---
title: "YouTube Agency Contract: 12 Clauses to Check"
description: "What a YouTube agency contract should say: scope, revisions, footage ownership, payment, schedule, licenses, extra costs and exit. Our clauses, explained."
url: https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/youtube-agency-contract/
---

# YouTube Agency Contract: 12 Clauses to Check Before You Sign

Most founders sign an agency contract in a hurry and read it again only when something goes wrong. These are the 12 clauses I would read first. Nine of them come from our own contract, with the reason each one is there.

By **Evgeny Maximov** · 8 min read · 24 Oct 2026

**Key takeaways**

**Short answer:** a good YouTube agency contract lists the monthly work by deliverable, caps the free revisions, says you own the footage and the edited videos, names the only reasons a publishing date can slip, and explains what happens when you leave. Read those first. This is not legal advice.

- Scope by deliverable beats scope by promise.
- You should own every file the agency makes for you.
- Extra costs must be agreed before they appear.
- The exit clause matters more than the sales page.

## Why read the contract before the sales call ends?

Founders compare agencies by price and by the portfolio. Then they sign whatever arrives by email. The problems come later. A video is late and nobody knows whose fault it is. The agency wants money for a fourth round of changes. Someone asks who owns the footage.

A contract answers those questions on a calm day, before they turn into arguments. Below are 12 clauses I would read first. The first nine are in our own contract, and I explain why we wrote them that way. The last three are not about our paper in particular. They are what I would check in any agreement. For the wider picture of how agencies work, start with [done-for-you YouTube](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/done-for-you-youtube/) and the [comparison of production companies](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/youtube-production-companies/).

One note first. I'm not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. I'm showing how one agency writes its terms. Your lawyer should read the real document, especially if you and the agency are in different countries.

## What are the 12 clauses?

| # | Clause | What to look for | In our contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | **Monthly scope** | a list of deliverables, not “full service” | yes |
| 2 | **Revisions** | a number of free rounds and a clear definition | yes |
| 3 | **Ownership** | you own source files and edits | yes |
| 4 | **Portfolio rights** | what the agency may show publicly | yes |
| 5 | **Payment** | dates, prepayment, when work starts | yes |
| 6 | **Publishing schedule** | agreed dates and the allowed reasons for delay | yes |
| 7 | **Music and footage licenses** | licensed libraries, premium assets paid by whom | yes |
| 8 | **Extra costs** | studio, videographer, gear: agreed in advance | yes |
| 9 | **Cancellation** | notice, paid period, refunds | yes |
| 10 | **Channel access** | manager role, never a password | general advice |
| 11 | **Results and guarantees** | no promised numbers; read any guarantee | general advice |
| 12 | **Handover on exit** | files, projects, scripts and access you take with you | general advice |

## 1. What work do you get each month?

This is the clause that decides everything else. A sentence like “full YouTube channel management” can mean ten things. Ask for a list. In our contract, the monthly scope is:

- analysis of your niche and the market;
- a content plan;
- anchor scripts for the planned videos (a script outline in your voice that you can record without reading);
- editing and uploading four long videos, aimed at 10–20 minutes each;
- thumbnails for those videos;
- SEO, timestamps and channel optimization;
- a monthly report.

You can count that list. If a deliverable is missing, you see it. The seven jobs behind every video are in [how YouTube production works](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/how-youtube-production-works/). Check that strategy and scripts are on the list, because they are the ones agencies skip most often.

## 2. How many revisions are included?

Everyone wants changes after the first cut. Without a limit, a small request turns into a month of back and forth. Without a definition, nobody knows what counts as a change.

We define a revision as a change after the first version: adding, removing or replacing cutaways, text, music, sounds or part of the video. Three sets of revisions are free. After that, extra sets are paid. I don't publish the fee here, because it differs by contract, but I tell clients in advance. Look for the same two things in any contract: a number and a definition.

Why three? One round fixes what you notice on the first watch. The second fixes what the first round changed. The third is your safety net. If you need more than that, the problem is usually the script or the brief, not the edit.

## 3. Who owns the footage and the edited videos?

You do. In our contract, all source files and edited materials belong to the client, who can use them anywhere and publish them on other platforms. That is the whole point of paying for a channel instead of renting one.

