Skilful DesignersFreelance Design Contract Checklist
A freelance design contract should cover the scope and deliverables, the number of revision rounds, the fee and payment schedule, late payment, who owns the copyright and when, what happens if the project is cancelled, and your right to show the work in your portfolio. Use this checklist to make sure yours does.
This is a practical checklist, not legal advice. For high-value or unusual projects, have a solicitor review your terms.
1. Parties and dates
Your full name or business name, the client's legal name (the company, not just your contact), the date, and the expected start and end dates.
2. Scope and deliverables
Exactly what you will produce, in which formats and sizes. "Logo in primary and stacked versions, full colour, one colour and reversed, as SVG, PNG and PDF" leaves no room for argument. Refer to the agreed design brief. State that work outside the scope will be quoted separately.
3. Revisions
How many rounds of changes are included, at which stage, and the rate for extra rounds. Define a round: one set of consolidated feedback from the client, not a stream of emails.
4. Fee and payment schedule
- The total fee, and whether VAT is added
- The deposit and when it is due (usually before work starts)
- Stage payments and the final balance
- Payment terms, such as 14 days from invoice
- Expenses you will recharge, such as stock images, fonts or printing
5. Late payment
State that you may charge statutory interest and compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, and that you may pause work while invoices are overdue. The late payment calculator shows what that adds up to.
6. Copyright and licences
This is the clause designers most often leave out. In the UK, you own the copyright in what you create unless you assign it in writing. Decide which of these applies:
- Assignment on payment: copyright in the final, chosen design passes to the client once the final invoice is paid. Usual for logos and brand identities.
- Licence: you keep the copyright and give the client the right to use the work for stated purposes. Common for illustration and photography.
Either way, say that unused concepts stay yours, and list any third-party elements, such as fonts or stock images, that the client must license themselves.
7. Client responsibilities
The client provides content, logins and feedback on time, and confirms they have the rights to anything they give you. Say that delays on their side move the deadline.
8. Approval and sign-off
Who has the authority to approve the work, and that approval of the final proof means the client accepts responsibility for spelling and details before print.
9. Cancellation
If the client cancels, they pay for work done to date, and the deposit is non-refundable. Set a notice period if it is a retainer.
10. Portfolio and credit
Your right to show the finished work in your portfolio and on social media, unless the client asks in writing for confidentiality, for example before a launch.
11. Liability and governing law
Limit your liability to the fee paid for the project, and state that the contract is governed by the law of England and Wales (or Scotland or Northern Ireland, if that is where you are).
Frequently asked questions
Do freelance designers need a contract?
You can form a binding agreement through an email exchange, but a written contract or signed terms make the scope, payment and ownership clear and are much easier to rely on if something goes wrong. For any job beyond a few hundred pounds, use one.
Who owns the copyright in a logo I design?
Under UK law, the freelance designer owns the copyright in work they create, unless a written, signed agreement assigns it to the client. Employees are different: their employer owns work made in the course of employment. Most clients expect to own their logo, so the usual approach is to assign copyright once the final invoice is paid.
Is an email agreement enough?
An email in which the client clearly accepts your quote and terms can be enough to form a contract. But an assignment of copyright must be in writing and signed by the person assigning it, so for ownership transfers use a signed document or a clear e-signature.