New York · Standard edition

New York Freelance Agreement Template

Create a New York 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 New York freelance rules.

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New York rules built into this template

  • Worker classification: New York decides worker status based on the degree of control the hiring party has over the work, and the labels in a freelancer agreement do not control on their own.
  • Freelance payment law: New York's Freelance Isn't Free Act (N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §§ 1410-1415, effective August 28, 2024) requires a written contract for freelance work worth $800 or more, alone or with other work for the same hiring party in the prior 120 days; payment is due on the date in the contract or, if none, within 30 days after the work is completed, and retaliation against a freelancer for exercising these rights is prohibited.
  • 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 New York require a written freelance contract?
New York's Freelance Isn't Free Act (N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §§ 1410-1415, effective August 28, 2024) requires a written contract for freelance work worth $800 or more, alone or with other work for the same hiring party in the prior 120 days; payment is due on the date in the contract or, if none, within 30 days after the work is completed, and retaliation against a freelancer for exercising these rights is prohibited.
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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