DovioGuide
Coaching Contract Template (Free Word Download)
A coaching contract, also called a coaching agreement, is what you and your client sign before the first session. It sets how many sessions the package includes, what it costs, what happens when a session is canceled late, whether anything is refunded and what stays between you and the client. That last part matters most when a company pays for the coaching.
Below you'll find a 12-point checklist, a free coaching contract template in Word and ready-made wording for the decisions templates usually leave open.
With Dovio your client signs from a link, and you see when it's done. Try it free for 14 days, no card needed.
Checklist: 12 things a coaching contract should cover
- The parties. You, the client, and the company if one is paying.
- The goal. What the client wants to work on, in a sentence or two.
- The package. Number of sessions, length, the period they run over, and whether they're by video or in person.
- Between-session contact. Whether the client can email you, and how fast you reply.
- Fees and payment. Paid in full, on a payment plan or per session, and what happens when a payment is late.
- Cancellations and no-shows. How much notice the client gives and what a late cancel costs.
- Unused sessions. When the package ends and what happens to sessions left over.
- Refunds. Whether anything comes back if the client stops early.
- Confidentiality. What stays between you and the client, and any exceptions you both agree on.
- What coaching isn't. A line saying it isn't therapy or medical care, and what you do if the client needs that kind of support.
- Recordings and notes. Whether sessions are recorded, by a notetaker or otherwise, and who sees your notes.
- Ending the agreement and the fine print. How either side can end it early, what happens to prepaid sessions, a cap on your liability, which state's or country's law applies, and signatures.
When a company pays, add a 13th: exactly what the company is told.
Download the coaching contract template
The template below is the full agreement. Copy the text or download it as a Word file. Fill in the fields in square brackets. Use Option 1 if the client pays and Option 2 if a company pays, and delete the other. Where you see Option A, B or C, keep one and delete the rest.
Coaching contract templateWord (.docx)DownloadLet your client sign digitally. Send the agreement from Dovio and see when it's signed.
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Coaching Agreement
1. Parties
Coach: [name / business name], [address], [email], called âthe Coachâ below.
Option 1 (the client pays): Client: [name], [address], [email], [phone], called âthe Clientâ below. The Client books and pays for the coaching. Where this agreement says âthe Sponsorâ in sections 4, 9 and 10.2, it means the Client. Delete sections 7.2, 7.3 and 10.3, the last two sentences of 10.2, the parts of 7.1 and 8 that mention the Sponsor, and the Sponsor signature block. Rename section 7 âConfidentialityâ.
Option 2 (a company pays): Sponsor: [company name], [address], contact person [name, title, email], called âthe Sponsorâ below. Client: [name], [title], [email], called âthe Clientâ below. The Sponsor pays for the coaching and the Client takes part in it.
2. The coaching program
2.1 The coaching will help the Client [short description of the goal, for example step into a first leadership role].
2.2 The program includes [number] sessions of [number] minutes each between [start date] and [end date]. Sessions take place [by video on [tool] / in person at [location] / by video or in person, as agreed].
2.3 Between sessions, [the Client can reach the Coach by email for short questions, with replies within [number] business days / contact is limited to scheduling].
3. What coaching is and isnât
3.1 Coaching is a series of conversations in which the Client works toward goals the Client sets. It is not therapy, counseling, medical care, or [legal / financial] advice. If either the Coach or the Client feels the Client needs that kind of support, they will talk about it. The Coach may then suggest the Client look for support elsewhere, and the coaching may be [paused / ended under section 10].
3.2 The Client makes their own decisions and is responsible for what they do with anything that comes up in coaching. The Coach does not promise any specific result.
4. Fees and payment
Option A (paid in full): The fee for the program is $[amount], paid [in full before the first session / within [number] days of signing].
Option B (payment plan): The fee for the program is $[amount], paid in [number] installments of $[amount]. The first installment is due before the first session and the rest on [day] of each month. If an installment is more than [number] days late, the Coach may pause sessions until it is paid. Paused time still counts toward the end date in section 6. If the agreement ends early, installments not yet due [are canceled / are still owed].
