Service Agreement
Service Agreement Template — Professional Consulting Contracts
Create a complete service agreement for consulting, professional services, or ongoing client relationships. Define deliverables, protect your liability, and get paid on time.
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What is a Service Agreement?
A service agreement is a contract between a service provider and a client that governs an ongoing or project-based professional relationship. Unlike a simple freelance contract, a service agreement typically covers broader engagements — consulting retainers, managed services, SaaS implementations, marketing agencies, and professional advisory relationships.
Service agreements establish what services will be delivered, at what level of quality, on what timeline, and for what compensation. They also address what happens when things go wrong — liability caps, error correction, dispute resolution — which is especially important in high-stakes professional relationships.
contract.diy generates service agreements tailored to your specific engagement. Whether you're a solo consultant, an agency, or a B2B service company, describe your arrangement and receive a complete, professional contract ready for signature.
Key clauses included
Every Service Agreement includes all the provisions that matter.
- Scope of services — detailed description of what is and isn't included
- Deliverables and acceptance criteria — what 'done' means
- Payment terms — fees, invoicing schedule, expense reimbursement
- Term and renewal — duration and how the agreement continues
- Liability cap — limiting provider's financial exposure
- Confidentiality and data handling obligations
- Termination for convenience and for cause
- Dispute resolution — negotiation, mediation, arbitration
How it works
From blank page to signed contract — in minutes, not days.
Describe your situation
Tell us about the parties involved, what needs to be protected or agreed upon, and any specific requirements for your Service Agreement.
Your contract is drafted
A complete, jurisdiction-aware contract with all the right clauses — generated in seconds. Review and edit anything inline.
Download and sign
Export as a polished PDF or Word document. Share it for signature or use your preferred e-signature tool.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a service agreement different from an employment agreement?
- A service agreement is for independent contractors and vendors — the provider controls how the work is done, typically works for multiple clients, and is not entitled to employee benefits. An employment agreement creates an employer-employee relationship with associated legal obligations. Using a service agreement when the relationship is actually employment can create significant tax and labor law liability.
- What is a liability cap and why does it matter?
- A liability cap limits the maximum amount a service provider can be held responsible for if something goes wrong. Without one, a single client dispute could theoretically expose you to unlimited damages. Most professional service agreements cap liability at the total fees paid in the prior 3–12 months. contract.diy includes appropriate liability limitations based on your engagement type.
- How do I protect against scope creep in a service agreement?
- Define your scope precisely — what you will do, what you won't do, and how changes are handled. Include a change order process that requires written approval and additional compensation for out-of-scope requests. Specify that unapproved additional work is not obligated and will be billed at your standard rate if performed.
- Should I include a non-solicitation clause?
- Non-solicitation clauses prevent clients from poaching your employees or subcontractors and vice versa. They're common in professional services agreements and generally enforceable when limited to a reasonable period (1–2 years) and scope. Whether to include one depends on your industry and relationship type. contract.diy will include it if relevant to your described engagement.
- What's the difference between a retainer and a project-based agreement?
- A retainer agreement covers ongoing availability and services over a recurring period, typically billed monthly. A project-based agreement covers a specific deliverable with a defined end date. Service agreements can cover either structure, or a hybrid. Describe your arrangement and contract.diy will generate the appropriate contract structure.
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