Watch out for contracts where the agency keeps the rights, or the project files, until a final payment. Then leaving costs you your own videos. Also check which files count. Raw footage, project files, scripts, thumbnails and subtitles are separate things, and they should all be named. More on the exit side is in [switching YouTube agencies](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/switching-youtube-agencies/).

## 4. What can the agency show in its portfolio?

This is the one clause that favors the agency, and I'd rather say it openly. We may show your channel, working materials and results in our portfolio and in training materials. Most agencies do the same, and it's how new clients find us.

If you can't allow it, say so before signing and ask to change the clause. Some founders in regulated businesses or with confidential offers do exactly that. Also decide if client names can be used.

## 5. How and when do you pay?

Our model is a monthly retainer paid in advance, by the 5th of the month. There is a discount if you pay for a quarter. Work starts after payment.

Prepayment is normal in production, because the team spends hours before anything is published. What I'd check in any contract: the payment dates, what happens if you pay late, whether a discount is tied to a long commitment, and whether you can stop after any period. Be careful with contracts that ask for six or twelve months upfront with no exit. The prices we publish are in [YouTube video production cost](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/youtube-video-production-cost/).

## 6. Who is responsible for the publishing schedule?

Our agency guarantees to publish on the agreed schedule. But a schedule only works if the contract says what can break it. We allow delays for three reasons only:

- late filming or missing feedback from the client;
- technical problems outside our control;
- force majeure.

The client is responsible for organizing filming on time. This is fair, and it's how production really works: when the filming day moves, everything after it moves. If a contract has no reasons listed, every delay becomes an argument. If it lists reasons that are too wide, such as “any circumstances”, the schedule means nothing.

## 7. Is the music and footage licensed?

YouTube can block or demonetize a video with unlicensed music, and a copyright claim on a sales video is a bad surprise. Our contract says we use music and stock footage from free and licensed libraries, such as Envato Elements, without copyright violations. If you ask for premium content, we recommend it and the client pays for it.

Ask any agency three things. Which library do you use? Who holds the license? Who pays when you want something special? Get the answer in writing.

## 8. Which extra costs can appear?

A monthly fee covers the agency's work. It does not cover a studio, a camera operator, extra gear or software. Our contract says these costs are agreed in advance and paid separately. If the contract ends early, they are not refunded, because the money has already gone to third parties.

This is the clause that prevents the “surprise invoice”. In any contract, look for the words “agreed in advance” or “with written approval”. Filming prices depend on the city, and we explain the options in [YouTube filming setups](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/youtube-filming-setups/).

**Want to see how the work behind this contract runs?** The free Business YouTube Playbook shows the whole system. No opt-ins. [Read the Playbook](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/business-youtube-playbook/)

## 9. What happens when you cancel?

In our contract, a client can use the services until the end of the paid period. We don't refund unused time. That is the simple version, and it works because the retainer is monthly: you never owe more than the month you already paid.

Read any contract for four points: the notice you must give, the end of the paid period, whether the money for unused time comes back, and whether there are penalties for leaving early. Penalties for leaving are a bad sign for a service that should earn its place every month.

The refund for unused time is different from our current offer for new clients. We give a 7-day money back guarantee, and it's the only guarantee we give.

## 10. Who controls the channel access?

This clause isn't specific to us, but I'd check it in every contract. The channel is yours and it must stay yours. A good agency asks for a manager role in YouTube Studio. You can remove it in one click. If anyone asks for your login, password or Gmail access, that is a red flag. It also makes leaving harder, because you can't tell who has the keys.

The contract should say which roles the agency receives and that you may remove them at any time. Our [list of red flags](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/youtube-agency-red-flags/) has more on this.

## 11. Does the contract promise results?

Views, calls and leads depend on your offer, your market and how often you film. An honest agency doesn't promise numbers. We don't. Our only guarantee is the 7-day money back.

If a contract does promise results, read every condition. Some guarantees on calls stop applying if you edit scripts or skip filming days, which can make them close to empty. Ask what exactly you get if the target is missed, and who decides whether the condition was met. How to judge results is in [YouTube ROI tracking](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/youtube-roi-tracking/) and [views vs clients](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/vanity-metrics-views-vs-clients/).

## 12. What do you take with you when you leave?

Write the exit down on day one. You should leave with the raw footage and edited videos, thumbnails, scripts, the content plan, and your channel access intact. Ask for this to be listed in the contract, with a time limit for handing it over.