Option C (per session): The fee is $[amount] per session, invoiced [after each session / once a month].
Payment is made by [card / bank transfer / payment link]. The Sponsor pays invoices within [number] days of the invoice date.
5. Scheduling, cancellations and rescheduling
5.1 Sessions are booked [through [scheduling link] / by email with the Coach]. Cancellations and reschedules are made the same way.
Option A (fixed cutoff): A session canceled less than [24 / 48] hours before its start time, or missed without notice, counts as used.
Option B (one free late reschedule): The Client may reschedule one session per program at no cost, even with less than [24 / 48] hoursâ notice. After that, a session canceled less than [24 / 48] hours before its start time, or missed without notice, counts as used.
Option C (late-cancellation fee): A session canceled less than [24 / 48] hours before its start time, or missed without notice, is charged at $[amount].
5.2 If the Client is late, the session still ends at the scheduled time. If the Coach is late, the full time is made up.
5.3 If the Coach has to cancel a session, the Client is offered a new time at no extra cost. A session the Coach cancels does not expire under section 6.
6. Program end date and unused sessions
The program runs until [date].
Option A: Sessions not used by that date expire.
Option B: The end date can be extended once by [number] months if the parties agree in writing before [date]. The end date in 10.1 moves with it. After the extended date, unused sessions expire.
Expired sessions are not refunded.
7. Confidentiality and what the Sponsor is told
7.1 The Coach keeps what is said in sessions confidential and does not share it with anyone, including the Sponsor, without the Clientâs permission. [Any exceptions the parties agree on, for example a serious risk of harm to the Client or others.] This applies during the program and afterward [with no end date / for [number] years].
7.2 The Sponsor is told the following about the coaching, and nothing else:
Option A (attendance only): The dates of sessions held, canceled and missed.
Option B (attendance and goals): Everything in Option A, plus the goals the Client approved at the start and a short summary at the end that the Client has written or approved.
Option C (three-way meetings): Everything in Option A. The coaching also starts and ends with a meeting between the Client, the Sponsorâs contact person and the Coach, where the Client shares what they choose about goals and progress.
7.3 Information about the Sponsorâs business that the Coach learns during the coaching is also kept confidential.
8. Recordings and notes
[Sessions are not recorded. / A session is recorded, or a notetaker joins it, only if the Client agrees in advance for that session. The Client can ask to stop the recording at any time. The recording and any transcript, notes or summary made from it are used only for [purpose, for example the Coachâs session notes], stored in [where], and deleted after [period].]
The Coachâs notes are the Coachâs working notes. They are kept for [period] and are not shared with the Sponsor.
9. Refunds
Option A: Fees are not refunded once the first session has taken place.
Option B: If the agreement ends early under section 10, prepaid sessions not yet held are refunded, minus [an administration fee of $[amount] / nothing].
Option C: The Sponsor can cancel within [number] days of signing for a full refund, as long as no session has taken place. After that, Option [A / B] applies.
10. Term and ending the agreement
10.1 This agreement starts on [start date] and ends when the last session has been held, or on [date] at the latest.
10.2 The Coach or the Sponsor can end the agreement early with [number] daysâ written notice. Email counts as written notice. Sessions already held are paid for, and prepaid sessions not yet held are handled under section 9. If the Coach ends the agreement early, prepaid sessions not yet held are always refunded, whatever option section 9 uses. The Client can stop taking part at any time by telling the Coach. The Coach then tells the Sponsor, and the agreement ends as if the Sponsor had given notice that day.
10.3 If the Client leaves the Sponsor before the program is finished, [the agreement ends under 10.2 / the Sponsor may name a new client for the remaining sessions / the Client may continue and pay for the remaining sessions themselves].
11. Limitation of liability
The Coachâs total liability under this agreement is limited to the fees paid under it.
12. Changes, governing law and disputes
Changes to this agreement must be in writing and agreed by all parties. This agreement is governed by the laws of [state / country]. If a dispute comes up, the parties will first try to resolve it by talking it through in good faith, and then [through mediation in [city] / in the courts of [state / country]].
