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Freelance contract checklist — the clauses that protect you

A freelance contract protects you with ten clauses: defined scope with named revision rounds, deposit before work starts, payment schedule with dates, late-payment consequences, a kill fee, IP that transfers only on full payment, client responsibilities with timelines, a change-order mechanism, limitation of liability, and how either side exits. Most freelancer horror stories trace to one of these being absent.

How to use it

  1. Run your current contract (or the client's) against the ten clauses below.
  2. Fix the deal-breakers first: deposit, IP-on-payment, kill fee, scope + revisions.
  3. Add the change-order clause — it converts scope creep into paid work.
  4. Set payment terms with real dates and a named late consequence.
  5. Have a professional review it for your jurisdiction when real money is at stake.

The ten-clause checklist

The ten-clause checklist
☐ 1. SCOPE — deliverables listed specifically; "includes X rounds of revisions"; everything else is a change order
☐ 2. DEPOSIT — [30–50]% to book; work starts when it clears
☐ 3. PAYMENT SCHEDULE — amounts + dates/milestones, not "on completion"
☐ 4. LATE PAYMENT — interest of [1.5]%/month (or your jurisdiction's max) after [X] days; work may pause on overdue balances
☐ 5. KILL FEE — if the client cancels: deposit + [%] of remaining fee, scaled by phase
☐ 6. IP TRANSFER — rights transfer ON FULL PAYMENT, not before; you keep portfolio rights
☐ 7. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES — content, feedback, approvals, each with a timeline; their delay moves the schedule
☐ 8. CHANGE ORDERS — new scope requires a written, priced, approved change order before work begins
☐ 9. LIABILITY CAP — your liability is limited to fees paid under the agreement
☐ 10. EXIT — how either side terminates, notice period, what gets paid and delivered on exit

The three that pay for themselves

IP-on-payment turns your leverage inside out — an unpaid invoice stops being your problem and becomes theirs, because they can't legally use the work. The change-order clause converts scope creep from silent margin loss into a paid, professional mechanism. And the kill fee makes cancellation a priced event instead of a catastrophe.

Reading a client's contract instead?

Reverse the checklist: look for work-for-hire language that transfers IP before payment, unlimited-revision phrasing ('until acceptance'), payment terms beyond Net-30, indemnification that flows only one way, and non-competes wide enough to cover your whole client base. Any of those is a conversation before it's a signature.

This checklist is practical guidance, not legal advice — contract law varies by jurisdiction, and when real money is at stake, a professional review of your agreement is worth every dollar.

Common questions

Do I really need a contract for small projects?
Yes — small projects generate disputes at the same rate as big ones; the invoices are just smaller. A one-page agreement covering scope, payment, revisions, and IP takes ten minutes and prevents the four most common fights.
What deposit should a freelancer ask for?
30–50% before work begins is standard, widely-accepted practice (framed honestly: common practice, not a surveyed statistic). It filters non-serious clients, funds the work, and sets the expectation that your calendar is purchased, not reserved.
Can I charge interest on late invoices?
In most places yes, if the contract names it — commonly around 1.5% per month, subject to local limits. The number matters less than its existence: a named consequence changes payment behavior before it's ever applied.

Go deeper: read the full guide on the blog.