What is a DJ contract?
A DJ contract is a binding agreement between a DJ and their client. When you’re booking a gig, a solid contract agreement is going to protect your rights and secure your musical entertainment for the event.
Why you need a DJ contract and template
You’ll never know how important a contract is until you meet a stubborn client. As a disc jockey (or collectively referred to as DJ), creating your own contract template is a sure-fire way of getting what you want out of a gig. A contract that clearly outlines your terms and conditions is going to help you with this, and at the same time, legally protect your rights as a professional DJ.
DJ’s are known to be especially passionate about their work, so a contract is crucial when the time comes to book a gig. This is going to make sure you can focus on what makes you passionate, instead of worrying about a situation where you’re not being paid on time.
With a DJ agreement contract, both you and the client will know what to expect from each other and what services you’re required to perform on the night. These may seem simple or obvious, but if they’re not clearly outlined in the DJ contract agreement, there could be disagreements in the performance contract template when the time comes to perform or when payment is due.
Luckily, you don’t have to spend a lot of time and effort creating and designing your own DJ contract. With Bonsai, you can create your own free contract template in minutes. All you need to do is to give it a few tweaks to improve and fine-tune it to match the gig and event requirements.
Note: Want to start creating and designing your own DJ contract? Sign up to Bonsai for free and have it ready in minutes.
What should be included in a DJ contract template?
Detailed descriptions of the work
This is one of the most important parts of a DJ contract. As a freelancer, you should use this section to outline what DJ services you provide. Keep in mind that this is an agreement between you and the client, so your scope of work should be in line with the client’s specific needs. That means you should have a good idea of the gig or the event details before drafting your DJ contract. Make sure you’re pretty clear about this and answer questions like:
- Which freelance DJ services do you promise to offer?
- Are there any exceptions?
- If so, what are they?
You don’t want to end up performing extra tasks that the client isn’t prepared to pay for. So, to be on the safe side, let them know what the entire agreement does and doesn’t cover. It’s always a good idea to agree to an hourly rate should you need to perform and charge for unforeseen tasks.
Don’t be shy from highlighting the services that may go beyond your work scope. You’re out to boost your income, and there’s no harm in charging for extra work. Make sure your DJ contract template includes such details.
Duration, date, and venue of the event
This section will be pretty clear-cut for both you and the client. You’ll want to agree on and include general statements about the duration of the event or gig involved, the date or dates they’ll be, and the venue address. When creating your contract template, this section will be easy to edit as the only things that will change are these three topics.
It’s also a good idea to outline any requirements you think are necessary for the venue, such as space requirements or power outlets and other electrical requirements. If you’re a mobile DJ, include the route you’re taking, what vehicle, and the company address of your client.
Payment terms
Your DJ contract payment terms will need to answer:
- How much are you charging for your DJ services?
- Do you offer any discounts or the rates are fixed?
- Do you have a preferred payment method?
As a professional DJ and freelancer, it’s your responsibility to either quote the total fee or provide an hourly rate to your client. Remember to be cautious when it comes to total fees, as your client won’t like it if you need to charge them extra for unexpected costs along the way.
So, be sure to mention any extra charges that the client may need to pay for in case additional work is done.
If you expect to book more gigs, having a DJ invoice template ready for you to use is a good idea too.
Deposits and refunds
All DJ’s need to be clear about deposits and refunds. Failing to cover this in your contract can be a big mess. You need to state if there’s a non-refundable deposit needed to be paid before you begin the work. Many freelancers ask for 50% upfront, however, this depends on the amount and client involved.
Remember that your client is a perfect way of networking, as they’ll refer you to others, rehire you for future events, or leave you a good review. No DJ wants a bad review, so protect your hard-earned reputation by being as detailed and clear as possible about deposits and refunds in your contract.
Termination of contract
There’s no guarantee that things will run smoothly. Sometimes gigs and events are cancelled, which means either you or the client will need to terminate the DJ contract. So, in the case of this, what’s next? Do you refund monies previously paid or does the client pay a cancellation fee? Mention what happens if the DJ cancels and if there are any reasons the contract can be terminated early without any disputes arising.
Your DJ contract will also need to include when the contract ends naturally. This can depend on the governing law of your country, but it will usually be on a specific date, after the gig or event, or after the final payment is received.
Other factors
Depending on the gig, what country you’re in, or the client involved, you may want to list other factors that require more detail.
A good clause to include would be around finding a suitable replacement DJ should you need to cancel. Who’s responsible for organising the replacement DJ or is there a certain amount of time prior needed to find one? These questions and more are what you’ll need to answer in your DJ contract.
Free DJ contract sample
If you’re interested in what a DJ contract looks like, take a look below at our free sample. With that, you can have a good idea of what’s expected in a DJ contract and how one from Bonsai will look like.
What's the benefit of using Bonsai, instead of editing a template yourself?
You can spend a lot of time, money, and effort creating and designing your own personal DJ contract. But, we all know you’d rather be spending that time sampling tracks or practising your next set. If that’s the case, Bonsai has a free DJ contract online that's ready for you to download and use.
Our DJ contract templates are vetted by legal experts and many freelance DJ’s, so you don’t have to worry about spending money on legal advice and fees to make it a verified document.
How to create a DJ contract with Bonsai
1. Select Your Template
Choose our specialized contract template, or start with a blank template. Add your client name, project name, preferred currency.
2. Add Your Basic Info
Next, fill in your basic information. This includes your location (country and state/province), your legal entity (if you operate via an LLC), and your client’s legal name (company or person), and contact details.
3. Add Your Scope of Work
Describe the scope of work in as much detail as possible. You can also attach a separate statement of work file here if you wish.
4. Add Your Payment Info
Determine how and how much your client will pay you for your marketing services here. You can choose from a flat fee, milestone payments, or hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or per-word rates.
You can also outline payment terms (net 15 days for invoices, for example), late fees, and contract start and end dates here.
5. Review & Sign Your Final Contract
You’re ready to review your fully fleshed-out and vetted DJ agreement. If you want to make any edits to the template, you can do it at this stage. If you want more information about signing and contracts, you can check out our guide on how to sign a contract online.
If you’re happy with the finished contract, you can click “SIGN CONTRACT” to e-sign it with legally binding electronic signatures from both parties.
As we said, it’s simple! Now you can return to your Freelance Dashboard to track when the contract has been delivered, opened, and signed.
DJ contract FAQs
What is a fair hourly rate for DJs?
For DJ’s in the U.S, the average hourly rate is between $40-60. Of course, this is highly dependent on your experience (and even fame) in the musical entertainment business, as well as what state or country you’re in, and the client involved.
Sign up to Bonsai today and get started on creating your own free DJ contract
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