13. Signatures
Each party signs below. [Or: This agreement has been signed electronically by all parties.]
Coach
Name: [name]
Signature: ____________________
Date: [date]
Client
Name: [name]
Signature: ____________________
Date: [date]
For the Sponsor (Option 2)
Name and title: [name, title]
Signature: ____________________
Date: [date]
This is a general template, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review the agreement if a lot of money is involved or your situation is unusual.
Coaching contract or coaching agreement?
Same document. Some coaches prefer "agreement" as the softer word, and others say contract. What it says is what counts, and the template works under either name.
Decide these before you send it
Disputes with clients tend to start with a question the contract didn't answer. Settle these five before the client signs.
| Question | Where in the template |
|---|---|
| What does a late cancel or no-show cost? | Section 5. Pick Option A, B or C and fill in the hours. |
| Paid in full, on a payment plan or per session? | Section 4. On a plan, fill in how many days late an installment can be before sessions pause. |
| Do unused sessions expire? | Section 6. Pick an end date, and whether it can be extended once. |
| Is anything refunded if the client stops? | Section 9. Pick Option A, B or C. |
| Are sessions recorded, and who sees the notes? | Section 8. Keep one of the two versions in brackets. |
If a company is paying, there's a sixth question: what the company gets to hear. That's section 7.2, covered further down.
Cancellations: three ways to write it
A late cancel easily turns into an awkward conversation about money. With the rule in the contract, you point to it and move on. Section 5 has three versions.
Option A: a fixed cutoff
Best when your calendar books up weeks ahead and an empty slot is hard to fill. A session canceled inside the window, usually 24 or 48 hours, counts as used.
Option B: one free late reschedule per package
Best for clients whose weeks are hard to plan, like a manager who lives in back-to-back meetings. One miss is forgiven, then the cutoff applies.
Option C: a late-cancellation fee
Best when you charge per session instead of selling a package. There's no session to deduct, so you charge a flat fee for the time you'd set aside.
Section 5 also says a session still ends on time if the client shows up late, so one late start doesn't push back your next client.
Refunds and payment plans
Many templates state a single refund policy, usually "no refunds." That fits some coaches and not others. Section 9 lets you choose:
- Option A, no refunds after the first session. Simple, and easy to explain up front.
- Option B, unused prepaid sessions come back if the agreement ends early, minus an admin fee if you want one. A fair middle ground for long programs.
- Option C, a full refund within a set number of days of signing, as long as no session has happened.
Payment plans need one more line than most templates include: what happens when an installment is late. In section 4, Option B, sessions pause once a payment is a set number of days overdue, and the paused time still counts toward the package end date. Without that last part, a client could stretch a three-month package into a year.
Unused sessions and package end dates
A package with no end date never really ends. Section 6 puts a date on it and gives you two choices. Either unused sessions expire on that date, or you can extend it once by a few months if everyone agrees in writing before it passes. The extension covers the client who gets sick or changes jobs mid-program, without leaving the door open forever.
Write down what coaching is and isn't
A client who is struggling may hope coaching will fix it. Section 3 says coaching is a series of conversations where the client works toward their own goals, and that it isn't therapy, counseling or medical care. It also says what you'll do if it turns out the client needs that kind of support. You talk about it, you can suggest they look for help elsewhere, and the coaching can pause or end.
The same section says the client makes their own decisions and that you don't promise a specific result.
Recording sessions and using an AI notetaker
An AI notetaker lets you stay present in a session instead of typing. Clients share things in coaching they wouldn't say anywhere else, though, so agree on it with the client before a notetaker joins, and write the answer into the contract.
Section 8 has two versions. Either sessions aren't recorded, or a session is recorded only when the client agrees in advance for that session. The second version also says what the recording and any summary are used for, where they're stored, when they're deleted, and that the client can ask you to stop recording at any time. Your own notes stay yours and aren't shared with a paying company. How recording rules apply where you and your client live is a question for a lawyer.
