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Independent contractor agreement template: free in Word, or sign it online

Reviewed in October 2026

An independent contractor agreement is a contract between a business and a self-employed worker. It sets the work, the payment, the deadlines and who owns the results. It also records that the worker runs their own business and handles their own taxes.

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Ten documents free, no card. Signed by the client and the contractor.

Independent contractor agreement example, filled in with sample data
Example filled in with sample data

The full independent contractor agreement

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT

This Independent Contractor Agreement (the "Agreement") is made on [date] between [Client name], with address at [address] (the "Client"), and [Contractor name or business name], with address at [address] (the "Contractor").

1. Services

The Contractor will provide: [description of the work and deliverables] (the "Services"), by [deadline or milestones].

2. Payment

The Client will pay [amount per hour / per project / per milestone]. The Contractor will send invoices [monthly / at each milestone] and the Client will pay within [15] days.

3. Independent contractor status

The Contractor is an independent business, not an employee. The Contractor controls how, when and where the Services are done, provides their own tools and equipment, may hire helpers at their own cost and may work for other clients. The Contractor is not eligible for the Client’s employee benefits.

4. Taxes and insurance

The Contractor is responsible for all taxes on payments under this Agreement and will provide Form W-9 before the first payment. The Client will issue any information return the law requires. The Contractor will carry [general liability insurance of amount / the insurance their trade requires].

5. Expenses

The Contractor pays their own expenses unless the Client approves an expense in writing in advance.

6. Ownership of work

Once paid in full, the Client owns the deliverables made for the Client under this Agreement. The Contractor keeps their pre-existing tools, templates and know-how and grants the Client a license to use them as part of the deliverables.

7. Confidentiality

The Contractor will keep the Client’s non-public information private and use it only for the Services.

Under 18 U.S.C. 1833(b), an individual is immune from liability under trade secret law for disclosing a trade secret in confidence to a government official or an attorney solely to report or investigate a suspected violation of law, or in a court filing made under seal.

8. Term and termination

This Agreement runs from [start date] until the Services are complete. Either party may end it with [10] days’ written notice. The Client will pay for Services performed up to the end date.

9. Liability

Each party is responsible for its own acts. The Contractor’s total liability is limited to the fees paid under this Agreement, except for fraud, willful misconduct or bodily injury.

10. General terms

This Agreement is governed by the laws of [state]. It is the entire agreement on its subject. The parties agree to sign electronically, with the same effect as a handwritten signature.

CLIENT

Signature: ______________________

Name: [full name]

Title: [title]

Date: [date]

CONTRACTOR

Signature: ______________________

Name: [full name]

Date: [date]

What the template includes

  • Services, deliverables and deadlines
  • Payment terms and invoice deadline
  • Independent contractor status with the signs that support it
  • Taxes, Form W-9 and insurance
  • Expenses only with written approval
  • Ownership of deliverables and the contractor’s own tools
  • Confidentiality with the federal whistleblower notice
  • Term and termination with notice
  • Liability cap and governing law

What you fill in

FieldExample
DateOctober 21, 2026
ClientWestfield Property Management LLC
ContractorRuiz Handyman Services
ServicesTurnover repairs in vacant units, as assigned
Payment65 USD per hour plus approved materials
InvoicesEvery two weeks, paid within 15 days
Insurance500,000 USD general liability
Governing lawState of North Carolina

How it gets signed

  1. 1Choose “Use this template”, fill in the fields and read the full independent contractor agreement once more.
  2. 2Send it by WhatsApp or email. The other party opens the link on their phone without an account.
  3. 3They tap the brown bar at the bottom that says “Sign as …” and draw their signature with a finger.
  4. 4Everyone gets the signed PDF with its signature certificate. Anyone can check it at signsolu.com/verificar.

Before signing, each signer agrees to sign electronically. The screen links to the electronic signature disclosure the ESIGN Act asks for.

