scope of Services][Effective Date][Payment Due Date][Term Length][Notice Period to Terminate][Hourly Rate for Excess Work]Legal summary
Signing this agreement legally obligates the client to pay the agreed recurring fee in exchange for the consultant's ongoing availability and the specified scope of services, regardless of exactly how much work occurs in a given period. It also sets out how either party can end the arrangement and how fees already paid or owed at termination are handled.
Free for up to 2 signers, no account required. Need unlimited? Flat $10/month.
FAQ
Is this Retainer 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 Retainer Agreement?
This template includes signature fields for Client and Consultant — already placed, so you just fill in the details and send.
Can I edit this Retainer 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 Retainer 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 Retainer Agreement using this template for a monthly consulting arrangement.”
“Explain what should be included in the scope of services section of this retainer agreement.”
“What termination and notice terms should I negotiate in a consulting retainer agreement?”
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.