California · Standard edition

California Freelance Agreement Template

Create a California freelance agreement online for a design, writing, development, or other freelance project. The Standard agreement covers the project, delivery and revision rounds, acceptance, fee and payment deadline, client materials, ownership of the work, confidentiality, independent contractor status, warranties, limitation of liability, termination, and California freelance rules.

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California rules built into this template

  • Worker classification: California generally decides worker status under the "ABC" test (Cal. Lab. Code § 2775). Exemptions apply to some business-to-business relationships (Cal. Lab. Code § 2776) and to listed professional services, such as marketing, graphic design, and human resources administration, when the statutory conditions are met (Cal. Lab. Code § 2778).
  • Freelance payment law: California's Freelance Worker Protection Act (SB 988, effective for contracts entered into or renewed on or after January 1, 2025) requires a written contract when a freelance worker is paid $250 or more, alone or with other work for the same hiring party in a 120-day period; payment is due on the date in the contract or, if none, within 30 days after the services are completed, and the hiring party must keep the contract for at least four years. Worker classification in California is generally decided under the "ABC" test (Cal. Lab. Code § 2775) unless an exemption applies, such as the business-to-business exemption (Cal. Lab. Code § 2776).
  • Federal tax: for payments made in 2026, a business generally reports payments of $2,000 or more to a contractor on IRS Form 1099-NEC.

What the Freelance Agreement includes

  1. Project
  2. Delivery and Revisions
  3. Acceptance
  4. Fee and Payment
  5. Client Materials
  6. Intellectual Property
  7. Confidentiality
  8. Independent Contractor
  9. Warranties
  10. Limitation of Liability
  11. Termination
  12. State Law
  13. General Provisions
  14. Governing Law

Frequently asked questions

Does California require a written freelance contract?
California's Freelance Worker Protection Act (SB 988, effective for contracts entered into or renewed on or after January 1, 2025) requires a written contract when a freelance worker is paid $250 or more, alone or with other work for the same hiring party in a 120-day period; payment is due on the date in the contract or, if none, within 30 days after the services are completed, and the hiring party must keep the contract for at least four years. Worker classification in California is generally decided under the "ABC" test (Cal. Lab. Code § 2775) unless an exemption applies, such as the business-to-business exemption (Cal. Lab. Code § 2776).
Who owns the work in a freelance agreement?
Under the Standard agreement, the client owns the final deliverables once it has paid in full, while the freelancer keeps their pre-existing tools and know-how and may show the published work in a portfolio unless the client asks for confidentiality.
What is the difference between the Standard and Professional Freelance Agreement?
The Standard edition is a complete, state-aware Freelance Agreement for common situations. The Professional edition adds longer clause coverage, schedules, and optional modules for more complex matters. You can preview either edition free before you pay.

Freelance Agreement templates for other states

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