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What the law says

The label in a contract does not decide if someone is a contractor. The IRS looks at behavioral control, financial control and the type of relationship. Clause 3 lists the facts that support contractor status, but daily practice must match them.

Several states apply stricter tests for wage and unemployment laws. Some presume a worker is an employee unless the business proves otherwise. Check your state before you rely on this agreement alone.

Clause 7 includes the notice the Defend Trade Secrets Act asks for with contractors. The ESIGN Act lets both sides sign electronically.

Contractor or employee

SignPoints to contractorPoints to employee
Who sets the hoursThe workerThe business
Tools and equipmentThe worker’s ownProvided by the business
How they are paidPer project or invoiceRegular wage
Other clientsYesUsually no
TrainingLittle or noneTrained in company methods

No single sign decides it. Look at the whole relationship. If the worker looks like staff in daily practice, the agreement will not protect the business.

Paperwork with a new contractor

  1. 1Sign this agreement before work starts.
  2. 2Collect Form W-9 with the contractor’s taxpayer number.
  3. 3Get a certificate of insurance if the work carries risk.
  4. 4Pay against invoices, not on a payroll schedule.
  5. 5Send the year-end information return the IRS requires.

A worked example

Westfield Property Management hires Ruiz Handyman Services for repairs in empty units. Ruiz sets his own schedule, brings his own tools and works for other landlords.

He invoices every two weeks at 65 USD an hour plus approved materials. Westfield pays within 15 days. At year end Westfield sends the tax form the IRS asks for.

Mistakes that turn contractors into employees

  • Fixed hours set by the business. Let the contractor decide when to work.
  • Company email and uniform. These make the worker look like staff.
  • Endless open-ended work. Define projects or periods and renew them in writing.

Signing from anywhere

Send the agreement by WhatsApp or email. The contractor signs from a phone with the brown bar at the bottom. Both keep the signed PDF with its certificate.

When the project ends

Ask for the final invoice and the last deliverables. Pay within the agreed time. Confirm in writing that the contractor returned or deleted your information.

If you want to work together again, sign a new agreement or a written extension. Avoid letting an open-ended relationship drift on without terms.

Contractors in other states

Remote contractors can sign from anywhere. Write the governing law in clause 10. Check whether the contractor’s state applies its own worker classification test.

Contractor agreements for common trades

  • Designers and developers: list deliverables and the number of revisions included.
  • Cleaners and handymen: list the tasks per visit and who buys the supplies.
  • Drivers and couriers: set the delivery area and who pays fuel and tolls.
  • Tutors and coaches: set the session length and the cancellation rule.

A specific scope keeps the relationship clear and supports contractor status.

Checklist before the first day

  1. 1The agreement is signed by both sides.
  2. 2You have the contractor’s Form W-9.
  3. 3You have their certificate of insurance, if needed.
  4. 4The scope and the first deadline are clear.

Start the work only after these four steps. It keeps the paperwork in order for tax season.

Before you sign

Other templates

Frequently asked questions

Is a contractor agreement signed online legally binding?

Yes. The ESIGN Act gives an electronic signature the same legal effect as a handwritten one. The signed PDF and its certificate show who signed the contractor agreement, when and from which device.

Does the contractor need a SignSolú account to sign?

No. They open the link on their phone and sign with the brown bar at the bottom of the screen.

Can I download the independent contractor agreement in Word?

Yes. “Download in Word” gives you the full independent contractor agreement with no email and no account. You can print it or edit it and sign it here later.

Does this agreement make someone a contractor?

Not on its own. The real working relationship decides. The agreement records it.

Does the contractor need an LLC?

No. A sole proprietor can sign in their own name or under a business name.

Can I use it for freelancers and 1099 workers?

Yes. Freelancers and 1099 workers are independent contractors under this template.

Do I withhold taxes for a contractor?

Usually no. The contractor pays their own taxes. You collect Form W-9 and file the information return the IRS requires.

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