Updated June 2026

Free Freelance Copywriter Contract Template

Covers copyright assignment, AI tools policy, revision rounds, kill fee, and portfolio rights — the five provisions most copywriting agreements still get wrong in 2026.

Email sequences Landing pages Website copy Blog & content Ad copy Social media Product descriptions
↓ DOCX (Word) ↓ PDF
— or — ✏ Fill in & download ready-to-sign version ↓
  • No signup required
  • Free forever
  • Reviewed June 2026
  • Copyright assignment included

Edit & Download

Fill in your details — the preview updates live. Download a filled DOCX or PDF ready to sign and send.

Branding (optional)

Logo preview

1 — Copywriter

2 — Client

3 — Project

4 — Fees & Payment

5 — Content Terms

6 — Legal

PDF: choose "Save as PDF" in the dialog that opens.

Freelance Copywriting Agreement

Effective upon execution by both parties

1. Services & Scope

Copywriter: enter copywriter name

Client: enter client name

Project: enter project title (Email Sequence)

Copywriter will perform the services described above with professional skill and care. Any change to the agreed deliverables requires a written change order before Copywriter is obligated to perform. Client must provide a written project brief before work begins.

2. Independent Contractor Status

Copywriter is an independent contractor, not an employee, partner, or agent of Client. Copywriter controls the manner and means of performing services. Responsible for all income taxes and self-employment taxes. Not entitled to employee benefits. May perform services for other clients during this engagement, provided no conflict of interest arises.

3. Fees, Payment & Kill Fee

Fee: enter amount above

Late payment: Interest of 1.5% per month (18% per annum) accrues on overdue amounts. Copywriter may suspend services after 30 days of non-payment.

Kill fee: If Client cancels before first draft delivery, deposit is non-refundable. If Client cancels after first draft delivery, Client pays all completed work to date plus 25% of remaining balance as a kill fee.

4. Intellectual Property & Copyright (17 U.S.C. §101)

Background IP: Copywriter retains all pre-existing writing frameworks, templates, and know-how. Client receives no rights to Background IP beyond what is embedded in the deliverables.

Note: Under 17 U.S.C. §101, most copywriting does not qualify as "work made for hire" for independent contractors — a written assignment is required to transfer copyright to the client.

5. AI Tools Policy

FTC note (advertising copy): Client is responsible for consumer-facing AI disclosure compliance. Per FTC AI Endorsement Guidance (May 2026): penalties up to $53,088 per non-compliant piece of content.

6. Revisions Policy

Included revisions: 2 round(s) per deliverable. A "revision" is a minor edit to wording, tone, or length within the agreed brief — it does not include a change to strategy, core message, or target audience (that is a rewrite, billed as a new project).

Review window: Client must submit consolidated written feedback within 5 business days of each delivery. If Client does not respond within 5 business days, the draft is deemed accepted (Restatement (Second) of Contracts §69).

7. Confidentiality & Portfolio Rights

Copywriter keeps all Client confidential information strictly confidential during the term and for 2 years after project completion.

8. Representations & Warranties

Copywriter warrants: deliverables are original; do not knowingly infringe any third-party copyright, trademark, or IP; do not contain defamatory statements; Copywriter has full authority to enter this agreement. Deliverables are professional copywriting services — not legal, financial, medical, or regulatory advice. Client warrants all materials provided are owned or properly licensed by Client.

9. Limitation of Liability

Copywriter's aggregate liability is capped at total fees paid under this agreement. No liability for indirect or consequential damages, lost profits, or advertising performance outcomes. Nothing excludes liability for fraud or willful misconduct.

10. General Provisions

Independent contractor. Amendments in writing only. Electronic signatures valid (ESIGN Act / UETA). Entire agreement — supersedes all prior discussions and proposals.

Governing law: select state above.

Copywriter

Signature

Print name: _______________

Title: ___________________________

Date: ___________________________

Client

Signature

Print name: _______________

Title: ___________________________

Date: ___________________________

Preview — first 4 of 10 clauses shown

Freelance Copywriting Agreement 10 Clauses · Ready to sign

Clause 1

Services & Scope

Copywriter: [Copywriter Name / Business], [Address]
Client: [Client Name / Company], [Address]
Project: [Project Title] (Email Sequence / Landing Page / Website Copy / etc.)

