What to Check in a Freelance Client Contract Before You Sign

1. 01

   Scope and deliverables

   Read the description of the work alongside the proposal, estimate, and the client’s latest brief. Make sure the agreement identifies the project, concrete deliverables, who supplies what, and any important assumptions or dependencies.

   Clarify: Ask: What is included, what is explicitly outside the scope, and who signs off when each deliverable is complete?

2. 02

   Payment timing, late fees, and expenses

   Find the payment schedule, invoicing process, due dates, deposit or milestone language, and any terms about late payments. Also check how approved expenses, taxes, rush work, and third-party costs are handled.

   Clarify: Ask: When can I invoice, when is payment due, what counts as an approved expense, and what happens if a payment is late?

3. 03

   Revision limits and change requests

   Look for the number of revision rounds, feedback deadlines, and the process for work that changes after approval. A clear change process can prevent a new request from quietly becoming part of the original scope.

   Clarify: Ask: How are revisions counted, what is a change request, and how will additional work be scoped and approved?

4. 04

   Intellectual-property ownership and licenses

   Identify what the agreement says about ownership, transfer, license rights, portfolio use, pre-existing materials, and third-party assets. Copyright can protect original creative work, but the rights and permissions in a client agreement can be specific to the project and its materials.

   Clarify: Ask: What rights move to the client, when do they move, what work stays mine, and may I show the finished work in my portfolio?

5. 05

   Cancellation and termination

   Check how either side may end the agreement, what notice is required, and what the contract says about work in progress, final files, payments due, and any handoff. The practical point is to know what the process would be if the project pauses or stops.

   Clarify: Ask: What notice is required, what work is paid for if the project ends early, and what must each side return or deliver?

6. 06

   Liability and indemnity

   These clauses can allocate responsibility when something goes wrong. Read them slowly and note whose losses, claims, costs, or legal expenses are described, as well as any limits or exclusions. This is an especially important area to raise with a qualified lawyer when the agreement is high stakes.

   Clarify: Ask: What responsibilities is each side taking on, are there limits, and which situations are covered by this language?

7. 07

   Disputes and governing law

   Look for the location and law named for a dispute, plus any required negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or court process. Even when everyone expects a smooth project, it is useful to understand the process the agreement describes.

   Clarify: Ask: Which law and location does the agreement name, and what steps does it require before a dispute can be resolved?

ClauseWise is an early-access, informational contract-review workflow in development. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal conclusions, attorney representation, or live contract reviews.