Coaching Agreement Template: The 14 Clauses to Include
Template only. This is not legal advice. Have a qualified professional review any agreement for your location before you use it.
A coaching agreement is a short written contract between a coach and a client that explains what coaching is, what each person agrees to do, what it costs and how the work can end. Most good ones cover the same fourteen areas. This guide walks through each clause in plain language, with the kind of wording to consider and the blanks you will need to fill in. It describes what to include; it cannot tell you what the law requires where you live.
Why have one at all
An agreement does three things. It sets expectations, so there are fewer surprises about fees, scheduling and boundaries. It makes the limits of coaching clear, so the client knows what you do and do not do. And it gives both sides something to return to when a question comes up. A clear agreement also tends to make a first session calmer, because the practical questions are already answered.
The 14 clauses
1. Parties and start date
Name the coach (or business) and the client, with contact details, the start date and the program or package. A small table keeps it tidy: Coach, Client, Start date, Program.
2. What coaching is
A short, plain definition. For example: coaching is a collaborative, forward-looking partnership in which the coach asks questions, offers perspectives and supports the client in defining goals, making plans and taking action. The client chooses the topics and is responsible for their own decisions and results.
3. What coaching is not
List the limits clearly:
- Coaching is not therapy, counseling, psychological care or medical treatment, and it does not diagnose or treat any condition.
- It is not legal, financial, tax or investment advice.
- The coach does not guarantee any specific outcome.
- It does not replace a qualified professional, and the coach may suggest a referral.
4. Services
How many sessions, how long, by what format (video, phone, in person) and how often. If you offer between-session support, say what it covers, how many messages and how quickly you will reply.
5. Fees and payment
A table of the program fee, payment schedule, accepted methods, what happens with late payments and your refund policy. State the policy clearly, and check what is allowed where you live.
6. Scheduling, cancellations and no-shows
Refer to a separate Session and Cancellation Policy that forms part of the agreement, and summarize it: how much notice is needed to reschedule and what happens with late cancellations and no-shows.
7. Confidentiality
Say that you keep what the client shares confidential, and name the exceptions: the client gives written permission, the law requires disclosure, or you believe someone is at serious risk of harm. Check with a qualified professional whether more rules apply where you are.
8. Responsibilities of the client
Typical items: attend on time and prepared, be honest about what is working, complete agreed actions or say if they are unrealistic, and take responsibility for decisions and for seeking professional help where needed.
9. Responsibilities of the coach
Be prepared and present, respect the client's goals, values and pace, keep records secure, refer the client when a need falls outside coaching, and be truthful about training and experience.
10. Records and data
What notes you keep, where and how you store them, how long you keep them and what the client can ask for. Data rules differ by place, so check yours.
11. Intellectual property
Materials you share, such as worksheets and exercises, are for the client's personal use and not for resale or publication. The client owns their own notes and reflections.
12. Ending the agreement
How much notice either party gives, what happens to remaining sessions and fees, and your right to end the arrangement early if it is no longer appropriate, with an explanation.
13. Limitation and changes
Any liability clause needs review by a qualified professional for your location. State that changes must be in writing and agreed by both sides.
14. Agreement and signatures
A short confirmation that both sides have read and agree, with a table for name, signature and date for each party.
Companion documents
A full onboarding set usually includes more than the agreement:
- Session and Cancellation Policy. Scheduling, rescheduling, late cancellations, payment and technology.
- Confidentiality Note. A plain-language statement of what you keep private and when you may share.
- Intake questionnaire. See the coaching intake form guide.
- Welcome packet. How you work, what happens in a session and how to prepare.
For a step-by-step order of use, see the client onboarding checklist, and for the first meeting, the first coaching session checklist. The coaching forms and templates guide shows how these fit with the rest of a practice.
Things to avoid
- Copying wording you do not understand. If you cannot explain a clause, ask a professional to.
- Promising results. Leave out guarantees about outcomes or income.
- Claiming credentials you do not hold. Be truthful about training and experience.
- Collecting more personal data than you need. Especially medical details.
Where to get a ready-to-edit version
The ReadyCoach Kit includes a Coaching Agreement as one of the eight documents in its Client Onboarding module. It follows the fourteen clauses above, with bracketed text to replace, a table for parties and a signature table, and a visible notice that it is a template only and not legal advice. The module also has a Session and Cancellation Policy, a Confidentiality Note, a Client Intake Questionnaire, a Welcome Packet, a Pre-Session Questionnaire, a Discovery Call Guide and a First-Session Checklist. The documents are editable in Word and Google Docs. The kit does not certify or train anyone and does not provide legal advice.