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Contracts

Contract Review Checklist: 15 Things to Check

By FixMyContractLast updated Oct 2, 20265 min read

Short answer: Read the whole contract once for the deal, then go through it with a checklist for the risks. The fifteen checks below cover what goes wrong most often: who is bound, what is promised, what it costs, how it ends, who pays when something goes wrong, and how disputes are handled.

The deal

  1. Parties. Are the names and legal entities right — including yours? See contract parties.
  2. Scope. Is what each side must deliver specific: quantities, standards, dates? See scope of work.
  3. Price and payment. Amount, currency, due date, late fees, and what triggers payment (signing, delivery, approval).
  4. Dates. Effective date, start date, deadlines and the end date.

Ending it

  1. Term and renewal. Fixed term, or rolling? Does it renew automatically, and by when must you cancel?
  2. Termination. Can you end it for convenience, or only for cause? With how much notice? See termination for convenience.
  3. Exit costs. Early termination fees, minimum commitments, what happens to work in progress and deposits.

When something goes wrong

  1. Liability cap. Is there a limitation of liability, and does it apply to both sides equally?
  2. Indemnities. Are you promising to cover the other side's losses? For what? Is it capped? See indemnification.
  3. Warranties. What does each side promise is true, and for how long? See representations and warranties.

Information and ownership

  1. Intellectual property. Who owns what is created, and what each side keeps? See IP assignment.
  2. Confidentiality. What is covered, for how long, with what exceptions?
  3. Restrictions. Non-compete, non-solicitation or exclusivity terms that limit your other work.

Disputes and paperwork

  1. Disputes. Governing law, venue, and whether disputes go to arbitration.
  2. The document itself. Are all attachments and schedules included? Does an entire agreement clause cancel promises made by email? Is the signature block for the right person and company?

What contract review costs

A lawyer's review is usually billed by the hour or as a flat fee; see how much a lawyer costs to review a contract. Running through this checklist first lets you bring a short list of questions, which can keep that time down.

Where FixMyContract fits

Upload a contract to go through it clause by clause in plain English, from your side, with the contract's own words beside each point where they can be matched and a suggested ask for each flagged clause. It is a thorough first read, not a substitute for a lawyer on a high-stakes contract. For a printable version of the core checks, see what to check before signing a contract.

This is general information, not legal advice. For a contract with significant money or legal consequences, talk to a licensed lawyer.

Sources

All links checked 2 October 2026.

  1. Legal Information Institute (Cornell), Wex: contract — https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contract
  2. Legal Information Institute (Cornell), Wex: indemnity — https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/indemnity
  3. Legal Information Institute (Cornell), Wex: liquidated damages — https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/liquidated_damages

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