10 Essential Contract Examples and Templates for Businesses

Whether you're hiring your first employee, partnering with a vendor, or protecting confidential information, the contracts you create define how your business operates and grows.

But here's the challenge: creating a contract that protects your interests and stands up legally. Many business owners waste hours researching contract types, only to struggle with drafting documents that cover all the necessary details.

Our guide cuts through the confusion. You'll find 10 essential contract examples that every business needs, complete with actionable guidance on what makes each one effective. We even have free-to-use templates for each contract mentioned – so you can quickly get started personalizing your own agreement.

What is required in a contract?

While every agreement is tailored to a specific business need, a contract is only as strong as its core components. To be considered legally enforceable, an agreement must move beyond a simple "handshake" to clearly define the exchange of value and the specific obligations of everyone involved. Without these foundational elements, a document may fail to protect your interests if a dispute reaches a courtroom.

At a minimum, every effective contract should explicitly document the following elements to help ensure there is no ambiguity regarding the nature of the agreement:

• Identified parties

• The offer and acceptance

• Consideration

• Terms and conditions

• Signatures and dates

10 common contract for businesses

The following contracts represent core agreements that many businesses will need at some point. Whether you're protecting confidential information, formalizing partnerships, or ensuring you get paid on time, these 10 contract examples cover some critical scenarios you'll face.

1. Non-disclosure agreement (NDA)

The most common contract you’ll come across in the business world is probably the NDA.  An NDA protects your most valuable asset: confidential information. Whether you're discussing a potential partnership, sharing proprietary technology, or bringing on a new hire who'll access sensitive data, an NDA establishes legal protection before you share anything critical.

When you need this:

• Discussing business strategies with potential investors or partners

• Sharing product designs or trade secrets with manufacturers

• Onboarding employees or contractors who'll access customer data

What makes it effective: Your NDA should clearly define what counts as confidential information and what doesn't. Set a specific duration for the agreement – typically 2-5 years (depending on your industry). Include consequences for breach and specify whether the NDA is mutual (both parties protect each other's information) or one-way.

Edit and use Docusign’s free NDA template

2. Lease agreement

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably run across a lease agreement in the last few years. Also known as a rental contract, a lease agreement defines the terms when you're renting property or equipment. This contract protects both the property owner and the tenant by establishing clear expectations around payment, usage, and responsibilities.

When you need this:

• Renting office space or retail locations for your business

• Leasing equipment like vehicles, machinery, or technology

• Subleasing property to another business

What makes it effective: Include specific rent amounts, payment schedules, and due dates. Define the lease duration and conditions for renewal or early termination. Clarify who's responsible for maintenance, repairs, and property insurance. Address what happens if payment is late and outline the security deposit terms.

Edit and use Docusign’s free lease agreement template

3. Invoice

Imagine completing a month-long project, only to have your payment delayed because the client "didn't see" your email or wasn't clear on the final total. Without a formal document, your hard work is left at the mercy of someone else’s inbox organization. 

An invoice solves this by formalizing what you’re owed and when payment is due. It’s more than just a bill—it’s a professional record that protects your right to payment and helps ensure both parties stay on the same page regarding project costs.

When you need this:

• Billing clients for completed services or delivered products

• Requesting payment milestones for ongoing projects

• Creating a paper trail for tax and accounting purposes

What makes it effective: Itemize every charge with clear descriptions so clients know exactly what they're paying for. State your payment terms upfront—net 30, due upon receipt, or whatever timeline you've agreed to. Include your business information, invoice number, and date for easy tracking. Specify accepted payment methods and any late payment penalties.

Edit and use Docusign’s free invoice template

4. Offer letter

The moment a top-tier candidate says "yes" over the phone is a major win for your team—but that verbal agreement is fragile until it’s on paper. An offer letter secures top talent by formalizing your hiring decision. It's the bridge between "we want to hire you" and the employee's first day, setting clear expectations before anyone signs an employment contract.

When you need this:

• Extending a job offer to a candidate you want to hire

• Formalizing salary negotiations and benefit discussions

• Creating a record of employment terms before onboarding begins

What makes it effective: State the job title, start date, and compensation clearly. Include salary or hourly rate, bonus structure, and equity if applicable. Outline key benefits like health insurance, PTO, and retirement plans. Specify whether employment is at-will and reference any conditions like background checks. Make it clear this is an offer, not a binding contract, until accepted.

Edit and use Docusign’s free offer letter template

5. Statement of work (SOW)

Projects rarely fail because the work was bad; they fail because the boundaries are blurry. "Scope creep" is the silent killer of profitability, turning a three-week consulting gig into a three-month marathon of "just one more thing" requests. 

A Statement of Work (SOW) acts as your project’s roadmap, explicitly defining the finish line so both the provider and the client know exactly when a job is done and when a new invoice is required.

When you need this:

• Hiring contractors or agencies for specific projects

• Defining deliverables for consulting engagements

• Establishing clear project boundaries with vendors

What makes it effective: Break down the project into specific deliverables with acceptance criteria for each. Set clear timelines and milestones tied to payment schedules. Define what's in scope and, just as importantly, what's out of scope. Include change order procedures so scope adjustments don't derail the project. Address ownership of work product and intellectual property rights.

