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Band Agreement Template

Settle who gets what — gig money, songwriting credit, the gear and the band name — before it becomes an argument. All four members sign online.

Use This Template — Free See the Agreement Signers don’t need an account
Band agreement
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. VergeHR adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Band agreement — page 1 of 3
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Band agreement — page 2 of 3
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Band agreement — page 3 of 3
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Use This Template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from VergeHR eSignature.

What is a band agreement?

A band agreement is a simple contract between the members of a band about the business side of making music together. Most bands never write one down until someone leaves and nobody agrees who owns the name, the PA or the songs. Without an agreement, many places treat an unregistered band as a partnership, with default rules that may not match what the members actually intended.

This template is set up for a four-piece. It defines band income (gigs, recordings the band owns, merch, sync and sponsorship) and separates it from songwriting income and members' own solo or session work, sets a band fund for shared costs, splits the rest equally or in the percentages you choose, and covers money and records, songwriting credit (song by song on a split sheet, or equal shares for every band song), ownership of master recordings and shared equipment, which decisions need everyone, new members, what a leaving member keeps, who keeps the band name, and splitting up.

Best for
Bands and music groups with four members who share income and gear
Signed by
All four members
Band name
Choose: stays with remaining members, needs all original members, or belongs to one member
Length
3 to 4 pages, initialled on every page by every member

When to Use a band agreement

  • A band about to record its first EP or sign with a label or manager
  • Members buying a van, PA or backline together
  • A band starting to earn regular gig or streaming income
  • Replacing a member and wanting clear terms for the new one
  • Settling songwriting splits before songs are registered

What You Fill In

23 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: first member, second member, third member, fourth member.

1 The band

  • Date of the agreement*
  • Band name*
  • Legal form* an informal group (partnership) · a company or LLC the members own

2 Members

  • First member's full name*
  • First member's instrument or role*
  • Second member's full name*
  • Second member's instrument or role*
  • Third member's full name*
  • Third member's instrument or role*
  • Fourth member's full name*
  • Fourth member's instrument or role*

3 Money

  • Band income is shared* equally between the members · in the percentages below
  • Percentages
  • Kept back for band costs (% of income)
  • Member who keeps the accounts
  • Largest spend without everyone agreeing*
  • Currency*

4 Songs, name and gear

  • Songwriting credit* Agreed song by song and recorded in writing · Shared equally by all members for every band song
  • Equipment the band owns together
  • If a member leaves, the band name* stays with the remaining members · may only be used if all original members agree · stays with the member named below
  • Member who keeps the name

5 Leaving and decisions

  • Notice to leave (days)*
  • Governing law*

6 Who signs

  • First member signature and date, initials on every page
  • Second member signature and date, initials on every page
  • Third member signature and date, initials on every page
  • Fourth member signature and date, initials on every page

What the band agreement Covers

  1. Band income
  2. Money and records
  3. Songwriting and recordings
  4. Equipment
  5. Decisions
  6. New members
  7. When a member leaves
  8. If the band splits up
  9. General

Using the band agreement, step by step

1 Name the band and its members

Enter the band name and each member's full legal name and instrument or role. Say whether you're an informal group or have set up a company or LLC — if you have a company, its own documents also apply.

2 Decide how money is shared

Set a percentage kept back as a band fund for rehearsals, travel and recording, then share the rest equally or in set percentages. Name the member who keeps the accounts and the largest amount anyone can spend without everyone agreeing.

3 Agree songwriting credit

Choose between crediting each song to the members who actually wrote it (recorded on a split sheet before release) or crediting every band song equally to all members. Songwriting income is kept separate from band income.

4 List shared gear and choose who keeps the name

List equipment bought with band money. Then choose what happens to the band name if someone leaves: it stays with the remaining members, needs everyone's agreement, or belongs to one named member.

5 Everyone signs

Send the agreement to the other three members. Each signs and initials every page from their own phone, and everyone gets the signed copy.

Tips Before You Send It

  • Fill in split sheets for every song as you write it — it's much harder to agree who wrote what years later.
  • Record contracts, publishing deals and management agreements can override parts of a band agreement. Read them together.
  • The template is set up for exactly four members. For a three-piece or a larger band, draft your own version and upload it to VergeHR eSignature to place the signature boxes.
  • If the band earns significant money, consider forming a company or LLC and taking advice on tax and liability.

Sign It Online In Minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Use the band agreement Template — It’s Free

Band agreement: frequently asked questions

Who owns the band name if a member leaves?

Whatever you choose in the agreement: it can stay with the remaining members, be usable only if all the original members agree, or belong to one named member. A leaving member can always truthfully describe themselves as a former member.

Does a member who leaves still get paid?

Yes, for their share of band income earned while they were a member, including future royalties from recordings made during that time, and they keep their songwriting shares. They share in debts incurred while they were a member but not afterwards.

Can a band agreement be signed electronically?

In most countries, including the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada, an electronic signature is generally valid for an ordinary commercial contract like this one. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF as evidence of who signed and when. Each member signs from their own device.

Is this template free?

Yes. The template is free to use with the eSignature app in VergeHR, and the people you send it to don't need a VergeHR login to sign.

Use This Template — Free