# Independent contractor agreement template

An independent contractor agreement sets the terms for work done by a self-employed person or business, covering scope, pay, ownership of work and the fact that the contractor is not an employee.

## What it is

A business uses an independent contractor agreement when it pays someone outside its payroll to do work. It records what the work is, how it is paid, who owns the results, and how either side can end it. It is one of the most searched agreement types because so many teams now use contractors.

A note before you read on: this page is general information. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer relationship. Worker classification rules differ by country and state, so have a lawyer check your template.

## When it is used

- Onboarding a developer, designer, writer or tradesperson for a project.
- Bringing on gig or shift workers through a platform. See [staffing](/industries/staffing).
- Hiring a subcontractor on a job site. See [construction](/industries/construction).
- Renewing terms with a long-running contractor.

For short creative jobs, a lighter [freelance contract](/templates/freelance-contract) may be enough. For advice work, see the [consulting agreement](/templates/consulting-agreement).

## What it usually contains

| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Parties | The business and the contractor, with the contractor's business name if they have one. |
| Services | What the contractor will do, often by reference to a [statement of work](/templates/statement-of-work). |
| Term and termination | Start date, end date or open term, and notice to end. |
| Fees and payment | Rate, invoicing schedule, expenses and payment terms. |
| Independent status | That the contractor controls how the work is done, supplies their own tools and handles their own taxes. |
| Intellectual property | Who owns the work product and any licence back. |
| Confidentiality | Duties to protect the business's information. |
| Insurance and liability | Any required cover and limits on liability. |
| Non-solicitation | Whether either side may hire the other's people. Rules vary by place. |
| Signatures | Both parties. |

## Things to get right

- **A label is not a classification.** Calling someone a contractor in the document does not decide the question. How the work is actually done matters. A good signature won't fix a bad contract.
- **Match the paperwork to tax forms.** Many businesses collect tax forms in the same onboarding step. Keep them as separate documents.
- **Phone first.** Contractors often sign from a phone. docuinked's signing page works on any phone, with no account and no app.
- **Leave the disclosure on when unsure.** The [consumer disclosure](/glossary/consumer-disclosure) is on by default. A contractor signing for their own company may not need it, but ask your lawyer before you turn it off.
- **File the record with the person.** Store the signed PDF and the evidence with the contractor's profile.

## How to send it for signature with docuinked

### In the app

Upload your agreement, add the contractor and your own signer, and place fields. Use a text field for the contractor's business name if it varies. Save it as a template once it works, so your team only fills in names and emails.

### By API

This example uses signing order: the contractor signs first, then your manager countersigns.

```
curl https://docuinked.com/v1/documents \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DOCUINKED_API_KEY" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: ica-contractor-88231" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title": "Independent contractor agreement: Riley Chen",
       "pdf_url": "https://example.com/contracts/ica-88231.pdf",
       "ordered": true,
       "metadata": {"contractor_id": "88231"},
       "signers": [{"name": "Riley Chen", "email": "riley@example.com"},
                   {"name": "Dana Reed", "email": "dana@example.org"}],
       "fields": [{"signer": 1, "kind": "text", "anchor": "Contractor business name:"},
                  {"signer": 1, "kind": "signature", "anchor": "Contractor signature:"},
                  {"signer": 2, "kind": "signature", "anchor": "Company signature:"},
                  {"signer": 2, "kind": "date", "anchor": "Effective date:"}],
       "send": true}'
```

Your record ID in `metadata` comes back on reads, so `document.completed` can mark the right person as cleared to start.

### From an agent

An onboarding agent can read a new contractor's intake form, fill the agreement, and call `create_document` over [MCP](/docs/mcp). It cannot send on its own. A live send returns an `approval_url`, and someone in operations checks the rate and the name before it goes out. Read the [contractor agreements use case](/use-cases/contractor-agreements) for the full flow.

## Sources

Checked 2026-11-07.

- [ESIGN Act, 15 USC 7001](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/7001): electronic signatures, and retention of records in a form that can be reproduced.
- [UETA, 1999 text](https://scs.nevada.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FED_Act99.pdf): s.5 on parties agreeing to deal electronically, s.9 on attribution.

## Common questions

### Does signing an independent contractor agreement make someone a contractor?

No. The agreement records what both sides intend, but the way the work is really done decides classification. Ask a lawyer or tax adviser where you operate.

### Can the contractor sign as their company instead of as a person?

Yes. Put the company's name in the parties section and a text field for the signer's title. The person still signs, and the record shows which email received the link.

### How should I handle a rate change mid-contract?

Send a short amendment as a new document rather than editing the original. A sent document can't be changed, so the history stays clear.

### Can I attach the statement of work to the same signing?

Yes, if you merge it into the same PDF before you send. One document then carries one seal over both parts.