9 contract clauses every freelancer needs (and what each one protects)

A freelance contract is only as good as its clauses — and the same handful of missing ones cause almost every “difficult client” story. Here are the nine a self-employed solo needs, and exactly what each protects you from. The full how-to is in how to write a freelance contract in the EU; this is the clause-by-clause companion.

1. Scope & deliverables — protects against scope creep

The most expensive omission. A vague scope lets “just one more small thing” pile up for the same fee. Spell out exactly what you’ll deliver — and that anything beyond it is new, billable work.

2. Payment terms + deposit — protects your cash flow

State the fee, a due date, and a deposit (commonly 30–50%) before work starts on larger jobs. A deposit filters out non-serious clients and means you’re never fully exposed. Pairs with invoicing the right way.

3. Late-payment clause — protects against slow payers

In the EU you have the Late Payment Directive behind you: for B2B and public-sector clients, statutory interest and a fixed compensation apply automatically after the deadline. Reference it so the client knows late payment has a cost — and you have a firm basis to chase.

4. Revisions limit — protects against endless tweaks

“Can we try one more version?” forever is unpaid work. Cap the included rounds (“two revisions included; further rounds at €X”) so extra iterations are a choice the client pays for.

5. IP / ownership transfer on full payment — protects against unpaid use

6. Kill fee / cancellation — protects your reserved time

If a client cancels mid-project, a kill fee (the non-refundable deposit plus work done, or a set percentage) compensates you for the time you committed and the other work you turned away. Without it, they walk and you’re left with nothing.

7. Confidentiality — protects the relationship (and you)

A simple NDA clause when you’ll see sensitive information reassures the client and sets clear limits on both sides. Keep it proportionate — a short mutual clause beats a ten-page legal monster for routine work.

8. Liability cap — protects against outsized claims

Limit your financial exposure to (commonly) the value of the contract, so a problem can’t balloon into a claim many times your fee. For a solo with no corporate shield, this clause matters more than it looks.

9. Governing law & jurisdiction — protects cross-border work

State which country’s law applies and where disputes are heard. With EU clients in different countries this avoids an expensive argument about whose courts decide — settle it up front, in your favour where you can. Reinforce genuine independence here too, to avoid false-self-employment reclassification.

The pattern

Don’t draft from scratch — start with how to write a freelance contract in the EU, then pick a tool that templates these clauses and handles the e-signature.

Part of the complete EU admin guide for solopreneurs.