Download the snow removal contract template
The pack includes a residential driveway contract, a commercial and HOA parking lot contract, a site map exhibit and a pre-season walkthrough checklist. Everything comes in Word, PDF and Google Doc, with USD and CAD versions.
What to include in a snow removal contract
A snow removal contract should name both parties, describe the property, list the services included and excluded, set the snow trigger depth and response time, state the pricing model, treat salt and de-icing as a separate line, say where snow gets stacked, and cover damage, slip-and-fall liability, insurance, payment, term and cancellation.
The 12 elements in our template:
- Parties and address of the property served
- Site description: driveway, walks, lot, with a site map for commercial
- Scope: plowing, shoveling, sidewalks, steps, roof or hauling (usually excluded)
- Trigger depth: the snow accumulation that starts a visit
- Response time: how fast you show up after the trigger
- Pricing model: per push, per event, per inch or seasonal
- Salt and de-icing: a separate charge, approved in advance
- Snow stacking: where piles go
- Damage: markers, walkthrough photos, reporting window
- Liability and insurance: who is responsible for what, in writing
- Term and cancellation: season dates and how it ends
- Signatures: names, dates, electronic signing
The full snow removal contract, clause by clause
Not legal advice. The clauses below are a starting point. Have a local attorney review them before you use them with clients.
Words in brackets are blanks to fill in. Each clause has its own anchor (#clause-1 to #clause-13).
1. Parties and property description
1. Parties and property. This Snow Removal Agreement is made on [Date] between [Business legal name], [Address], [Phone], [Email] ("Contractor") and [Client name], [Billing address], [Phone], [Email] ("Client"), for the property at [Service address] ("Property"). Covered portion of the Property: [driveway, approx. [X] by [X] feet / parking lot of approx. [X] square feet / walkways / steps], as shown on the site map in Exhibit A.
Why this clause matters. "Clear the driveway" means something different to every client. Writing the size and attaching a site map, even a phone photo with lines drawn on it, ends the argument about whether the apron or the mailbox path was included.
2. Services included and excluded
2. Services. Contractor agrees to provide: [plowing of driveway or lot; shoveling or snow blowing of walkways and steps; clearing of the end-of-driveway windrow left by city plows [once per event / not included]]. Not included unless added to this Agreement in writing: roof clearing, snow hauling off site, ice dam removal, clearing around vehicles left in the plow path, and salt or de-icer (see Section 6).
Why this clause matters. The city plow windrow at the end of the driveway is the classic surprise. If you do not say whether you come back for it, the client will expect you to. Exclusions for parked cars and roofs protect your time, your equipment and your liability.
3. Snow trigger depth and level of service
3. Trigger and level of service. Contractor will begin work once snow accumulation reaches [1 / 2 / 3] inches, measured as described in Section 10. [Residential: Contractor will clear the areas once after snowfall ends. / Commercial: Contractor will plow during the storm at intervals of every [X] inches and complete a final cleanup after it ends.] Accumulations below the trigger are not serviced unless Client requests it, at an additional charge equal to the per-visit rate.
Why this clause matters. The trigger decides when you go out and when you get paid, so it is an easy clause to argue about. Common choices are 1, 2 or 3 inches, but there is no single standard: pick one that fits the client and your route. For commercial work, the industry group SIMA (Snow & Ice Management Association) publishes a Procurement Standard with guidelines on level of service requirements and scope of work, which is useful when you write this clause for a property manager.
4. Response time and service hours
4. Response time. Contractor will aim to complete residential service within [X] hours after snowfall ends, and commercial plowing by [time, e.g. 6:00 a.m.] on business days. During storms exceeding [X] inches or lasting more than [X] hours, response times may be extended. Contractor is not liable for delays caused by equipment failure, road closures or emergency orders.
Why this clause matters. You cannot be first for everyone, so promise a window, not a time. The heavy-storm exception keeps a 14-inch blizzard from turning into a breach of contract.
5. Pricing: per push, per event, per inch or seasonal
5. Price. Client agrees to pay [choose one]: (a) $[Rate] per push; (b) $[Rate] per snow event, defined as continuous snowfall with breaks under [X] hours; (c) $[Rate] per inch, measured per Section 10; or (d) a seasonal fee of $[Fee], covering up to [X] pushes [or [X] inches of total snowfall], with additional pushes billed at $[Rate] each.
