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Having a recruitment agreement drafted by a specialized SME lawyer typically costs between 500 and 1,500 euros, depending on whether it concerns a simple no-cure-no-pay model or a detailed agreement with exclusivity, a retainer, and a detailed guarantee arrangement. The process runs from an intake regarding your fee model, through a draft and a revision round, to a final version that you can reuse for multiple assignments. Legally, it is a mediation agreement (Article 7:425 of the Dutch Civil Code); the contract must primarily comprehensively regulate the fee, exclusivity, and guarantee, and remain within the limits of the Waadi (Dutch Act on the Placement of Workers).
The short answer
- Having a recruitment agreement drafted typically costs between 500 and 1,500 euros with an SME lawyer.
- The price depends on the model: simple no-cure-no-pay or elaborate with exclusivity and a retainer.
- A template costs less, but often lacks a clear determination of compensation and causation.
- The process: intake, draft, revision round, and final version.
- Expect a turnaround time of one to two weeks, depending on your response time.
- Having it drawn up pays off, especially for exclusivity, high fees, or recurring use.
How much does it cost to have a recruitment agreement drawn up?
The costs depend on the complexity of your fee model. For a standard no-cure-no-pay agreement with a fixed percentage and a short guarantee scheme, a rate of around 500 to 900 euros is to be expected. If exclusivity, a retainer structure, a detailed guarantee scale, or separate GDPR agreements regarding candidate data are added, the price rises towards 1,000 to 1,500 euros. A framework agreement under which you collaborate with a single agency long-term, with rates per job level, can exceed that.
When comparing quotes, pay attention to what is included. Is a revision round included, and is the contract structured so that you can reuse it for multiple assignments? A contract used only once is expensive per assignment; a good model that you use frequently spreads the costs across all your future placements.
Template or have it drawn up?
A ready-made model is inexpensive and sometimes sufficient, but it has two weaknesses that cost money, particularly in recruitment. The first is the fee determination. A template rarely clearly specifies the amount on which the percentage is calculated and when the fee becomes payable. The second is the question of causation: what applies if the candidate was recruited through multiple channels? In the case of a non-exclusive assignment, this is the point where agencies and employers clash most often.
The essence of having a legal professional draft the agreement is that a lawyer tailors it to your way of working: which model, which legal basis, whether or not to include exclusivity, and which guarantees. For a simple, one-off assignment, a good template is justifiable. However, if you work with agencies frequently or if it concerns senior positions with high fees, the cost of this tailoring is well worth the additional expenses.
The process step by step
The drafting process typically proceeds in four steps:
- Intake. The legal expert maps out which fee model you prefer, whether you work exclusively, what guarantees you expect, and how you handle candidate data.
- Draft. You will receive a first version with the remuneration, exclusivity, and warranty detailed, plus the GDPR agreements.
- Revision round. You discuss the draft, refine the basis and payment timing, and adjust the guarantee scale as desired.
- Final version. The legal expert delivers a final version that you can sign and reuse for future assignments.
Expect a turnaround time of one to two weeks. The biggest variable is your own response time: the sooner you provide the intake data and feedback, the shorter the process.
Where is the money and the time?
Most of the work lies not in standard clauses, but in the choices regarding compensation. The basis, the timing of payment, and the question of causation require careful thought, as the interests of the employer and the agency diverge in these areas. The guarantee scale and grounds for forfeiture also require coordination, because an unclear arrangement in the event of early departure costs money immediately. A lawyer who clarifies these points often earns back their fee during the first placement, which proceeds without dispute.
An SME marketing agency has a recruitment agreement drafted because it works structurally with two recruitment agencies. The legal expert devotes most of the time to the basis for the fee and the causation clause, as the agency operates on a non-exclusive basis. Because it is clear in advance which agency is entitled to the fee for which placement, the first double assignment proceeds without disputes over money, and the investment is recouped after just one placement.
Honest recommendation
For a simple, one-off assignment on a no-cure-no-pay basis, you do not need a lawyer. A good model with a fixed percentage, a clear legal basis, and a brief guarantee clause is often sufficient. However, as soon as exclusivity, a retainer, or a high fee is involved, or when you work structurally with agencies and the cause of a placement is difficult to determine, having a recruitment agreement drafted is well worth the cost. It is precisely the compensation and guarantee clauses that are where a mistake proves costly later on.
Want to read more? View the recruitment agreement on our contracts page, first take your time to read what a recruitment agreement is , and see how to go about drafting a recruitment agreement yourself .
Frequently Asked Questions
With a specialized SME lawyer, typically 500 to 1,500 euros. A standard no-cure-no-pay agreement is at the lower end; a detailed agreement with exclusivity, a retainer, a guarantee scale, and separate GDPR arrangements is at the upper end.
From the remuneration model, the presence of exclusivity or a retainer, the detailing of the warranty scheme, and the GDPR agreements. Also whether a revision round is included and whether the contract is reusable for multiple assignments.
Yes, but a template rarely clearly specifies the fee amount, when it becomes due, and what applies if the candidate was referred through multiple channels. For a simple, one-off assignment, it may suffice; however, for high fees or recurring use, customization outweighs the additional costs.
Typically one to two weeks, from intake via draft and revision round to the final version. The biggest variable is your own response time when providing the intake data and feedback on the draft.
Which fee model you want, the percentage and basis, whether you work exclusively, what guarantee you expect, and how you handle candidate data. The more complete that input, the shorter and cheaper the process.
Yes, provided it is set up that way. A good model regulates the fixed conditions and leaves room for the changing role and salary per assignment. This way, you spread the costs across all your future placements instead of paying again each time.
Especially in cases of exclusivity, a retainer, high fees, or structural collaboration with agencies. It is precisely the compensation and guarantee provisions and the question of causation that are the areas where an error proves costly later on and where coordination quickly pays for itself.
