Free clause generator
Client delay clause generator for freelancers
The client goes quiet for two weeks, then wants the original deadline. A client delay clause settles that before it happens: deadlines move with the wait, the project pauses after a set number of days, and restarting has clear terms. Fill in your numbers, copy the clause, and use the matching email when a client is late. Runs in your browser, no signup.
Client delays (Website redesign) 1. What Client Co. provides. The schedule depends on Client Co. providing content, feedback, approvals and access to accounts. Client Co. will respond to requests for these within 3 business days. 2. Timeline moves with delays. If anything Client Co. needs to provide arrives late, every later deadline moves by at least the same number of business days. Your Name is not responsible for missed dates caused by those delays. 3. Pause after 10 business days. If Client Co. has not provided what is needed 10 business days after it was requested, the project is paused. Your Name may take on other work, and the project restarts in the next available slot, which may not be immediately. 4. Restart fee. Restarting a paused project costs $250, invoiced before work resumes, to cover rescheduling and getting back up to speed. 5. Payments stay on schedule. Milestone invoices are issued on their original dates for work completed so far, even if Client Co.'s delay moves the delivery date. 6. Closing a stalled project. If the project stays paused for 30 business days, Your Name may close it, invoice for all work completed to that point, and hand over the files paid for. Picking it up again later is quoted as new work. 7. Changes are separate. New requests that arrive during a delay are handled as change orders with their own price and timeline.
Plain-English starter wording, not legal advice. Runs in your browser; nothing is stored or sent.
What the clause covers
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| What the client provides | Names the content, feedback, approvals and access the schedule depends on, with a reply window. |
| Timeline moves with delays | Every later deadline shifts by at least the days you waited, so a late client can't make you late. |
| Pause point | After a set number of days waiting, the project pauses and you can fill the slot with other work. |
| Restart fee (optional) | A flat fee to restart a paused project, invoiced before work resumes. |
| Payments on schedule (optional) | Milestone invoices go out on their original dates for work done so far. |
| Closing a stalled project | After a longer wait you can close the project, bill completed work and hand over paid-for files. |
Paste it into your contract or statement of work, next to a revision clause and a kill fee clause. If the client wants the lost time back with a tighter deadline, price it with the rush fee calculator.
Keep the original deal on record
ScopeLine keeps the original deal, logs each client request against it, and turns extras into change orders the client approves or declines through a link, no login. Free for 3 active projects, no card.
Start free on ScopeLineFAQ
- What is a client delay clause?
- It is a section of a freelance contract or statement of work that says what happens when the client is late with content, feedback, approvals or access. It usually moves the deadlines, pauses the project after a set wait, and explains how and when it restarts.
- How long should I wait before pausing a project?
- Pick a number you can live with and write it down before the project starts. Many freelancers use somewhere between one and three weeks of waiting. This tool defaults to 10 business days after the request, and you can change it.
- Is it fair to charge a restart fee?
- It can be, if it was agreed up front. A paused project costs you a booked slot and time to get back up to speed. Keep the fee modest and flat, put it in the contract, and set it to 0 if it doesn't suit your clients.
- Should I still invoice when the client is the one holding things up?
- Many freelancers keep milestone invoices on their original dates for the work already done, so a client's delay doesn't also delay your cash. The optional 'payments stay on schedule' line in this clause covers that.
- How does this relate to scope creep and change orders?
- Delays and new requests often arrive together. The clause says new asks during a delay are change orders with their own price and timeline. ScopeLine logs each request against the original deal and sends the client a change order to approve through a link.
- Is this clause legally binding?
- It is plain-English starter wording, not legal advice. It works best inside a signed contract or accepted proposal. Check it against your own contract and the law where you and your client work.
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