Scope changes require a written change order before Copywriter is obligated to perform additional work. Client must provide a written project brief before work begins.

Clause 2

Independent Contractor Status

Copywriter is an independent contractor — not an employee, partner, or agent of Client. Controls manner and means of performance. Responsible for own taxes, insurance, and benefits. May serve other clients unless a conflict of interest arises.

No PAYE / employer tax withholding
No employee benefits entitlement
Copywriter controls how work is done
May work with other clients simultaneously

Clause 3

Fees, Payment & Kill Fee

Fee: [fixed / per-word / hourly / monthly]. Deposit: [25–50%] upfront. Late payment: 1.5%/month (18%/yr). Copywriter may suspend services after 30 days of non-payment.

Kill fee — project cancellations

Cancellation before first draft: deposit non-refundable. Cancellation after first draft: completed work + configurable kill fee (25–50% of remaining balance). Protects Copywriter's committed research, strategy, and writing time.

Clause 4

Intellectual Property & Copyright (17 U.S.C. §101)

Upon receipt of all fees, Copywriter assigns all copyright in deliverables to Client. No copyright transfers until paid in full.

Work-for-hire caveat — read before signing

Under US law, "work made for hire" applies only to employees — not independent contractors. For freelance copy, a written assignment is required to transfer copyright to the client. Simply labelling a contract "work for hire" is legally ineffective for most copywriting deliverables (17 U.S.C. §101). This template uses a proper written assignment clause.

+ 6 more clauses: AI Tools Policy, Revisions Policy, Confidentiality & Portfolio Rights, Representations & Warranties, Limitation of Liability, General Provisions — download the full template ↓

Download this copywriter contract template

Fill in the form above, then download your ready-to-sign document. No account required.

What's included in this copywriter contract template

Services and scope with content type selector and first-draft deadline field
Independent contractor declaration — no PAYE, no benefits, own taxes
Fixed project, per-word, hourly, or monthly retainer fee structure
Deposit clause + kill fee for cancellations (25%, 33%, or 50% configurable)
Copyright assignment on full payment (17 U.S.C. §204) with work-for-hire caveat explained
AI tools policy toggle — prohibited or permitted with disclosure (FTC May 2026 compliant)
Revision rounds limit with rewrite distinction and silence = acceptance clause
Portfolio rights clause — configurable (may include / client requests confidentiality)
Ghost-writing clause — no public attribution, general portfolio reference permitted
Representations — original copy, no IP infringement, no defamatory statements
Liability cap (total fees paid) with advertising performance exclusion
Electronic signature clause (ESIGN Act / UETA) and all-50-states governing law

How to use this copywriter contract template

Fill in your details

Enter copywriter and client names, project title, content type, fee, and governing state. The live preview updates as you type. Add a deadline for the first draft so client expectations are set from day one.

Set your AI tools policy before sending

This is the clause clients most often negotiate in 2026. "Prohibited" commands a premium rate and provides the strongest copyright protection. "Permitted with disclosure" is the standard for most engagements — you disclose AI usage upon request and warrant sufficient human authorship for copyright.

Download DOCX and add your deliverable list

Open in Word or Google Docs and add a specific deliverable list to Clause 1 — word count, number of emails, pages, or pieces. Vague scope descriptions are the primary cause of copywriting payment disputes and endless revision loops.

Get both parties to sign before writing a single word

Send via Bonsai, DocuSign, or email as a PDF for wet signatures. Keep a fully executed copy. Do not begin writing — not even a brief outline — without both signatures on file and the deposit cleared.

Do not start writing without a signed contract and cleared deposit. A creative brief, email thread, Slack message, or verbal agreement is not a binding contract. Without both signatures you have no enforceable kill fee, no IP assignment, and no payment obligation.
Ghost-writing tip: If publishing under the client's byline, set Portfolio Rights to "No." You retain the right to reference the project type in general terms (e.g., "fintech email campaign") without revealing the client's name or any proprietary details.

