Free template
UGC contract template: 10 terms to agree before you hire a creator
Published 2026-11-08
Many UGC disagreements show up after delivery. The video arrives in the wrong format, the creator says your paid ad was never part of the deal, or nobody agreed whether they keep the product. A short written agreement settles these questions before they come up. Here is a free template, plus one Fiverr rule that changes how you use it: on Fiverr, you shouldn’t send a separate contract at all.
The short answer
- Hiring on Fiverr? Your agreement is the Gig package, any custom offer and the order chat. Fiverr’s off-platform policy prohibits directing users to external contracts, so put your terms in the order chat instead.
- Hiring directly? Use a signed written agreement. In the US, the creator usually owns the copyright unless a signed writing says otherwise.
- Either way, cover the same ten points. These are deliverables, deadlines, revisions, product, usage, whitelisting, ownership, claims, disclosure and payment.
First, where are you hiring?
The right paperwork depends on whether a marketplace sits in the middle.
| Fiverr order | Direct hire | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the terms live | Gig package, custom offer, order chat | A contract you both sign |
| Payment | Through Fiverr only | Whatever you agree, such as invoice or PayPal |
| If something goes wrong | Fiverr’s resolution process | You and the creator, or the courts |
| Who owns the video by default | Buyer after payment, unless the Gig page or custom offer says otherwise | Usually the creator, unless a signed agreement says otherwise |
On Fiverr, the off-platform policy says all transactions must happen on Fiverr. It lists “external contracts” among the things users may not direct each other to, and accounts that break the policy risk permanent suspension. That does not leave you unprotected. A clear message in the order chat is written, dated and kept on record inside the order.
Off a marketplace, the US Copyright Office explains that the creator of a commissioned work is usually the first owner of the copyright. A signed written agreement can change that. Without one, you may have paid for a video you are only loosely allowed to use.
The ten points every UGC agreement should cover
Copy this, fill in the blanks and delete what you don’t need. For a Fiverr order, paste it into the order chat. For a direct hire, turn it into a document you both sign.
UGC agreement template
- Deliverables: [number] videos, [length] seconds each, [9:16 vertical], with [captions / no captions] and [number] hook variations. Raw footage [included / not included]. See our specs checklist for formats.
- Deadlines: first draft within [number] days of receiving the product. Final files within [number] days of feedback.
- Revisions: [number] rounds of edits included. A reshoot is included only if the video doesn’t follow the brief. See how many revisions creators include.
- Product: we ship [product] by [date]. The creator [keeps it / returns it at our cost].
- Usage: organic posts and paid ads on [platforms] for [number] months, starting from [delivery date / first ad launch].
- Whitelisting: [not included / included for [number] days on [platform] at [price]].
- Ownership: [we own the final files / the creator keeps copyright and gives us the licence above].
- Claims: the creator only describes their honest experience. They won’t make health, income or before-and-after claims unless we provide written proof.
- Disclosure: if the creator posts on their own account, they clearly label it as paid or gifted, for example with #ad.
- Payment: [amount] through [Fiverr / invoice], paid [on order / deposit now and balance on approval]. If we cancel after filming, we pay [amount].
Need the creative side too? Pair this with our UGC brief template. The brief says what the video should say, and the agreement covers everything around it.
The clauses people skip, and why they matter
Usage and its start date
This is the easiest clause to get wrong. In our check of 30 Fiverr UGC gigs, every basic package that listed usage rights gave 3 months. If you test an ad for a month before scaling, that month may come out of your 3, unless you agreed the clock starts at launch.
Claims the creator can make
Your video is your ad, so its claims are your responsibility. The FTC’s Endorsement Guides say endorsements must reflect the endorser’s honest opinions or experience. If an ad says the person uses the product, they must really have used it. The same section says advertisers can be liable for misleading statements made through endorsements. So don’t script results the creator never had, and send the product early enough for them to actually try it.
Disclosure on the creator’s own account
UGC creators often don’t post the video to their own followers, and then there is nothing for them to disclose. But if they post the video themselves, the FTC’s Disclosures 101 says the relationship must be obvious. That includes a free product, not only payment. Put it in writing so nobody forgets.
Whitelisting
Running the ad from the creator’s account is a separate permission. TikTok uses Spark Ads codes and Meta uses partnership ads. Agree the length and price in advance, because the creator’s account and reputation are involved. Our UGC whitelisting guide explains how both work, step by step.
Cancellation after filming
If you change your mind after the creator has filmed, they have still done the work. A short line saying what you pay in that case avoids an awkward argument. On Fiverr, cancellations go through Fiverr’s own process, so check that before you assume a fixed fee applies.
A shorter version for Fiverr
For a single Fiverr order, you rarely need all ten points. Send this after you place the order, and ask the creator to reply “confirmed”:
Order chat message
Hi [name], thanks for taking this on. To confirm before you film: [number] × [length]-second vertical videos, with captions and [number] hooks. We’ll run them as paid ads on [platforms] for the [number]-month usage in your package, starting from [first ad launch]. Please only describe your own experience with the product. No health or income claims. Could you reply “confirmed” so we’re on the same page?
If you need more than the package offers, such as longer usage or raw footage, ask the creator to send a custom offer. That way, the extra terms and the price sit inside the order itself.
Common mistakes
- Sending a PDF contract to a Fiverr seller. Keep the terms in the order chat or a custom offer instead.
- Writing “content” instead of exact deliverables. Say how many videos, how long and which format.
- Leaving usage open. “For ads” is not a duration. Put a number of months and a start date.
- Scripting a result the creator never had. It’s your ad, and your risk.
- Agreeing terms by voice call only. Follow up in writing the same day.
Common questions
Do I need a contract to hire a UGC creator?
You need written terms. On Fiverr, those are the package, any custom offer and the order chat. For a direct hire, use a signed agreement. That matters most for ownership and usage.
Can I send my own contract to a Fiverr seller?
Fiverr’s off-platform policy lists directing users to external contracts among prohibited practices. Put your terms in the order chat or ask for a custom offer instead.
Who owns a UGC video?
On Fiverr, the buyer receives the intellectual property after payment, unless the Gig page or custom offer says otherwise. For direct work in the US, the creator usually owns it unless a signed writing says otherwise.
Should the creator disclose the partnership?
Yes, if they post the video on their own account. A free product counts too. If only you run the video as your ad, it is your ad, and the usual advertising rules apply to you.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws differ by country, and for large or long-term deals, a lawyer’s review is worth the cost.
Ready to hire? See what UGC videos cost, follow our hiring guide, or browse the creator shortlist.