Are electronic signatures legally valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures meet legal standards under the ESIGN Act and state UETA statutes when intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met; exceptions exist for certain testamentary or court documents.

Do I need a notary for fee policies?

Generally no for a standard fee policy, but specific state or industry filings or attached affidavits may require notarization; verify requirements before executing for regulated matters.

How should fee changes be communicated?

Document the approval process, set an effective date, and provide written notice to affected customers per the policy; include a grace period if required by contract or regulation.

What if a customer disputes a charge?

Follow the documented dispute resolution steps, keep a clear audit trail of invoices and communications, and apply the policy consistently to avoid regulatory or contractual claims.

How long must I retain signed policies?

Retain for the agreement term plus applicable statutory minima: at least three years for tax records and six years for HIPAA-related records; extend per industry rules.

Can I collect signatures remotely?

Yes. Remote electronic signatures are widely accepted if done in compliance with ESIGN/UETA and any sector-specific requirements; consider stronger signer authentication for high-risk transactions.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Business Fees and Policies

Business Fees and Policies

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

Business Fees and Policies

This Business Fees and Policies Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into as of Effective Date: by and between Service Provider Name: with principal address: and Client Name: .

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Service Provider is engaged in the business of providing the services and deliverables described in this Agreement and possesses the expertise, personnel and resources necessary to perform such services; and

WHEREAS, Client desires to retain Service Provider to perform such services under the fees, policies and terms set forth herein and Service Provider agrees to provide the services in accordance with this Agreement.

SCOPE OF WORK

Service Provider shall provide the services and deliverables as described below. The Scope of Work identifies core deliverables, responsibilities, and any exclusions. Any services not expressly included below are outside the scope and will be subject to additional fees and a written amendment.

Describe scope of services

PAYMENT TERMS

Client shall pay Service Provider the fees and charges specified in this section. All fees are payable in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Total fee or estimated budget Payment schedule

Late payments shall incur the greater of the late fee stated below or interest at the maximum rate permitted by applicable law.

Late fee (percent per month) Late fee (flat amount) Grace period before late fee applies (days)

In the event of nonpayment, Client shall be responsible for all collection costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, court costs and collection agency fees.

INVOICING & PAYMENT METHODS

Billing cycle / invoice frequency

Invoice delivery method (select all that apply):

Email Mail (postal) Online portal

Accepted payment methods (select all that apply):

Credit Card Check Bank Transfer / ACH Cash Taxes

Unless otherwise stated, Client is responsible for all sales, use, value-added and other taxes arising from the services, excluding taxes imposed on Service Provider's income. Client shall pay such taxes in addition to fees.
Client responsible for taxes:

REFUNDS, ADJUSTMENTS AND DISPUTES

Refunds and credit adjustments are issued at Service Provider's discretion where a documented error or failure to perform has occurred. Disputes to any invoice must be submitted in writing within ten (10) business days of invoice date; failure to timely dispute constitutes acceptance of the invoice.

Describe refund or credit policy specifics (if any)

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Agreement shall commence on Start Date: and shall continue until End Date: unless earlier terminated in accordance with this section.

Notice period for termination (days)

Either party may terminate this Agreement for material breach if the breaching party fails to cure such breach within the notice period set forth above. Termination shall not relieve Client of payment obligations for services performed and expenses incurred prior to termination. Early termination may be subject to a termination fee as set below.

Early termination fee (if applicable)

CONFIDENTIALITY

"Confidential Information" means non-public information disclosed by one party to the other that is designated as confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential. Receiving party shall (i) protect Confidential Information with at least the same degree of care it uses to protect its own confidential information, (ii) use Confidential Information only for the purposes of performing under this Agreement, and (iii) not disclose Confidential Information to third parties except as required by law or as expressly authorized in writing.

Confidentiality period (e.g. duration after termination)

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Venue for any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall be in the state or federal courts located in that state.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement, together with any written exhibits or attachments signed by both parties, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, negotiations and communications, whether written or oral. No modification, waiver, or amendment of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and signed by both parties.

MISCELLANEOUS

The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the remaining provisions, which shall remain in full force and effect. Neither party may assign its rights under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, except to a successor by merger or sale of substantially all assets.