Common addendums to attach:

RecommendedProject / Creative Brief (Exhibit A) — deliverable list, word counts, brand voice, target audience, examples of copy you like
CommonNDA — if client shares sensitive business strategy, product launches, or financial data before the contract is signed
CommonScope of Work — for complex multi-deliverable projects; use as Exhibit B alongside the brief
OptionalRate Card — if you offer ongoing work at published rates (retainer clients, content calendars)

Copywriter contract template — frequently asked questions

By default, the copywriter who writes the copy owns the copyright — not the client who paid for it. Under US copyright law (17 U.S.C. §101), the work made for hire doctrine that automatically vests copyright in the paying party applies only to employees, not independent contractors. For freelancers, copyright transfers to the client only through a written assignment signed by the copywriter (17 U.S.C. §204). Without an assignment clause in the contract, the client has only an implied licence to use the copy for its original intended purpose — not full ownership of the copyright. This is why a proper written assignment clause is essential for every copywriting engagement.
No — and in most cases the "work made for hire" label is legally ineffective for freelance copywriting. Under 17 U.S.C. §101, a commissioned work qualifies as work-for-hire for an independent contractor only if it falls into one of 9 enumerated statutory categories. Most advertising copy, email sequences, website copy, social media content, and blog posts do not fall into any of these categories. So even if a contract says "work for hire," the label may be legally unenforceable and the copywriter may retain copyright ownership. The correct method is an explicit written copyright assignment clause triggered upon full payment — which is what this template uses.
Yes — but with important legal and disclosure implications. The US Copyright Office Part 2 Report (January 29, 2025), confirmed by the US Supreme Court's refusal to hear Thaler v. Perlmutter (March 2026), established that AI-generated text without sufficient human authorship cannot be copyrighted. If a copywriter uses AI and makes only minimal edits, the resulting work may be uncopyrightable — meaning the client receives no exclusive rights in those portions. For AI-assisted copy to carry copyright protection, the copywriter must exercise meaningful creative judgment in editing, restructuring, and developing the AI output. For advertising copy, the FTC's updated AI Endorsement Guidance (May 2026) requires consumer-facing disclosure when AI generates or substantially assists sponsored content, with civil penalties up to $53,088 per piece of non-compliant content.
Two revision rounds is the industry standard for freelance copywriting projects. The equally important protection is defining what counts as a "revision" versus a "rewrite": revisions are minor edits to wording, tone, length, or structure within the agreed brief; rewrites — where the client wants a new strategy, new message, or a completely fresh direction — are not revisions and should be billed as new projects at the copywriter's hourly rate. Contracts should require clients to submit consolidated written feedback within a defined review window (typically 5 business days), and include a "silence = acceptance" provision so projects don't stall indefinitely in the revision loop. Under Restatement (Second) of Contracts §69, deemed-accepted provisions are enforceable where parties have agreed to them in writing.
A kill fee is a cancellation fee owed to the copywriter when a client cancels a project after work has begun. Once a copywriter has invested time in research, strategy, and drafting, that time cannot be recovered — a kill fee compensates for this unrecoverable loss. Standard kill fees are 25–50% of the remaining project balance. If cancellation occurs before the first draft is delivered, the deposit (typically 25–50%) is non-refundable and serves as the kill fee. If cancellation occurs after a draft has been delivered, the kill fee applies on top of payment for work already completed. Kill fees are legally enforceable as liquidated damages — courts uphold them as a genuine pre-estimate of the copywriter's unrecoverable lost time and opportunity cost, provided the amount is not grossly disproportionate to the actual loss.
Yes — unless the client specifically requests confidentiality in writing. Portfolio rights are a key issue in copywriting: a copywriter who created original work retains the right to show it in their professional portfolio for self-promotion, unless contractually restricted. Best practice is for the contract to specify that the client must request confidentiality within a set window (typically 30 days of final delivery) if they want to restrict portfolio use. For ghost-writing arrangements — where the client publishes copy under their own name — the copywriter agrees not to claim public authorship, but may still reference the project type and results in general terms (e.g., "B2B SaaS email campaign — 42% open rate") without revealing the client's identity or any proprietary information.
Need e-signing built in?

Bonsai lets copywriters send, sign, and store contracts online — with invoicing and payment collection in the same workflow.

Try Bonsai Free →

Related templates

Freelance Contract TemplateView template → Scope of Work TemplateView template → Work for Hire AgreementView template → Web Developer ContractView template →