If you use Dovio, the Dovio Notetaker joins a session only when you send it, or when you've turned on a rule for it to join meetings on its own. After a recorded session, the summary, suggested tasks and a draft follow-up email are waiting in Dovio, in the language the session was held in. The email stays a draft until you've read it and choose to send it. More on the AI meeting notes page.
When a company pays: what does the sponsor hear?
A company paying for coaching wants to know it's working. The client needs to know what their manager will hear before they open up. So write down exactly what the company is told, and nothing more. In the template the company is the Sponsor, and section 7.2 has three options.
Option A: attendance only
Fits when the coaching is personal, like a career change, or when the client asked for coaching themselves.
Option B: attendance and goals the client has approved
Fits leadership coaching where the company has a clear purpose, such as a new manager role. The client still decides what goes into the end summary.
Option C: three-way meetings at the start and end
Fits when the manager is meant to support the client's goals between sessions. You don't report anything yourself. The client does the talking.
Whichever you choose, go through it with the client at the first session. Also decide what happens if the client leaves the company partway through. Section 10.3 gives three ways to handle it. Selling workshops or training to the same company? A consulting agreement fits that work better.
From template to signed coaching agreement
A Word file works, but every new client means copying it, typing in their details, exporting a PDF and chasing a signature. Dovio is an EU-hosted AI CRM with its own notetaker and built-in e-signing, so the agreement lives next to the client it's for.
You save the coaching agreement as a template once. Add a price table with the package from your own products and services, and the quote and the agreement become one document. When you send it, the client's details fill in from their contact and their company in the CRM. If the client is an individual paying for themselves, build the template on the contact's fields only.
The client signs from a link in their email. When a company pays, add the sponsor's contact person as a second signer, so both the sponsor and the client sign the same document. For each signer you can see whether the agreement has been sent, opened, started, signed or declined. A signing request that isn't fully signed within 28 days expires. Once everyone has signed, you and the other parties get a signed copy by email.
The signed agreement then sits on the contact and their company. Add a task dated a couple of weeks before the last session, so you remember to ask about a next package. Starter includes one saved contract template. To keep more, say one for individual clients and one for company-paid coaching, you'll need Pro. Plans are on the pricing page.
Bottom line
A coaching contract doesn't need to be long. The parts worth getting right are the package, the cancellation rule, refunds, recordings and, when a company pays, exactly what the company hears. Download the template, pick the options that fit you and your client, and walk through it together before the first session.
Frequently asked questions
What should a coaching contract include?
The parties, the package (number of sessions, length, format and period), the fee and payment schedule, your cancellation and no-show rule, what happens to unused sessions, refunds, confidentiality, recordings and notes, a line saying coaching isn't therapy, and how either side can end the agreement. If a company pays, add exactly what the company is told.
Is a coaching agreement the same as a coaching contract?
In practice, yes. Coaches use both names for the same document, and what matters is what it says. The template on this page works under either title.
How do I write a cancellation policy for coaching?
Pick a notice period, usually 24 or 48 hours, and decide what a late cancellation or no-show costs the client. Section 5 of the template has three versions to choose from: the session counts as used, one free late reschedule per package, or a flat late-cancellation fee.
Should coaching packages be refundable?
That is your call, but decide before you sell the package and put it in writing. Section 9 of the template has three options: no refunds after the first session, a refund of unused prepaid sessions if the agreement ends early, or a full refund within a set number of days if no session has taken place.
What happens to coaching sessions the client never uses?
Whatever your contract says. Set an end date for the package and decide whether unused sessions expire or the date can be extended once. Section 6 of the template has both options.
Can I record coaching sessions or use an AI notetaker?
Agree on it with the client first and write it into the contract: whether sessions are recorded, what the recording and any summary are used for, where they are stored and when they are deleted. Section 8 of the template has ready wording. How the rules apply where you and your client are is a question for a lawyer.
Send your coaching agreement for e-signing
Client details fill in from the contact and company.