A client contract for a freelancer: what to fix in the text

How a freelancer checks a contract with a client

A freelancer’s most common losses sit in three places: payment, the volume of revisions, and rights in the result. This piece focuses only on those risks, and on working wording for project work.

What is specific about contracts for freelancers

Contracts with freelancers are usually made as work contracts (podryad) or as contracts for paid services. It matters to understand the difference and to document the relationship correctly.

Work contract vs services contract

Required clauses in a freelancer contract

1. Subject of the contract

The subject should be described in as much detail as possible. State:

• The specific scope of work (for example, “development of a 10-page website”)
• Technical requirements (if any — attach the statement of work)
• Criteria for quality and acceptance
• Stages of performance (if the work is split into stages)

2. Deadlines

State specific dates:

• Start date of the work
• End date of the work
• Interim deadlines (if the work is split into stages)
• Deadlines for correcting comments

3. Price and payment procedure

This is one of the most important clauses. State:

• The total cost of the work
• The prepayment amount (30–50% is recommended)
• Payment deadlines (for example, “within 5 banking days after the acceptance certificate is signed”)
• Payment methods (cash, bank transfer, electronic payments)
• Payment terms by stage (if the work is split into stages)

4. Rights in the result of the work

Always state who owns the rights in the result:

• Exclusive rights pass to the customer after full payment
• Or the rights stay with the contractor, and the customer receives a license
• The right to use the work in a portfolio (if you want to show the work)

Protection from bad-faith clients

1. Prepayment

Always require a prepayment. It protects you from a client who refuses to pay after the work is done. The recommended prepayment is 30–50% of the cost.

2. Penalties for late payment

Write in penalties for missed payment deadlines:

3. A cap on the number of revisions

State how many revisions are free. Extra revisions should be paid for separately:

4. Termination terms

Write the terms for terminating the contract:

• If a payment deadline is missed by more than 30 days
• If deadlines for providing materials or information are missed
• If payment is refused
• How the prepayment is returned on termination

Points specific to the self-employed

If you work as self-employed (samozanyaty), a few points matter:

• Tax regime: State that you work as self-employed and apply the special tax regime
• VAT: The self-employed do not pay VAT, so the price should be stated without VAT
• Receipt: Always issue a receipt through the My Tax (Moi nalog) app
• Limits: Remember the limits for the self-employed (2.4 million rubles a year)

Acceptance certificate, correspondence, and handover of source files: what helps in a dispute

For a freelancer, the contract clauses are not the only thing that matters. Proof of performance matters too. If a dispute reaches a claim or a court, the set of documents decides it.

• A signed acceptance certificate for each stage, not one final certificate
• A written record of handing over materials and revisions (email, messenger, task tracker)
• A register of files handed over: mockups, source files, access, archives
• A contract term that comments after acceptance are documented in a separate addendum

Typical freelancer mistakes

Checklist for a freelancer

Conclusion

A properly drafted contract is your protection from bad-faith clients. Do not agree to work without a contract, or on unfavorable terms. It is better to spend time working through the contract than to try to recover money through court later.

Use a specialized service to check contracts before you sign. It will help flag risks and unfavorable terms.

For a general checklist for any type of deal, see a separate piece: how to check a contract for risks.