Formation documents
These set up the business as a legal entity, separate from you personally.
- Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation
- Operating Agreement or Bylaws — even for single-member LLCs
- EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS
- Initial member or shareholder resolutions
- State and local business licenses
Client and customer documents
Anything that involves money changing hands needs a written agreement.
- Master services agreement or business contract template
- Statements of work (SOW) for project-based clients
- Mutual NDA for sensitive client conversations
- Standard invoice template with payment terms
- Refund and cancellation policy (for products and SaaS)
Contractor and HR documents
Whether you hire one freelancer or fifty employees, the foundation is the same.
- Independent Contractor Agreement
- Contractor NDA with IP assignment
- Offer letter template
- Employment agreement with confidentiality and IP clauses
- Employee handbook (when you hit ~5 employees)
Property and operations documents
Office, retail, or warehouse — get the paperwork right before you sign a lease.
- Commercial lease agreement
- Equipment lease or purchase agreements
- Vendor contracts for recurring services
- Privacy policy and terms of service for any website
Frequently asked
- Do I really need all of these on day one?
- No. Most businesses start with formation, a contractor agreement, and an NDA. Add the rest as you hire, lease space, or take on bigger clients.
- Should I keep paper copies?
- A digital archive is fine — most courts and banks accept signed PDFs. Keep a backup outside your main computer.
- How often should I update these documents?
- Review annually. Update whenever your team, pricing, or legal jurisdiction changes.
- Are templates enough, or do I need a lawyer?
- Templates handle 90% of small-business needs. Use a lawyer for equity grants, regulated industries, large M&A, or anything where the downside is existential.
LegalDocBuilder.com is a document preparation platform, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice or representation. For complex matters, review your documents with a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.