A contributor licence agreement lets people contribute to your open-source project while giving the project clear rights to use their code. It protects the project from later disputes over who owns a contribution.
What's inside
DefinitionsSets the meaning of the key terms so the rest of the document is precise.
Copyright licence
Patent licence
Original work and authority
No obligation
Disclaimer
Governing law and jurisdictionChooses which country’s law applies and which courts decide disputes.In negotiation: Pick a forum where you could actually afford to sue — a 'won' clause naming a court you'll never travel to is a loss.
How this template is reviewed
Drafted Template v1 · June 2026
Written in plain language and self-checked against comparable open standards where they exist. Independent review is pending. Every export is stamped with the template ID and version it came from. A status is never claimed until the work behind it has happened.
How it works
1 · PickStart from this template — or add more from the library.
2 · FillEnter your details; watch the typeset preview update live.
3 · DownloadExport a polished PDF or an editable Word file.