Additional provisions or notes

Service Provider (Company) - Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Client - Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What the Business Fees and Policies document covers

A Business Fees and Policies document defines how an organization charges for goods or services, when invoices are issued, acceptable payment methods, late fees, refunds, dispute resolution, tax treatment, and modification procedures. It consolidates billing rules, responsibilities of each party, notice requirements for fee changes, and administrative contacts so that customers and internal teams share a clear, auditable set of expectations.

Why a clear fee policy matters

A written policy reduces billing disputes, supports consistent accounting treatment, and improves customer transparency. It also documents governance for rate changes, refund handling, and collections to protect the business and comply with financial rules.

Who typically prepares and relies on this document

This document is created by finance, legal, or operations and shared with sales, customer success, and external customers.

Small business owners who need consistent billing language and clear refund rules for customers.
Finance and accounting teams that require documented billing cycles, tax treatment, and invoicing procedures.
Customer success and sales teams that reference standard fees, discounts, and payment terms in contracts.

Use this document as the authoritative reference for invoicing, collections, and customer-facing fee disclosures.

Primary signatories and approvers

CFO

Chief Financial Officers approve fee schedules and exceptions, oversee tax reporting and controls, and retain final authority on changes to billing practices and refund thresholds.

Operations Lead

Operations or billing managers implement procedures, manage invoice issuance, maintain records, and act as the primary contact for customer billing questions and dispute resolution.

Security and compliance basics to include

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit, AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: Timestamped signing history retained

BAA Availability: HIPAA BAA offered where required

Access Controls: Role-based permissions only

Retention: Document retention policies applied

Authentication: Multi-factor signer verification

Common legal and financial risks

Tax penalties: Late reporting fines possible

Refund disputes: Customer chargebacks and claims

Regulatory fines: Noncompliance can trigger penalties

Contract invalidity: Missing signatures may void terms

Privacy breaches: Improper handling triggers HIPAA/CCPA issues

Reputational harm: Billing errors erode customer trust

Common preparation errors to avoid

Vague fee descriptions that leave room for inconsistent interpretation and create disputes.
Failure to state payment due dates and accepted payment methods, causing late payments and reconciliation problems.
Not documenting how taxes are handled or when they are applied, which complicates reporting and compliance.
Not specifying the process for fee changes and customer notice periods, exposing the company to legal challenges.

How organizations use a fees and policies document

Real examples illustrate practical uses across industries and how documented policies reduce disputes and speed collections.

Optica Ventures

Optica standardized fees across product lines to reduce invoice questions and late payments.

The team used clear late-fee and discount rules.
As a result they reduced billing-related support requests and improved cash flow predictability by aligning sales and finance on a single published policy.

Martin Properties

Martin Properties digitized rental fees and late charges in a single policy document.

Mobile signing was enabled for tenants.
This allowed the company to collect executed acknowledgements electronically and reduce in-person processing while maintaining compliance and recordkeeping.

Step-by-step: preparing your Business Fees and Policies

Follow these sequential steps to draft, review, approve, and publish a clear fee policy that aligns with accounting and legal requirements.

01

Draft terms: List fee types, billing cycles, and payment methods.
02

Define handling: Describe late fees, refunds, and dispute resolution.
03

Legal review: Have counsel check compliance and consumer disclosures.
04

Publish and notify: Share policy with customers and retain records.

How the policy is applied operationally

Operationalize the policy so billing and customer teams apply it consistently and customers receive clear expectations.

Invoice generation: System creates invoices per billing cycle.
Payment processing: Accept cards, ACH, checks as specified.
Collections workflow: Automated reminders then escalation.
Dispute resolution: Standardized review and response timeline.

Key administrative features to include

Ensure the document contains operational elements so teams can execute billing without ad hoc decisions and auditors can verify compliance.

Fee Schedule

A clear, itemized list of fees with definitions, effective dates, and examples to avoid ambiguity and support accurate invoicing and customer understanding.

Payment Terms

Specify billing frequency, due dates, accepted methods, and late fee calculations so collections teams have clear authority and customers know expectations.

Refund and Credits

State conditions for refunds, prorations, and credits including timelines for processing and any administrative fees to ensure consistent customer outcomes.

