A virtual assistant often ends up holding the keys to a client's business: inbox, calendar, social accounts, supplier portals, sometimes the company card. The work arrives in small, constant pieces, and the line between "a quick favor" and "another hour" can disappear in a week. A virtual assistant agreement sets the package, the hours, the request process, and the rules for handling access and data.
This template is for freelance virtual assistants and online business managers working on monthly hour packages or hourly retainers. It covers rollover, response times, task boundaries, and what happens to logins and files when the engagement ends.
TL;DR
The virtual assistant agreement template sets a monthly hour package billed in advance, one-month rollover, working hours and response times, a single request channel, excluded tasks, password-manager-only access, confidentiality and data handling, client-paid software, and 30 days' notice. Use it for ongoing VA support, track hours on a timesheet, and require approval before going over the package.
What's inside
- Services — admin, inbox and calendar, research, customer support, social scheduling, and excluded tasks.
- Package and rate — hours per month, overage rate, and rollover rule.
- Working hours and response times — availability, time zone, and turnaround by priority.
- How tasks are requested — one channel, task descriptions, and deadlines.
- Access, passwords, and security — password manager, two-factor authentication, and spending limits.
- Confidentiality and data — handling personal data and business information.
- Tools and expenses — who pays for software subscriptions.
- Fees, term, and notice — invoicing in advance and ending the engagement.
When to use it
Use this agreement when a client commits to regular support, whether 10 hours a month or 80. Send it once they accept your virtual assistant proposal. For a single short project like an inbox clean-up, a simple service contract is enough.
If the client wants you to sign their non-disclosure agreement as well, check it does not conflict with this one; if they have none, a non-disclosure agreement can sit alongside it.
Contractor status and data protection rules vary by country, so have a lawyer in your jurisdiction review your filled-in version once before relying on it.
Packages, rollover, and access
Sell blocks, not availability. Monthly packages (for example 10, 20, or 40 hours) let you plan capacity. Bill them in advance. Hours beyond the package need the client's approval and are billed at an overage rate, often equal to or slightly higher than the package rate.
Rollover rules. Hours you have reserved for a client have a cost even if unused. Common options are no rollover, rollover for one month only, or rollover capped at a percentage of the package.
Priority and turnaround. Clients often expect replies within minutes. Define priority levels: urgent (same working day), standard (two working days), and project tasks (agreed deadline). Name the channel for urgent requests.
Access discipline. Use a password manager with shared vaults, never plain-text passwords in email or chat. Turn on two-factor authentication. If you have access to a payment method, set a per-transaction spending limit and require approval above it.
Time tracking. A timesheet or time tracker with task notes lets the client see what the hours bought, which is the best defense against "what did you do this month?"
Customize it in your COLO workspace
Store this agreement in COLO Contracts and send it to the client portal for signature by typed name or signature image. Set up a project per client in task management so requests become tasks with priorities and statuses.
Track time with the start/stop timer or manual entries, mark tasks billable or non-billable, and raise the monthly invoice from tracked time in invoicing and payments. Clients can pay by card or PayPal from the client portal.
Common mistakes
- Requests from every direction. WhatsApp, email, and text messages make tracking impossible. Pick one channel.
- No overage approval. Going over the package without approval leads to disputes on the invoice.
- Passwords shared in chat. Use a password manager and remove access at the end.
- Taking on regulated tasks. Bookkeeping, tax, or legal work need qualifications and insurance.
- Paying for the client's tools. Software used for their business should be on their account.
FAQ
Q: What should a virtual assistant contract include?
The services and excluded tasks, the hour package or rate, rollover rules, working hours and response times, how tasks are requested, access and password handling, data confidentiality, who pays for tools, payment terms, and notice period.
Q: Do unused virtual assistant hours roll over?
It depends on the agreement. Many VAs allow unused hours to roll over for one month only, or not at all, because the time was reserved for that client. State the rule in the contract.
Q: Should a VA handle the client's passwords?
Only through a password manager with shared vaults or delegated access, never by email or chat. The agreement should say access is removed at the end of the engagement.
Q: Is a virtual assistant an employee or contractor?
A freelance VA is usually an independent contractor who sets their own hours and methods, uses their own equipment, and works for several clients. Rules on classification vary by country, so check local guidance.
Q: What tasks should a VA agreement exclude?
Tasks that need a license or carry legal or financial risk, such as bookkeeping sign-off, tax filing, legal drafting, or making payments above a limit, unless you are qualified and the agreement says so.