Most agencies don't do this on purpose to trap you. They just never write it down, and then the handover takes weeks. A written list saves that argument. The step-by-step version is in [switching YouTube agencies without losing momentum](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/switching-youtube-agencies/).

## How do you read the contract in 20 minutes?

Print it or open it next to this list. Mark each clause as clear, unclear or missing. Send the unclear and missing ones to the agency in one email, and see how fast and how clearly they answer. That tells you as much as the contract does.

- I can count the monthly deliverables.
- The number of free revisions is written, and so is what a revision is.
- I own all footage and edited videos.
- I know what the agency can show in its portfolio.
- Payment dates and the start of work are clear.
- The reasons for delay are listed, and they are fair.
- Music and footage are licensed, and I know who pays for premium assets.
- Extra costs need my approval before they appear.
- I can cancel and I know what I get back.
- The agency gets a manager role, not my password.
- The contract promises no views or leads I can't control.
- The handover list is written.

## What if the contract looks fine but something feels wrong?

Trust that feeling and ask a question. A contract protects you from the agency's mistakes, but it can't fix a bad fit. Check the people too: who will you talk to each week, and can you see real client results with names. Our guide to [mentor vs agency](https://evgenymaximov.com/blog/youtube-mentor-vs-agency/) helps if you're not sure which model you need. If you want to read our contract before we talk, [our YouTube production service](https://evgenymaximov.com/services/youtube-production/) is the place to start, and a call is the quickest way to get the document.

## FAQ

**What should a YouTube agency contract include?**

At least these: a monthly scope listed by deliverable, the number of revision rounds, who owns the footage and the edited videos, payment dates, the publishing schedule and what can delay it, music and footage licenses, extra costs, cancellation terms and what happens to your channel access when you leave.

**Who should own the video footage and the edited videos?**

You should. In Evgeny Maximov's agency contract, all source files and edited videos belong to the client, who can use them anywhere and on any platform. If an agency keeps the rights to your videos, you can't move to another team without losing your own content.

**How many revision rounds are normal in a YouTube agency contract?**

Two or three rounds are common. Evgeny Maximov's agency includes three sets of revisions per video for free and charges for more. A revision is a change to text, music, sounds, cutaways or a part of the video after the first version, not a new idea for a new video.

**Is a long minimum contract a red flag for a YouTube agency?**

Not by itself. Strategy work needs a few months to show results, so many agencies ask for three months or more. The red flag is a long lock-in with no clear scope, no exit terms and no way to see what you are paying for.

**Should I pay a YouTube agency upfront?**

Monthly prepayment is normal because the team starts working before the video is published. Evgeny Maximov's agency invoices a monthly retainer in advance, with a discount if you pay for a quarter. Avoid paying for many months upfront with no exit clause.

**What happens if the agency misses the publishing date?**

A good contract lists the only reasons a delay is allowed, such as late filming, missing client feedback, technical problems outside the agency's control or force majeure. If the delay comes from anything else, the agency should own it.

**Who pays for the studio, videographer and extra software?**

These should be agreed in writing before the cost appears and paid separately from the monthly fee. In our contract, they are not refunded if the contract ends early, because the money has already gone to third parties.

**Can I get a refund for unused time if I cancel?**

Usually no. In Evgeny Maximov's agency contract, you can use the services until the end of the paid period, and unused time is not refunded. Separately, the agency offers a 7-day money back guarantee to new clients.

**Should a YouTube agency have my channel password?**

No. A good agency asks for a manager role in YouTube Studio, which you can remove in one click. Sharing a password or a Gmail login is a red flag, and it makes leaving harder.

**Should a YouTube agency contract promise views or leads?**

It shouldn't. Views and leads depend on your offer, your market and how often you film. Be careful with any contract that guarantees numbers, and read the fine print of any guarantee about calls.

**Is this article legal advice?**

No. It explains how one agency writes its contract and what I would check in any contract. Have a lawyer read the real document before you sign, especially if you work across countries.

![Evgeny Maximov](https://evgenymaximov.com/img/evgeny-avatar.webp)
**Evgeny Maximov**

Founder of a done-for-you YouTube agency for high-ticket founders. Making content since 2014. [More about me](https://evgenymaximov.com/about/)

## Want to read our contract before we talk?

Book a call and ask for it. I'll walk you through every clause. 7-day money back guarantee.

[Get a free niche review →](https://evgenymaximov.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_content=youtube-agency-contract#book)
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