MKB Juristen drafts custom legal documents
It is best not to cobble together or copy important contracts, terms and conditions, and other legal documents yourself. We help entrepreneurs on a budget with customized legal solutions, clear costs upfront, and practical explanations.
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Having a DBA-compliant assignment agreement drafted by a specialized SME lawyer typically costs between 400 and 1,200 euros for a custom-made agreement. The process consists of an intake, structuring the three core provisions, and brief work instructions. Unlike a download, you receive a document that aligns with your situation and with enforcement practices since January 1, 2025. Below are the costs, the steps, and when outsourcing pays off.
The short answer
- Costs: 400 to 1,200 euros for a custom-made assignment agreement.
- Process: intake, structuring of the core provisions, monitoring of practice, and a work instruction.
- Lead time: usually one to two weeks.
- Added value: custom work that stands the holistic test, not a generic template.
- When: for long-term engagement, hiring for your core activity, or recurring freelancers.
How much does it cost to have a contract for services drawn up that is compliant with the DBA Act?
The price depends on the complexity and how often the agreement needs to be reused. A standalone contract for a single assignment is more cost-effective than a template intended for a series of freelancers, as the latter requires more customization to different situations.
- Separate custom contract: 400 to 900 euros for one assignment agreement.
- Reusable model contract: 900 to 2,000 euros for a template with work instructions for multiple self-employed professionals.
- Review of your own concept: 250 to 600 euros.
- Advice plus drafting for a fine line: from 750 euros, including assessment of the authority risk.
With multiple recurring assignments, a standard contract quickly pays for itself, because you use it again and again.
The process step by step
- Intake: the legal expert maps out what the self-employed professional will be doing, to what extent independently, with whose resources, and for how long.
- Structure: the core provisions regarding free substitution, lack of authority, and entrepreneurial risk are tailored to your situation.
- Practical check: it is examined whether the intended working method passes the holistic test.
- Drafting: the document is written without employee-like clauses such as a probationary period or continued payment during illness.
- Work instruction: a short manual so that the execution aligns with the text.
Why customization is worth more than a template
A DBA-compliant assignment agreement is not a simple fill-in-the-blanks exercise. Since the Deliveroo case, the court considers all circumstances in conjunction, meaning the actual way in which work is performed. A generic downloadable template does not take your specific situation into account and does not assess the actual practice. A lawyer who tailors the assignment and incorporates the working method better covers the risk of retroactive tax assessments, which explains the price difference compared to a free template.
When outsourcing, pay attention to the expertise. A lawyer with knowledge of the DBA Act and Article 7:610 of the Dutch Civil Code will provide an agreement that aligns with enforcement since 2025. Also request the accompanying work instructions, as the execution ultimately determines whether the arrangement holds up.
Practical example
A webshop regularly works with the same four freelancers for photography and copywriting. Instead of drafting a separate contract each time, the owner has a model agreement created that can be filled in per assignment with results, price, and schedule. The legal expert incorporates the substitution clause, the flexible working method, and the entrepreneurial risk, and provides a brief work instruction. The webshop now uses the model for every new assignment, keeping costs per hire low and limiting the risk of tax assessments.
Honest recommendation
You don't always have to outsource. For a single, short-term assignment with a freelancer who demonstrably has multiple clients and determines their own working methods, you can draft a simple contract yourself and save on the costs of a lawyer. The risk is then limited.
Be sure to have a contract drawn up for long-term engagement, when hiring for your core business, or when working with recurring freelancers. In such cases, the risk adds up, and a custom contract or a reusable template pays for itself compared to a payroll tax reassessment that can run into the thousands. Moreover, the legal expert takes the working method into account, which a free template does not.
Start immediately or explore first? View the DBA-proof assignment agreement, read the explanation in what is a DBA-proof assignment agreement and the content checklist in drafting a DBA-proof assignment agreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, 400 to 1,200 euros for a custom-made contract. A reusable standard contract for multiple freelancers is more expensive, but pays for itself with recurring assignments.
Usually one to two weeks: intake, development of the core provisions, a practical check, drafting, and a brief work instruction. A reusable model may require slightly more time due to the broader alignment.
A template does not take your situation into account and does not test practice. Since enforcement began on January 1, 2025, it is precisely the actual working method that counts, meaning a tailor-made agreement covers the risk better.
With a good lawyer, it does. The work instruction ensures that the execution aligns with the text, which is important because the holistic review looks at the actual course of events.
Yes. A reusable template that you fill out per assignment keeps costs per hire low and covers the entire collaboration. That is more cost-effective than having a separate contract drawn up each time.
For a single, short-term assignment with a self-employed professional who demonstrably has multiple clients and determines their own working methods, a simple, self-drafted contract suffices and the risk is small.
A retroactive assessment for payroll taxes can run into thousands of euros per self-employed professional. The costs of a tailor-made agreement remain well below that and prevent disputes with the Tax Authorities regarding bogus self-employment.
