For web designers

Contracts for web designers

A UK web designer needs a signed website build agreement before mockups start: pages, breakpoints, CMS, revision rounds, client content dates, , , and whether the client gets an or a of the design and code. Under CDPA 1988 s.11 you own freelance work you create; s.90(3) requires an assignment in writing, signed. Lex drafts that on one shared link.

Last updated 3 November 2026

Draft this with Lex

Free for the other side

Lex drafts it in Plain English beside the legal wording. Share one link; both sides agree and sign.

Templates web designers use most

Client workWebsite build agreementA website build agreement covers designing, building and launching a site: pages, CMS, rounds of changes, hosting handover and ownership.Read →Client workStatement of workA statement of work sets the scope, deliverables, milestones and fees for one project under a wider services agreement.Read →Client workFreelancer agreementA freelancer agreement sets the brief, deliverables, rate, rights and payment terms between a freelancer and a client.Read →Client workServices agreement (MSA)A services agreement sets the standing terms for every project with a client, so each new job needs only a short statement of work.Read →NDAs & IPMutual NDAA mutual NDA lets two businesses share confidential information both ways before a deal, and says what each side can do with it.Read →Client workRetainer agreementA retainer agreement sets a monthly fee for a set amount of your time or availability, and what happens to unused hours.Read →

Which clauses decide a web design contract?

Five lines decide most web design jobs: who owns the design and the code, how many revision rounds are included, the kill fee, the deposit, and whether hosting and maintenance sit in the same paper. Write them in the website build agreement before first mockups. Lex puts them on one paper the client signs from a link.

The clauses that usually decide a UK freelance web design job. Assignment of copyright must be in writing, signed — CDPA 1988 s.90(3).
ClauseWhat it doesTypical freelance line
IP and licenceWho owns the finals, the code, themes and libraries.Assignment of bespoke design and code on full payment; licensed.
RevisionsCaps rounds so “until we like it” is not the deal.Two consolidated rounds per breakpoint set; extras quoted first.
Kill feeMoney due if the client cancels.Work done plus a set percentage of the remaining fee.
DepositMoney before work starts.30–50% on signature; work does not start until it lands.
Hosting handoffWhether go-live hosting and a sit in this paper.Build ends at staging sign-off; hosting and care as a separate retainer.

What contract does a web designer need?

Start from a website build agreement. It fixes pages, breakpoints, CMS, revision rounds, who supplies content and when, the fee, the deposit, cancellation, go-live, and whether the client gets a licence or an assignment of the design and code. Repeat clients often sit under a services agreement plus a statement of work. Lex drafts from one sentence; the client signs from one link.

Who owns the design and the code under UK copyright law?

You do, unless you assign it. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 s.11 makes the author the first owner of copyright in a freelance artistic work and in a computer program. Section 90(3) says an assignment is not effective unless it is in writing, signed. Paying an invoice does not move ownership. Write assignment of bespoke work on full payment, and keep themes, plugins and libraries licensed. See intellectual property assignment.

How should pages, breakpoints, CMS and hosting be written?

Name the pages, the breakpoints, the CMS, and what “done” looks like. “A website” is not a list. “Home, about, five service pages and a contact form, desktop and mobile, on the named CMS, handed over at staging” is a list. Hosting after go-live is usually a retainer, not the build. Extra pages are change control, not a courtesy. See Client keeps adding extra work.

How should revisions and client content delays be written?

Two consolidated rounds per agreed breakpoint set is the usual starting point. Name what a round is: one packed set of comments, not a drip of Slack notes. Client copy, photos and logins have dates. If they miss those dates, the launch moves and the fee does not drop. Extra rounds, or a new page, are quoted first. The revision limit is the line that stops “until we like it”.

What should the kill fee and deposit say?

A deposit of 30–50% on signature, with work paused until it lands. Longer builds split the balance on design approval and on launch. A kill fee if they cancel: work done plus a set share of the remaining fee. There is no default UK right to keep a deposit; both sides have to agree it. Write the sums in the paper. See client cancels: can you keep the deposit?.

How should maintenance, handoff and portfolio credit work?

The build ends at staging sign-off or go-live. After that, bug-fix days and hosting sit on a retainer. Write the handoff: repo, CMS admin, DNS, and third-party logins. Portfolio use is a separate licence after launch, not an automatic right. Contracts for developers is the code-heavy sibling; contracts for graphic designers is the brand sibling.

Frequently asked questions

What contract does a web designer need?

A website build agreement covering pages, breakpoints, CMS, revisions, client content dates, deposit, kill fee, go-live, and whether the client gets a licence or an assignment of the design and code. Repeat work often uses a services agreement plus a . Start from the website build template.

Do I own the site until I am paid?

Yes, unless you assigned copyright in writing, signed. CDPA 1988 s.11 makes you the first owner of freelance artistic work and of a computer program. s.90(3) requires a signed written assignment. Paying an invoice does not move ownership. Write assignment on full payment.

How many revision rounds should I include?

Two consolidated rounds per breakpoint set is a common starting point. Name what a round is and price extras. Silence is often read as “until we like it”.

What if the client is late with copy or images?

Write content dates and a slip rule. If they miss those dates, the launch moves by the same number of days and the fee does not drop. You are not in delay for waiting on their assets.

Can I keep the deposit if the client cancels?

Only if both sides agreed a deposit or kill fee. There is no default UK right to keep money described as a deposit after the fact. Write the sum, when it is due, and what happens on cancellation.

Can my client sign without creating an account?

Yes. You share one link, the client reads the agreement in Plain English, agrees and signs. It is free for them.

Sources

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The legal wording governsLast reviewed 3 November 2026Pending lawyer review