Why this clause matters. Each model shifts weather risk differently (see the comparison below). The seasonal cap is an easy line to leave out, and it is the one that protects you in a record winter. For actual rates, read how to price snow removal.
6. Salt, de-icing and materials
6. Salt and de-icing. Salt or de-icer is applied [only on Client request / automatically when icy conditions are observed] and charged at $[Rate] per application [or $[Rate] per bag or per ton]. Client acknowledges that de-icing reduces but does not eliminate ice, and that refreeze can occur after service.
Why this clause matters. Bundling salt into a flat price is how material costs eat your margin in an icy year. A separate line makes it visible and billable. The refreeze sentence sets a realistic expectation: you treat ice, you do not guarantee a dry surface.
7. Snow stacking and site map
7. Snow storage. Snow will be stacked in the zones marked on Exhibit A. If those zones fill up, Contractor will notify Client, and relocation or hauling, if necessary, will be charged at $[Rate] per hour or per load. Contractor is not responsible for drainage, melt or visibility issues caused by piles in Client-designated zones.
Why this clause matters. Piles block sight lines, kill grass and melt onto walks where they refreeze. Letting the client choose stacking areas on a signed map moves that decision to them.
8. Pre-season walkthrough, markers and property damage
8. Walkthrough and damage. Before the season, Contractor and Client will walk the Property, photograph its condition and place stakes or markers along edges, curbs and obstacles. Client will mark sprinklers, landscape lighting and other hidden objects. Damage must be reported within [X] days of the visit with photos. Contractor is not responsible for damage to unmarked objects, or for normal turf or gravel displacement along plowed edges.
Why this clause matters. In spring, every chipped curb looks like your fault. Dated photos from the walkthrough are your record of what was already broken. The stakes help your operators find edges under two feet of snow, at night.
9. Slip and fall, liability and insurance
9. Liability and insurance. Contractor carries general liability insurance of at least $[Amount] and will provide a certificate upon request [and name Client as additional insured]. Contractor is responsible for injuries or damage caused by its negligence in performing the services. Contractor is not responsible for conditions that develop between visits, between storms, or after services are complete, including refreeze, nor for areas outside the agreed scope. Client remains responsible for monitoring the Property between visits and requesting any additional service.
Why this clause matters. No contract clause can make you immune to slip-and-fall claims, and how responsibility is shared depends on local law. What the clause can do is define what you were hired to do and when, so your duty is clear. Have a local attorney review this clause, and carry real coverage: see liability insurance for snow and lawn crews.
10. Weather records and dispute resolution
10. Weather records. Snowfall totals for triggers and per-inch billing will be based on [the nearest NOAA weather station: [Station name] / the nearest Environment and Climate Change Canada station: [Station name]]. Contractor's service logs, including GPS records and time-stamped photos, will be used to confirm visits. The parties will try to resolve disputes in good faith before any legal action.
Why this clause matters. "It only snowed an inch here" is unanswerable without a neutral source. Naming one station in advance settles it. In the US, NOAA's Climate Data Online lets you search past daily station data by station name, ZIP code, city or county. In Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada's Historical Data search finds stations by name, province or proximity. Pick the station together when you sign.
11. Payment terms and seasonal installments
11. Payment. [Per push and per event: invoiced [after each event / twice a month], due within [X] days.] [Seasonal: payable in [X] equal installments of $[Amount], the first due upon signing and the rest on [dates].] A late fee of [X]% per month ([Y]% per year) applies to balances over [X] days past due, and Contractor may suspend services on past-due accounts after [X] days' notice.
Why this clause matters. A deposit at signing locks the client into your route before the first storm, and installments keep cash coming during a slow December. The suspension line matters: without it, you keep plowing for a client who has stopped paying. Limits on late fees and interest depend on your state or province, so have the rate reviewed.
12. Term, renewal and cancellation
12. Term. This Agreement runs from [Start date, e.g. November 1] to [End date, e.g. April 15]. [It renews for the next season at the then-current price unless either party gives written notice by [Date]. / It does not renew automatically.] Either party may cancel with [14] days' written notice. Upon cancellation of a seasonal contract, Client pays for pushes performed at the per-push rate in Section 5 (for a seasonal fee, the additional-push rate), less installments paid.
12a. Right to cancel (in-person sales only). [Keep this paragraph if you sold this Agreement in person at Client's home or anywhere other than your place of business; delete it otherwise.] You, the buyer, may cancel this transaction at any time prior to midnight of the third business day after the date of this transaction. See the attached notice of cancellation form for an explanation of this right.
