Quote
1. Parties and reference
Quote ______________, issued by ______________ (the Provider) to ______________ (the Client).
2. Work and items quoted
The Provider offers to carry out the work and supply the items listed here: ______________
3. Price
Total price: ______________. Taxes are shown separately where they apply. Anything not listed in section 2 is excluded and will be quoted separately, and agreed by the Client, before it is carried out. The price is firm for the work described while this quote is valid and once it is accepted.
4. Validity and acceptance
This quote is valid until ______________. The Client accepts it by signing it before that date, which makes it a binding agreement between the Parties on these terms. After that date, the Provider may confirm or revise it.
5. Deposit and payment
On acceptance, the Client pays a deposit of ______________, which is an advance payment on the total price and is deducted from the final invoice. The work starts once the deposit is received. The balance is payable ______________. Late payments bear the interest and recovery costs provided by applicable law.
6. Schedule and changes
Planned schedule: ______________. Additional work or changes requested by the Client are quoted and agreed in writing before they are carried out. Delays caused by late information or access from the Client, or by events beyond either Party's reasonable control, extend the schedule accordingly.
7. Cancellation
If the Client cancels after acceptance, the Client pays for the work already performed and the materials or costs already committed, and any part of the deposit exceeding these amounts is refunded. If the Provider cannot perform the work, it refunds all sums received for work not performed. Where the Client is a consumer, any statutory right of withdrawal applies and nothing in this quote reduces it.
8. Governing law
This quote and the agreement resulting from its acceptance are governed by the laws of ______________, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protection rules. By signing below, the Client confirms having read and accepted this quote.
ProviderSignatureDate
Accepted by the clientSignatureDate
What a signed quote is
A quote states a price for defined work; once the client accepts it, both sides are bound, the business to do the work at that price and the client to pay. The words quote and estimate are often used interchangeably, but an estimate is often understood as approximate, so if your price is firm, call it a quote.
A signed quote is not an invoice. You still issue an invoice when payment is due, with the mentions your tax rules require, such as VAT numbers in the EU.
Use this template for one-off jobs: a website, a renovation, an event, a translation. For longer or more complex work, pair it with a services agreement that covers ownership of the work, confidentiality and liability.
What to put in it
A quote the client can accept without a follow-up question contains the following.
- Your details and the client's: legal names, addresses and, for businesses, registration and VAT numbers.
- A reference number and the issue date, so the quote can be matched with the invoice later.
- Line items: description, quantity, unit price and line total, specific enough that nobody can argue about what was included.
- The total, with taxes shown separately where they apply.
- A validity date. Without one, a client could try to accept an old price months later.
- The deposit, when the balance is due and how to pay it.
- An acceptance line: the client's signature under the quote, stating that they accept it.
Common mistakes
Leaving the scope open. A line such as website design invites disputes; list the pages, the deliverables and the number of revisions.
Using the wrong word for the deposit. In France, for instance, money paid as arrhes lets either party withdraw (the client loses it, the business pays back twice the amount), while an acompte commits both. This template treats the deposit as an advance payment on the price.
Forgetting consumer rules. If your client is a consumer in the EU and accepts the quote at a distance or away from your business premises, they usually have 14 days to withdraw, you must inform them of that right, and work can only start earlier at their express request.
Starting the work before the signed quote and the deposit arrive.
Getting the quote signed electronically
Electronic signatures are legally recognised for this kind of document in the EU (eIDAS), the US (ESIGN Act and UETA) and most other countries. Fill in the fields, click Send it for signature, sign first as the provider, and your client receives an e-mail invitation to accept; they need no account and pay nothing.
Sending needs a free account, and 5 sends a month are free. If the client has not signed yet, automatic reminders go out every 48 hours, up to 3 times.
The accepted quote comes with an audit trail, a certificate and a SHA-256 seal, which helps if the client later disputes the acceptance. It is a simple electronic signature without identity checks; if a regulated contract or a public buyer requires more, use a provider that offers advanced or qualified signatures.
Questions
Is a signed quote a binding contract?
Generally yes. Once the client accepts a quote that sets out the work and the price, both parties are bound: the business must do the work at that price and the client must pay. That is why the validity date and the list of what is included matter.
What is the difference between a quote and an estimate?
A quote is usually a firm price for defined work, while an estimate is often understood as an approximate figure that can change. The label matters less than the wording, so state clearly whether your price is fixed.
Can a client sign a quote electronically?
Yes. An electronic signature is recognised in the EU, the US and most other countries for this kind of agreement. With SignQuick, the client signs from the e-mail invitation in a browser, without creating an account.
How long should a quote be valid?
Long enough for the client to decide, short enough to protect you from cost changes: 30 days is a common choice. Write an exact date rather than a duration, so there is no doubt about when it expires.
Can I change the price after the client has signed?
Not on your own. Once accepted, the price is part of the agreement; extra work or changes need a new quote or a written amendment that the client signs.
These templates are general starting points, not legal advice. Laws differ between countries and states: for anything important, have the final text checked by a professional.