A graphic design job looks simple on paper: brief, concepts, revisions, files. The disputes come at the edges. A client who wants the layered files for free, a print run with a typo the client approved, a logo that ends up on a national ad campaign when you priced it for a local cafe. A graphic design contract settles those edges before they cost you.
This template fits freelance graphic designers working on logos, brand identities, packaging, print collateral, and campaign artwork. It treats concepts, revisions, file delivery, and usage rights as separate, explicit terms rather than leaving them to the email thread.
TL;DR
The graphic design contract template sets out deliverables, number of concepts, revision rounds, what files the client receives, the copyright assignment or usage license, print proof sign-off, and a staged kill fee. Send it with a deposit invoice (often 30–50%) once the brief is agreed, and keep layered source files as a priced, separate line unless you are assigning full copyright.
What's inside
- Deliverables table — each item with format, dimensions or sizes, and due date.
- Creative process — number of initial concepts, how one is chosen, and revision rounds after that.
- File delivery — final exports listed by format, plus whether source files are included.
- Rights and usage — choose full assignment or a license by medium, territory, and term.
- Print and production — proof approval and responsibility for errors after sign-off.
- Fees, deposit, and kill fee — payment milestones and staged cancellation fees.
- Client materials and credit — client warranties on supplied assets and your portfolio rights.
- Liability, termination, and general terms — with placeholders for governing law.
When to use it
Use this contract for any design project with a defined set of deliverables and a fixed fee, from a single logo to a full identity system with stationery and social templates. Pair it with a graphic design proposal and a logo design brief so the scope in the contract has something to point to.
For ongoing monthly design support (social graphics, ad variants), a retainer agreement is a better fit. For licensing an existing illustration rather than creating commissioned work, use an illustration licensing agreement.
Rights and licensing rules differ between countries, so ask a lawyer in your jurisdiction to review the filled-in contract once, particularly clause 4, before you reuse it.
Pricing rights, files, and cancellation
Usage drives value. The same logo is worth more to a regional chain than to a one-person consultancy. If you license rather than assign, define the license by medium (print, digital, broadcast, packaging), territory, and term, and price an extension fee for broader use. For brand marks, full assignment on final payment is usually the cleaner option because clients need to trademark and defend them.
Source files are a separate product. Working files contain your process, unused layers, and sometimes licensed assets you cannot transfer. Many designers include print-ready PDFs, PNGs, and SVGs as standard and quote native files separately. Whatever you choose, state it so nobody assumes.
Stage the kill fee. A flat cancellation fee feels arbitrary to clients. A staged one feels fair: for example, the deposit only if the client cancels before concepts, 50% after concepts are presented, and 100% once final artwork is delivered. Pick numbers that reflect how much of the work is front-loaded in your process.
Fonts and stock. Commercial fonts and stock images are licensed per user or per use. The contract should say the client buys their own license where required, so you are not passing on a font you have no right to share.
Customize it in your COLO workspace
Keep this as a reusable template in COLO Contracts and send it through the client portal, where the client can sign with a typed name or signature image and download the PDF. When the client accepts your proposal, you can convert it into an invoice for the deposit.
Upload concepts and final files to the project in project management and use project chat for feedback, so revision rounds are tracked in one place instead of scattered across email.
Common mistakes
- Unlimited "tweaks." Define a round as one consolidated set of feedback. Count rounds per deliverable.
- Assigning copyright before payment. Rights should pass only once the final invoice is paid.
- No proof sign-off clause. A typo in 5,000 printed brochures becomes your problem if the contract is silent.
- Forgetting unused concepts. Say that rejected concepts stay yours and can be reused or shown.
- Vague deliverables. "Social media kit" means nothing; "12 Instagram post templates, 1080 x 1350, editable in [TOOL]" means something.
FAQ
Q: Should a graphic design contract include source files?
Decide and write it down. Many designers deliver final exports by default and charge separately for layered source files, or include them only when full copyright is assigned.
Q: What is a kill fee in a design contract?
A kill fee is what the client pays if they cancel after work has started, commonly 25–50% of the fee depending on the stage reached, on top of the non-refundable deposit.
Q: Do I transfer copyright or license the design?
For logos and brand identities, clients usually expect full assignment on final payment. For illustrations, campaign artwork, and templates, a license defined by medium, territory, and duration is often more appropriate and lets you price by usage.
Q: Who is responsible for print errors?
The client, once they sign off a final proof. The contract should say that approved proofs are the client's responsibility and that reprint costs caused by errors in an approved proof are not yours.
Q: How many design concepts should I include?
Two or three initial concepts is typical for logo and identity work, with one chosen concept taken forward into revision rounds. More concepts mean more time, so price them accordingly. See the freelance pricing guide for structuring fees.
Related
- Graphic Design Invoice Template for the deposit and final payment.
- Design SOW when the deliverables list is long.
- Tools for graphic designers.