In short
A UGC contract protects both sides. Before signing, check at least ten points: deliverables, timeline, revisions, rights granted, image rights, exclusivity, payment, cancellation, confidentiality and the ad disclosure. If a brand sends you its own contract, these are the clauses to read first.
Quote or contract: which one is enough?
For a small order with organic use, a detailed quote accepted in writing is often enough. As soon as there are paid ads, exclusivity, a large amount or your face on screen, a contract is better: it details the rights granted, which in many countries must be spelled out to be valid.
UGC or influencer marketing: when a written contract is required
If you also post the video on your own accounts for the brand, you are doing influencer marketing, which many countries regulate more tightly: the partnership must be clearly disclosed, and some countries require a written contract. In France, for example, since 1 January 2026 a written contract is mandatory as soon as a brand pays you at least €1,000 excl. tax in a calendar year, counting money and the value of products or perks received (decree no. 2025-1137 of 28 November 2025, under the influencer law of 9 June 2023).
For pure UGC, a video delivered to the brand and posted only on its accounts, these influencer rules usually don't apply. But a transfer of your rights should be written and detailed anyway: a precise quote accepted in writing can be enough for a small order.
The 10 clauses
- Deliverables: number of videos, length, format (9:16, 1:1), captions, hooks, raw footage or not.
- Timeline: product arrival, script sent, shoot, delivery.
- Revisions: how many rounds of changes are included, and what counts as a change (a request that changes the concept is not one).
- Rights granted: use, platforms, duration, territory, edits allowed. See UGC usage rights.
- Image and voice rights: for which media and how long, separately from the rights to the video.
- Exclusivity: category, duration, competitors, price. See UGC exclusivity.
- Payment: amount, deposit, due date, late payment interest and fees.
- Cancellation: what remains due if the brand stops the project before or after the shoot.
- Confidentiality: what you can show in your portfolio, and from when.
- Ad disclosure: if the video is posted on your account, most countries require the commercial partnership to be clearly disclosed.
Wording to get changed
| Wording | The risk | What to propose |
|---|---|---|
| "Assignment of all rights, all media, worldwide, in perpetuity" | The brand uses your video everywhere, forever, without paying more | Listed uses and platforms, 3 to 12 months |
| "Unlimited revisions until satisfied" | Weeks of unpaid work | 1 or 2 rounds, then a price per change |
| "Payment upon receipt of invoice by the accounts department" | A due date that never comes | A set date or term: 15 or 30 days |
| "Exclusivity in the beauty sector" | Half the market closed to you | A precise category and a short, paid duration |
Keep the right to show your work
Your portfolio lives on your collaborations. Ask for a clause that lets you show the videos in your portfolio and your sales outreach, possibly after the brand's first run. Without it, a strict confidentiality clause can stop you. To build yours, see UGC portfolio.
Negotiate without losing the brand
A brand that sends its contract template expects a few comments. Stay factual: quote the clause, explain what it means for you, propose new wording. Three well-chosen changes go down better than ten.
Common questions
Is a contract required for a UGC collaboration?
For pure UGC, not always, but in many countries a transfer of copyright must be written and detailed to be valid. If you also post on your own accounts, it becomes influencer marketing, where some countries require a written contract: in France, from €1,000 excl. tax paid by the same brand in a year, products included.
Who drafts the UGC contract, the brand or the creator?
Either. Large brands have their own template; with smaller ones, offering yours saves time and sets your terms.
Do you need a contract for a collaboration paid in products?
It's recommended: even without money, the brand uses your video. The rights granted and their duration must be clear.
This guide gives practical pointers. Rules vary by country: it doesn't replace advice from an accountant or a lawyer for your situation.