What is a courier services agreement?
A courier services agreement is an ongoing contract between a courier or local delivery business and a business customer that sends items regularly — a pharmacy, law firm, print shop, online store or distributor. It replaces one-off bookings with agreed service levels, rates and invoicing, and sets out who is responsible when a parcel goes missing or arrives damaged.
In this template you describe the service area and zones, the delivery services and cut-off times, service hours and any size and weight limits. You choose how proof of delivery is captured (signature, photo, or signature with ID check) and what happens when no one is available. Rates can be listed in full or refer to a rate card, with optional fuel surcharges and weekly, fortnightly or monthly invoicing. The liability section sets a limit per consignment, optional higher declared-value cover, exclusions and a claims window. It also covers packaging and prohibited items, subcontractors, insurance and the confidentiality of recipients' personal data.
- Best for
- Same-day and next-day local couriers, messenger services, last-mile delivery for business customers
- Signed by
- The courier and the business customer, with job titles
- Liability
- Limit per consignment you set, with optional higher declared-value cover
- Length
- About 3 pages, initialled on every page
When to Use a courier services agreement
- A local courier taking on a law firm's daily document runs
- Same-day delivery for a pharmacy, florist or print shop
- Scheduled daily pickups from an online store's warehouse
- A distributor contracting last-mile deliveries to its retail customers
- Formalising rates and liability with an existing account customer
What You Fill In
22 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: courier, customer.
1 The parties
- Courier (your business)*
- Courier address
- Booking phone or email*
- Customer (company)*
- Customer address
2 The service
- Start date*
- Service area*
- Delivery services*
- Service hours*
- Size and weight limits
3 Delivery
- Proof of delivery* the recipient's signature · a photo of the item delivered · a recipient's signature or a photo of the item delivered · the recipient's signature and photo ID check
- If no one can receive the item* return it to the Customer · try again the next business day, then return it to the Customer · leave it in a safe place where the Customer has authorised this, or otherwise return it to the Customer
4 Rates and invoicing
- Currency*
- Rates*
- Fuel or other surcharges
- Invoices are sent* weekly · every two weeks · monthly
- Invoices are due within (days)*
5 Liability
- Liability limit per consignment*
- Higher cover available
- Claims within (days)*
6 Other terms
- Notice to end (days)*
- Governing law*
7 Who signs
- Courier signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The courier or delivery business.
- Customer signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The business sending the items — signed by someone authorised to sign for it.
What the courier services agreement Covers
- Services
- Packaging, labelling and contents
- Delivery and proof of delivery
- Rates and invoicing
- Liability for loss, damage and delay
- Drivers, subcontractors and insurance
- Confidentiality and personal information
- Term and ending the agreement
- General
Using the courier services agreement, step by step
1 Describe the service
Enter the service area (zones work well), the delivery services with their booking cut-offs and delivery times, your service hours and any size or weight limits.
2 Set delivery rules
Choose how proof of delivery is recorded and what happens when no one can receive an item — return it, try again next business day, or leave it in a safe place the customer has authorised (and otherwise return it).
3 Add rates and invoicing
List your rates one per line, or refer to a rate card, including waiting time and failed-delivery charges. Add any fuel surcharge, choose how often you invoice and the payment days.
4 Agree liability and send
Set the liability limit per consignment, any higher cover available, and the claims window. Choose the notice period to end the agreement, then add the customer's signer and send.
Tips Before You Send It
- Pick a liability limit that matches your goods-in-transit insurance, and offer declared-value cover for high-value items.
- Dangerous goods, including lithium batteries shipped on their own, have strict transport rules. Only accept them if you're trained and equipped to carry them.
- Keep proof of delivery with a time stamp for every consignment — it resolves most "never arrived" claims.
- Recipients' names and addresses are personal data; the agreement commits you to use them only for delivery.
Sign It Online In Minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- 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.
- 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.
Courier services agreement: frequently asked questions
How much does the courier pay if a parcel is lost?
The lesser of the repair cost, the customer's replacement cost, or the per-consignment limit you set, plus a refund of the delivery charge. Higher cover applies only when the customer declares a higher value at booking under the terms you offer.
Is the courier liable for late deliveries?
Delivery times are targets for normal conditions. Where a delivery time was guaranteed at booking and missed, the customer's remedy is a refund of that delivery's charge.
Is the agreement exclusive?
No. The customer may use other carriers and the courier may serve other customers.
Is an electronically signed courier contract valid?
Electronic signatures are generally valid for ordinary commercial contracts in the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF.
Is this template free?
Yes. The template is free to use with the eSignature app in VergeHR, and your customer doesn't need a VergeHR login to sign.