Free Graphic Design Contract Template
A graphic design contract covers packaging deliverables, payment and revision terms, file ownership, print responsibility, portfolio sharing, and how either side ends the project.
A label goes to print, a deadline gets booked at the plant, and everybody wants to know the files will hold up when the run hits the press. This graphic design contract puts the risk points in writing: what gets delivered, when approvals happen, who signs off on proofs, and what happens when a dieline or spec changes late.
The terms start by tying the agreement back to an accepted proposal, then move through What you get, Payment, and Changes and revisions in plain language. The client sees the deliverables and the prepress checks before the responsibility line, so nobody has to guess where “print realities” start and where your part ends. The pages sit under Zilla Slab headings with Inter body text, with deep rubine accents and a mustard call-to-action that keeps the acceptance moment hard to miss.
- If you have an accepted proposal Connects the contract to the accepted scope, and leaves the proposal to carry the timeline, pricing, and what’s being produced.
- What you get Lists the packaging design deliverables and the inputs you’ll ask the client or vendor for before files get locked.
- Changes and revisions Defines a revision round, points back to what’s included per stage, and prices out-of-scope changes as a quoted change.
- Who owns what Spells out what production files get handed over, what working files stay with the studio, and how a native-file buyout gets quoted.
- Print realities Covers prepress checks, proof approval responsibility, what isn’t covered, and what happens if the studio makes a file mistake.
Once the terms match your own names, dates, and rates, the contract is ready to send. The client signs online, and the signed copy carries the scope and the print-proof responsibility in the same place, so the handoff stays clean when a run is moving fast.
We went from spending hours on every proposal to creating fully customized ones in under 5 minutes. That's not an exaggeration - we timed it.
What this contract contains
1) If you have an accepted proposal
Ties the agreement to an accepted proposal, leaving the proposal to fill in timeline, pricing, and the exact deliverables for the project.
2) What you get
Covers the packaging files and prepress support included, plus the dielines, specs, finishes, and barcode requirements that need to come from the vendor or client.
3) Payment
Explains staged invoicing tied to the proposal, due dates, what happens on late payment, and how to plan billing around real production deadlines.
4) Changes and revisions
Defines a revision round, separates fixes from revisions, and requires written approval before any extra work outside the included rounds starts.
5) Who owns what
Separates exported production files from working files, and explains how a native-file buyout and clean handoff gets quoted when needed.
6) Sharing the work
Sets portfolio rights for final public work, lists what stays confidential, and gives an opt-out or embargo date to follow in writing.
7) Print realities
Spells out prepress responsibilities, proof approval, what causes aren’t covered, and a promise to fix studio file errors at no charge.
8) Ending the project
Covers written notice, billing up to the end date, what gets handed over once the account is current, and keeps final print-ready files unreleased if approval hasn’t happened yet.
Who it is for
Packaging designers and studios doing packaging design for beverage brands, CPG launches, and any job where print files have to match a vendor’s dielines and deadlines.
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Questions about this contract template
Can a design contract reference an accepted proposal?
A design contract can point back to an accepted proposal for the specifics like timeline, pricing, and exactly what’s being produced. The contract then carries the standing terms that don’t change from job to job, like approvals, ownership, and print responsibility.
What should a packaging design contract say the designer will deliver?
A packaging design contract should name the production deliverables, like label files, carton work, SKU variants, and a prepress check and handoff. The contract can also say what inputs need to come from the printer or label house, like dielines, specs, finishes, and barcode requirements.
How do revision rounds usually work in a design contract?
A revision round usually means one consolidated set of changes based on notes on the same set of comps or proofs. The included number of rounds can vary by stage, and out-of-scope changes can be priced as a quoted change with written approval before work continues.
Who owns the working files in a graphic design contract?
A graphic design contract often hands over exported production files needed for output, while the designer keeps native working files, templates, and internal checklists. When a client needs native files for a specific reason, the contract can treat that as a quoted buyout with a clean handoff.
Who is responsible for approving final print proofs?
Final proof approval usually sits with the client, including printer proofs or press proofs. The designer can still take responsibility for building files to the specs provided, checking common failure points, and fixing any designer-made file mistakes at no charge.
What happens if the project ends before final files are approved?
Either side can end the project with written notice, and work completed up to the end date still gets billed. The contract can limit release of anything marked final or print ready until the account is current and approvals are in, while still allowing drafts or working exports that are clearly labeled.
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