Edit and use Docusign’s free statement of work (SOW) template

6. Bill of sale

A handshake and a bank transfer might feel sufficient when selling a company vehicle or a piece of heavy machinery, but without a formal record, you’re leaving the "as-is" nature of the sale up to debate. If the equipment fails two weeks later, a Bill of Sale is the only thing proving that the title—and the risk—has officially changed hands. 

This document serves as your permanent receipt, legally confirming that a transaction occurred and protecting both the buyer and seller from future claims of ownership or liability.

When you need this:

• Selling business assets like equipment, vehicles, or inventory

• Purchasing supplies or materials for your business

• Documenting the transfer of goods between companies

What makes it effective: Identify both parties with full legal names and contact information. Describe the item being sold in detail—make, model, serial numbers, condition. State the purchase price and payment method. Include the transfer date and any warranties or "as-is" declarations. Both parties should sign and keep copies for their records.

Edit and use Docusign’s free bill of sale template

7. Service contract

Hiring a freelancer or a recurring vendor is a leap of faith, but relying on an informal "we'll figure it out as we go" approach often leads to inconsistent quality or missed deadlines. Unlike a one-off project, an ongoing partnership requires a framework that governs the entire relationship, from how often they check in to who owns the work they produce. 

A service contract establishes these professional ground rules upfront, ensuring that your long-term vendors operate as a seamless extension of your own team.

When you need this:

• Hiring freelancers or contractors for recurring work

• Engaging vendors for ongoing services like IT support or cleaning

• Establishing long-term relationships with consultants

What makes it effective: Define the scope of services in detail, including quality standards and performance expectations. Establish compensation structure—hourly rates, retainers, or project-based fees. Address intellectual property ownership for any work created. Include termination clauses that protect both parties. Clarify whether the contractor can work for competitors and specify confidentiality requirements.

Edit and use Docusign’s free service contract template

8. Partnership agreement

The early days of a new business are usually fueled by shared excitement, but that optimism can quickly fade when the first major disagreement over money or strategy arises. Without a written roadmap for decision-making, a simple difference of opinion between co-founders can paralyze an entire company. 

A partnership agreement acts as the "pre-nuptial" for your business, defining exactly how profits are split, how disputes are settled, and—just as importantly—how a partner can gracefully exit the business without bringing operations to a halt.

When you need this:

• Starting a business with one or more co-founders

• Formalizing profit-sharing arrangements between partners

• Establishing decision-making authority in a multi-owner business

What makes it effective: Clearly define each partner's roles, responsibilities, and time commitments. Establish how profits and losses will be distributed—equal split, based on investment, or another formula. Address decision-making processes for both routine and major business decisions. Include buyout provisions and exit strategies so partners can leave without destroying the business. Define what happens if a partner dies, becomes disabled, or wants to sell their stake.

Edit and use Docusign’s free partnership agreement template

9. Contractor invoice

An invoice formalizes what you're owed and when payment is due. It's more than just a bill—it's a legal document that protects your right to payment and provides a clear record for both parties. Given that ineffective contract management costs companies an average of 9.2% of their annual revenue, getting your invoicing process right isn't just good practice—it's essential to your bottom line.

When you need this:

• Billing clients for completed services or delivered products

• Requesting payment milestones for ongoing projects

• Creating a paper trail for tax and accounting purposes

What makes it effective: Itemize every charge with clear descriptions so clients know exactly what they're paying for. State your payment terms upfront—net 30, due upon receipt, or whatever timeline you've agreed to. Include your business information, invoice number, and date for easy tracking. Specify accepted payment methods and any late payment penalties.

Edit and use Docusign’s free contractor invoice template

10. Liability waiver

Whether you’re opening a boutique gym or hosting a corporate retreat, even the most carefully managed activities carry a baseline of physical risk. Without a clear acknowledgment of that risk, a single accident can turn from a minor incident into a business-ending lawsuit. 

A liability waiver acts as your organization’s legal frontline, ensuring that participants are fully aware of the stakes and have voluntarily chosen to proceed, shifting the responsibility from your balance sheet back to the individual.

When you need this:

• Running fitness classes, sports activities, or adventure experiences

• Hosting events where participants could be injured

• Providing services that involve physical risk or property damage potential

What makes it effective: Clearly describe the specific risks participants are accepting. Use plain language so signers understand what they're agreeing to—courts often reject waivers that are confusing or hidden in fine print. Include an acknowledgment that the participant is voluntarily assuming these risks. Address emergency medical treatment authorization. Have participants sign before they participate, not after an incident occurs.

Edit and use Docusign’s free liability waiver template

From examples to execution: the Docusign advantage

Understanding which contract you need is just the starting point. The real challenge is execution—getting agreements signed quickly, securely, and in a way that holds up legally.

With Docusign eSignature, you can send any of these contracts for signature in minutes, not days. Your agreements are then tracked with complete audit trails, and stored securely so you can access them whenever you need them.

The Docusign IAM platform goes even further. Docusign IAM helps you automate repetitive agreement processes, integrate with the tools you already use, and gain visibility into every agreement across your business.