Website Contract Checklist: What to Agree in Writing
A clear agreement protects both you and your web designer. Most website disputes come from unspoken assumptions rather than bad intentions. This checklist covers what to settle in writing before work begins. It is general information, not legal advice, so have a professional review any contract that matters to your business.
Scope of work
- A list of pages and features that are included
- What is not included, such as copywriting, photography, or extra languages
- The platform or technology the site will be built on
- How change requests outside the scope are handled and priced
Vague scope is the number one source of arguments. If something matters to you, name it.
Timeline
- Key milestones and delivery dates
- What each side must provide, and by when, such as content and feedback
- What happens if either side causes a delay. See how long a website takes
Price and payment
- The total price, or how an hourly or monthly price is calculated
- A payment schedule linked to milestones
- Late payment terms and any deposit
- Who pays for third-party costs such as themes, plugins, stock photos, and fonts
Revisions and approvals
- How many rounds of changes are included
- Who has authority to approve each stage
- What counts as final approval
Ownership and licensing
- Who owns the finished design, code, and content after payment
- Whether you receive source files, logins, and documentation
- Any third-party licenses that are renewed yearly
- That you own your domain and hosting accounts. See who owns your website and accounts
Launch and handover
- What launch includes, such as redirects, analytics, and testing
- Training or documentation you will receive
- A short warranty period for fixing bugs after launch
Ongoing support
- Whether hosting, updates, backups, and support are included, and for how long
- Response times and what counts as an emergency
- The monthly or yearly cost. See the maintenance checklist
Confidentiality and privacy
- How each side treats confidential information
- How personal data from your site will be handled. See privacy policy basics
Ending the agreement
- How either side can cancel, and what is owed if they do
- What you receive if the project stops partway
Liability and portfolio rights
- Any limit on liability
- Whether the designer may show the work in their portfolio
The bottom line
Write down what you are buying, when it arrives, what it costs, and who owns it. A short, clear contract builds a better working relationship from day one. For the client side of that relationship, see how to work with a web designer as a client.