Working without a contract is how VAs end up doing unlimited revisions, chasing unpaid invoices, and getting blamed for problems that were never in scope. A strong VA contract sets expectations before work begins and protects you when things go sideways. Here is what it needs to cover.
Scope of services: be specific about what is included
Your contract must specify exactly which services are included in the retainer or project. List tasks by category — inbox management, calendar management, data entry, research — and define any limits. If email management means monitoring and responding to routine inquiries but not managing newsletter campaigns, say so. Clients rarely intend to scope creep; they just do not know the line if you have not drawn it.
Include a clause for out-of-scope requests: any work outside the defined services requires a written change order and may incur additional fees. This one clause prevents more client conflict than anything else in a VA contract.
Payment terms: upfront retainers and late fee clauses
Retainer payments should be collected at the start of each billing period, not after delivery. Paying after delivery puts you in the position of having done the work with no leverage. Require payment upfront or split payment — 50% at project start, 50% at completion — for project work.
- Retainer invoices due on the 1st of each month, work begins when paid
- Project work: 50% upfront, 50% before final delivery
- Late payment fee: 1.5–2% per week on overdue invoices
- Work paused if invoice is more than 10 business days overdue
- Unused hours do not roll over to the following month
Confidentiality and data handling
VAs routinely handle sensitive information: client emails, financial records, customer data, login credentials, and proprietary business processes. A confidentiality clause protects the client and signals that you take privacy seriously — which is a genuine selling point when pitching to businesses that handle sensitive data.
Include how you will store and handle credentials (password manager only, never plain text), and a commitment not to disclose or use client information outside the scope of the engagement. This is often the clause clients look for first when reviewing a VA contract.
Termination, notice periods, and offboarding
Define what happens when either party wants to end the relationship. A 30-day written notice requirement is standard and gives both sides time to transition smoothly. Specify what happens to work in progress — do you complete current tasks or hand off at the termination date? Who pays for the notice period if the client terminates immediately?
Include an offboarding process: you will provide access credentials back to the client, hand off documentation for any ongoing processes, and confirm all outstanding invoices are settled before final access is transferred. A clean offboarding protects your reputation and makes you referable — even to clients who are moving on. For rate and retainer structure, see our guide on virtual assistant rates and pricing.
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