Change Management

Describe how fee changes are approved and communicated, including required notice periods and processes for honoring legacy pricing when appropriate.

Practical tips for a robust policy

Apply these best practices to make the policy actionable, auditable, and defensible.

Use plain language and precise definitions

Avoid ambiguous words like "reasonable" or "as needed." Define each fee, penalty, and term so internal teams and customers interpret the policy consistently.

Include examples and simple calculations

Show sample invoices and late-fee computations so users can verify amounts and reconcile quickly without manual interpretation errors.

Document change history and approvals

Record who approved fee changes, the effective date, and any customer segments excluded from changes for auditability and dispute defense.

Coordinate tax treatment with accounting

Clarify whether fees are taxable, whether they are listed separately on invoices, and how sales tax is calculated to support correct reporting.

Timing and statutory filing considerations

Certain tax and reporting deadlines intersect with billing documentation; note these dates to avoid penalties and ensure accurate year-end reporting.

W-9 provision:

Provide when requested; no fixed statutory deadline.

1099-NEC filing:

Recipient and IRS due by January 31 each year.

1099-MISC deadlines:

Recipient due January 31; IRS paper Feb 28, electronic Mar 31.

Form 1040:

Individual tax return due April 15 (extension to October possible).

I-9 retention:

Retain I-9 three years after hire or one year after termination.

Core sections every policy should contain

Include these six components to make the policy complete for internal and external use.

Scope

Describe which products, services, customer segments, or legal entities the policy covers and note any exclusions or legacy arrangements.

Fee definitions

Define each fee, including one-time charges, recurring fees, service fees, setup fees, and how taxes are applied or passed through to the customer.

Billing and payment

Set billing cycles, invoice delivery method, due dates, accepted payment types, and settlement timelines to align operations with accounting.

Late payments and collections

State late fee formulas, interest rates if applicable, collections steps, and when accounts may be suspended or terminated for nonpayment.

Refunds and credits

Specify eligibility, calculation methods for prorated refunds, timelines for issuing credits, and documentation required from customers.

Dispute and modification

Establish how customers file disputes, internal escalation paths, timelines for resolution, and how fee changes are communicated and effective.

How to update or amend the policy

Use a repeatable change workflow so amendments are tracked, approved, and communicated.

01

Initiate change:

Document proposed edits and rationale.

02

Impact review:

Finance and legal evaluate consequences.

03

Approval:

Authorized approver signs off.

04

Publish:

Distribute to stakeholders and customers.

05

Recordkeeping:

Archive prior versions with approvals.

06

Monitor:

Review outcomes and feedback periodically.

How this policy differs from related documents

Compare Business Fees and Policies to adjacent documents to choose the right template and execution requirements.

Document Type	Notarization Required	eSignature Friendly
Business Fees & Policies
Service Agreement	sometimes
Refund Policy
Privacy Policy

eSignature vendor comparison for signing fee policies

Compare starting price, trial availability, bulk send, audit capabilities, HIPAA support, and envelope caps across common providers when selecting an eSignature platform.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Frequently asked questions about Business Fees and Policies

Answers to common operational, legal, and technical questions about drafting, signing, and enforcing fee policies.

Need help? Contact support

Are electronic signatures legally valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures meet legal standards under the ESIGN Act and state UETA statutes when intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met; exceptions exist for certain testamentary or court documents.
Do I need a notary for fee policies?
Generally no for a standard fee policy, but specific state or industry filings or attached affidavits may require notarization; verify requirements before executing for regulated matters.
How should fee changes be communicated?
Document the approval process, set an effective date, and provide written notice to affected customers per the policy; include a grace period if required by contract or regulation.
What if a customer disputes a charge?
Follow the documented dispute resolution steps, keep a clear audit trail of invoices and communications, and apply the policy consistently to avoid regulatory or contractual claims.
How long must I retain signed policies?
Retain for the agreement term plus applicable statutory minima: at least three years for tax records and six years for HIPAA-related records; extend per industry rules.
Can I collect signatures remotely?
Yes. Remote electronic signatures are widely accepted if done in compliance with ESIGN/UETA and any sector-specific requirements; consider stronger signer authentication for high-risk transactions.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now