A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is one of the most essential legal documents for any business. Whether you’re hiring a freelancer, discussing a potential partnership, or sharing proprietary information with an investor, an NDA ensures your confidential information stays protected.
What Is a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
An NDA — also called a confidentiality agreement — is a legally binding contract between two or more parties that outlines which information must remain confidential. It creates a legal obligation for the receiving party to keep specified information secret, with defined consequences for any breach.
NDAs are used across virtually every industry: technology, healthcare, finance, creative services, real estate, and manufacturing.
Key Clauses to Include in Your NDA
Every strong NDA should contain these essential elements:
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Definition of Confidential Information — Clearly specify what information is considered confidential. Be as detailed as possible — vague definitions are harder to enforce.
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Obligations of Receiving Party — Outline how the receiving party must handle the information, including storage requirements, access restrictions, and prohibited uses.
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Exclusions from Confidentiality — Define what is NOT considered confidential (publicly available information, information already known to the receiving party, information independently developed).
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Term and Duration — Specify how long the confidentiality obligations last. This can range from 1-5 years, or indefinitely for trade secrets.
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Return or Destruction of Materials — Require the receiving party to return or destroy all confidential materials when the agreement ends.
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Remedies for Breach — Define what happens if the NDA is violated, including injunctive relief and monetary damages.
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Governing Law — Specify which state or country’s laws govern the agreement.
How to Customize This Template
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Choose your NDA type — Decide between a unilateral (one-way) or mutual (two-way) NDA based on your situation.
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Define the scope — List the specific types of information you want to protect. The more precise, the better.
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Set the duration — Choose a reasonable time frame. For business partnerships, 2-3 years is common. For trade secrets, consider an indefinite term.
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Add specific restrictions — Include geographic limitations, non-solicitation clauses, or industry-specific requirements as needed.
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Review with legal counsel — While this template covers standard NDA provisions, always have a lawyer review agreements involving high-value information.
How to Send for E-Signature with WPsigner
- Upload — Drag and drop this NDA template into your WPsigner dashboard
- Add fields — Use drag-and-drop to place signature fields, date fields, and initials where needed
- Send — Enter the recipient’s email and send. They’ll receive a secure link to review and sign
- Track — Monitor signing status in real-time from your WordPress dashboard
- Store — Signed NDAs are automatically stored with tamper-proof audit trails
With WPsigner, the entire process takes under 2 minutes from upload to signed document.