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Graphic and Brand Designer Contract Template

For graphic designers and brand designers. The issues that cause the most disputes in design work are surprisingly consistent: source files, font licensing, and what "one more round" actually means.

Most designers deliver final files and then get asked for the working source files months later, for free, because the client didn't realize that was a separate deliverable. Font licensing is the clause almost nobody includes, and the one that creates real legal exposure when a client publishes a brand using a font they don't have a commercial license for. This contract covers both, plus revision scope and the IP transfer that actually makes a logo legally yours.

What's included

• Scope of work: exact deliverables, file formats, and number of design concepts included
• Source file policy: whether source files (.ai, .psd, .fig, .sketch) are included or priced separately, and when they're delivered
• Font licensing: Contractor provides design using specified fonts; Client is solely responsible for purchasing commercial licenses for any fonts used in final brand assets
• Revision definition: what counts as a revision (color change, copy swap, minor layout adjustment) vs. what constitutes a new direction and triggers additional fees
• Mockup vs. final files: Client approves mockups before final production files are created; changes requested after mockup approval are billed as additional work
• Payment terms: deposit before work begins, balance on delivery of final files
• IP ownership: all designs remain Contractor's intellectual property until paid in full; upon full payment, rights transfer to Client as specified
• Portfolio rights: Contractor's right to display the work as a professional sample
• Kill fee: what you're owed if the project is cancelled after design work has begun

For more on contracts, IP transfer, and how to protect your work, read the guide to freelance contracts.

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