Template · Contracts
UGC contract template
A UGC job goes wrong in three places: what "usage" means, how many revisions are included, and when you get paid. This contract pins all three down before you film anything.
This is a starting point written for creators, not legal advice. Laws differ by country and state; for a large or long deal, have a lawyer read it before you sign.
The clauses that matter most
- Usage rights. Organic only, or paid ads too? On which channels, and for how long? Usage past the term needs a new fee.
- Whitelisting. If the brand runs ads from your handle, say for how long and that you can end it at the end of the term.
- Revisions. How many rounds are included, and what counts as a revision (an edit to your video) versus a new brief (a different video).
- Payment. The amount, the deposit, the due date and a late fee. UGC is usually paid per deliverable, not per result.
- Kill fee. What the brand pays if it cancels after you have filmed.
- Ownership. You usually keep the copyright and license the video to the brand; a full buyout costs more.
UGC CONTENT AGREEMENT
This agreement is between [Creator name] ("Creator") and [Brand legal name] ("Brand"), dated [date].
1. Deliverables
Creator will produce: [e.g. 3 vertical videos, 30–45 seconds each, plus 2 extra hooks per video]. Format: [9:16, 1080x1920, MP4]. Creator will deliver drafts by [date] and final files within [3] business days of final approval.
2. Brief and approvals
Brand will provide a written brief and the product by [date]. Brand will approve or request changes within [3] business days of each draft. Silence after that period counts as approval.
3. Revisions
The fee includes [1] round of revisions per video. A revision is a change to the delivered video (cuts, captions, order, a re-recorded line). A change to the concept, script or product after filming is a new brief and is quoted separately. Extra revision rounds cost $[amount] each.
4. Usage rights
Creator grants Brand a non-exclusive license to use the final videos:
- Organic use on Brand's own website, email and social media accounts: [perpetual / 12 months] from delivery.
- Paid advertising (ads run from Brand's accounts): [not included / included for (90) days from first ad spend].
- Whitelisting / Spark Ads (ads run from Creator's account): [not included / included for (30) days]. Creator will grant the access needed and may remove it when the term ends.
Use beyond these terms, channels or durations needs Creator's written agreement and an extra fee.
5. Ownership
Creator keeps the copyright in the videos and any raw footage. [Raw footage is / is not] delivered. Brand may edit the videos for length and format but will not change their meaning or use Creator's name, face or voice to endorse other products.
6. Fee and payment
Total fee: $[amount] [currency], itemized as: [videos $x, hooks $x, paid usage $x, whitelisting $x]. Brand pays [50]% on signing and [50]% on delivery of final files, within [14] days of each invoice. Late payments add [1.5]% per month. Usage rights start once payment is received in full.
7. Cancellation
If Brand cancels before filming, Brand pays [25]% of the fee. If Brand cancels after filming has started, Brand pays [100]% of the fee for videos filmed and no license is granted for unpaid videos.
8. Exclusivity
[None.] / [Creator will not create paid content for (direct competitors: list) for (30) days from delivery, for a fee of $(amount).]
9. Disclosure
Where Creator posts the content on Creator's own accounts, Creator will disclose the paid relationship as the law and the platform require.
10. General
Each party may terminate for a material breach not fixed within [10] days of written notice. This agreement is governed by the laws of [state/province, country]. It is the whole agreement between the parties and can only be changed in writing.
Creator: ____________________ Date: ________
Brand: ______________________ Date: ________Coming next
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Questions creators ask
+Do UGC creators keep the rights to their videos?
Usually, yes: the creator keeps the copyright and licenses the video to the brand for set channels and a set time. A brand that wants to own the video outright is asking for a buyout, which costs more.
+What is the difference between paid usage and whitelisting?
Paid usage means the brand runs your video as an ad from its own accounts. Whitelisting (Spark Ads on TikTok) means the ad runs from your handle, using your name and profile. Most creators price them separately; see the UGC usage rights guide.
+How many revisions should a UGC contract include?
One round per video is common. Define a revision as an edit to the delivered video, so a new concept after filming is quoted as a new brief.
Keep going
- UGC usage rights explainedOrganic vs paid usage, whitelisting, durations and what to charge.
- UGC rate calculatorPrice a UGC video with usage rights, whitelisting, hooks and rush fees, line by line.
- Creator invoice templateAn invoice brands pay without a second email.
- Influencer contract templateA sponsored-post agreement with disclosure, exclusivity and approvals.
Coming next
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