A service agreement is a two-page document that says what you'll do, what it costs, when you get paid and how either side can stop. Nine clauses cover most small service jobs. Below is each one in plain English that you can copy, with a one-line note on when to change it. This is a starting template, not legal advice. Contract rules vary by state and by trade, so have a lawyer read your final version once, then reuse it.

Most disputes with clients aren't about bad work. They're about a thing nobody wrote down: what was included, when the invoice was due, who could cancel. A short agreement fixes that for the price of one afternoon.

What an agreement protects

It protects the client from surprises and you from unpaid work. It also gives you something to point to without turning a friendly conversation into an argument: "Section 3 says the deposit is due before we schedule." Keep the words simple enough that the client can read it on a phone in five minutes. A contract nobody understands doesn't get signed or followed.

Clause 1 and 2: the parties and the work

1. Parties. This agreement is between [Your Business Name], [address] ("we"), and [Client Name], [address] ("you"). It starts on [date].

2. The work. We will [describe the work in one or two sentences, with quantities or deliverables]. The work does not include [list the two or three things people usually assume are included].

Change this clause to be as specific as the job is large. "Clean the house" is vague; "Clean the kitchen, three bathrooms and living areas every other Thursday, up to three hours" is not. The exclusions line prevents most scope arguments. If you want a longer scope format, see our scope of work template.

Clause 3 and 4: price, schedule and payment

3. Price and schedule. The price is $[amount] [per visit / per month / total]. We will start on [date] and expect to finish by [date], unless something outside our control (weather, access, or your delays) changes the schedule.

4. Payment. A deposit of [amount or percent] is due when you sign. The balance is due [on completion / within 14 days of the invoice date]. Late payments owe [state the fee or interest, or delete this line]. We may pause work if an invoice is more than [14] days late.

Change the deposit to fit the job; for small jobs, 25 to 50 percent upfront is common, and for work with materials you buy first, cover those costs. Late fees and interest have limits in some states, so read our guide to late payment fees before writing a number. Shorter terms get you paid sooner, and how to ask for a deposit has the words to use.

Clause 5: changes to the scope

5. Changes. If you ask for work not described above, we will give you a written price before doing it. We will start the extra work once you approve it by email or text. Approved changes are added to the invoice.

This is the clause that protects your margin. Without it, "can you also do the garage?" becomes free work. Change it if you work on a time-and-materials basis: replace it with the hourly rate and a monthly cap. If a client asks for extra over a text, reply with the price before starting.

Clause 6: cancellation and rescheduling

6. Cancellation. You can cancel with [24 hours / 7 days] written notice. Cancellations after that, or if no one is available at the scheduled time, owe [a fee of $X or 50 percent of the visit]. Either of us can end the ongoing service with 30 days' written notice. We keep the deposit for work and materials already done.

Change the notice period to match how far ahead you have to turn down other work. A one-chair salon needs hours; a crew that blocks a week needs days. We have a longer version in the cancellation policy template.

Clause 7 and 8: ownership and confidentiality

7. Ownership. You own the final work product once you've paid in full. We keep our tools, templates and methods. We may show photos of the finished work in our portfolio unless you tell us not to.

8. Confidentiality. We'll keep your private information (account numbers, access codes, financial details) private and use it only to do the work.

Change clause 7 if you create something the client keeps using, such as a design, a site or a report. For design and writing work, say who owns what and when ownership transfers. Remove the portfolio sentence for clients such as medical practices or law firms who won't want it.

Clause 9: liability and ending the agreement

9. Liability. We carry [general liability insurance]. If something goes wrong because of our work, our responsibility is limited to the amount you paid us for the job, except where the law does not allow a limit. We are not responsible for delays or damage caused by things outside our control. Either of us may end this agreement if the other does not fix a serious breach within 10 days of written notice.

This is the clause to have a lawyer read. A cap on liability is common but enforceable in different ways in different states, and some trades (construction, health, financial) have rules that override it. If you work in a licensed field, check what your licensing body requires in a contract.

When to have a lawyer read it

  • When a single job or client is worth more than a month of your revenue.
  • When you work in construction, home improvement, health, finance, childcare or another regulated field. Many states require specific notices (for example, a right to cancel in home improvement sales).
  • When the client sends their own contract with indemnity, non-compete or unlimited liability clauses.
  • When you handle personal data beyond contact details.

If you sell ongoing time rather than projects, the monthly-fee version is in how to ask for a retainer fee. A one-hour review of your template is usually cheaper than one disputed invoice. Then use it every time, with the blanks filled in. Send it as a PDF or a link; a typed name and date with an electronic signature is generally accepted for ordinary service contracts, but check your state. Pair it with a faster way to get paid and a plain sales proposal that says the same things in sales language.

An agreement matters most once someone says yes. Getting them to say yes is the other half of the work. Rocketship finds the buyers, emails them from your own Gmail, follows up, and books the meeting on its own. Plans that get you customers start at $24.99 a month (Launch), and both Launch and Frontier start with a 7-day free trial, card required.