Why this clause matters. The cancellation true-up stops a client from paying two installments, getting twelve pushes in a heavy January, and walking away. Some places regulate automatic renewal. In New York, for example, an auto-renewal clause in a contract for service or maintenance of real property cannot be enforced against the client unless you send written notice, in person or by certified mail, 15 to 30 days before the client's deadline to cancel (N.Y. General Obligations Law 5-903); renewal periods of one month or less are excluded. Check the rule where you work before you rely on it.
If you sell door to door (US). The FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429) covers consumer sales of $25 or more made in person at the buyer's home, and $130 or more at other places away from your place of business. The buyer can cancel until midnight of the third business day after the sale; Saturdays count, Sundays and federal holidays do not. You must tell the buyer about this right at the time of sale, hand over two copies of a cancellation form and a dated contract or receipt showing your name and address, in the language you used to sell, and refund within 10 days of a cancellation. The rule leaves out sales made entirely online, by mail or by phone, and sales that follow earlier negotiations at your permanent place of business. Many states add their own door-to-door rules, and Canadian provinces set their own, so check with your state attorney general or provincial consumer protection office. The pack includes the cancellation notice as a separate page.
13. Signatures
13. General terms and signatures. This Agreement is governed by the laws of [State/Province]. It is the entire agreement between the parties and may only be changed in writing signed by both. Electronic signatures are valid.
Contractor: ________________ Name: [Name], Title: [Title], Date: [Date]
Client: ________________ Name: [Name], Date: [Date]
Exhibit A: site map with stacking areas [attach]
Why this clause matters. Sign before the first snowfall, never during it. A contract negotiated in a storm is one the client will contest. In the US, the federal ESIGN Act says a signature or contract cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic (15 U.S.C. 7001); your state or province can add its own rules.
Per push vs seasonal snow removal contracts
Scroll sideways to see all 4 columns
| Per push / per event | Seasonal (cap and minimum) | Per inch / time and materials | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who carries weather risk | Client | Contractor, limited by the cap | Client |
| Your cash flow | Uneven, depends on snow | Steady installments | Uneven |
| Typical clients | Residential, small lots | Residential and HOA | Commercial lots, big events |
| Must-have clause | Clear event definition | Push cap and overage rate | Agreed weather station |
Per push and per event contracts
You get paid for every visit, so a big winter is a good winter. The client carries the risk and the bill swings with the weather. Define "event" carefully, or a two-day storm becomes an argument.
Seasonal flat-rate contracts (with caps and minimums)
The client pays the same whatever falls, which suits a homeowner who wants a fixed bill. A dry winter is profit; a record winter can be a loss unless you cap pushes and bill overages.
Per inch and time-and-materials contracts
Common on commercial sites. Billing tracks the snowfall or hours worked, so your logs and the agreed weather station carry the whole contract. Pricing benchmarks live in how to price snow removal.
Residential vs commercial snow removal contracts
Residential driveway contract
Short scope, one clearing after snowfall ends, a trigger of 1 to 3 inches of accumulation, and a response window in hours. Insurance certificates are rarely requested.
Commercial and HOA parking lot contract
Expect during-storm plowing, opening times, a detailed site map, sidewalk and entrance priorities, a certificate of insurance often naming the client as additional insured, and sometimes a bid process. If you use subcontractors, the contract should say so and require them to carry insurance too. The commercial version adds these sections.
Snow removal contract example: a filled-in residential seasonal agreement
All names and amounts are fictional example data.
Snow Removal Agreement (example)
- Contractor
- Okafor Property Services, Minneapolis, MN
- Client
- Sam Example, 456 Example Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
- Areas
- two-car driveway, front walk, front steps
- Trigger
- 2 inches, measured at the nearest NOAA station
- Response
- within 8 hours after snowfall ends
- Price (example pricing, not a market rate)
- seasonal fee of $720 in 4 installments of $180, up to 16 pushes, then $50 per push
- Salt (example pricing)
- on request, $25 per application
- Season
- November 1 to April 15, signed and deposit paid in October
Canada version (example): a client in Winnipeg, MB, gets the same agreement with amounts in CAD (for illustration, the $720 fee is approx. CA$1,016, USD converted at the Bank of Canada rate of 1.4113, Nov 6, 2026; set a real CAD price from your local costs and rates), GST on the invoice if the business is registered, Manitoba as governing law, and the nearest Environment and Climate Change Canada station as the weather source.
How to write and sign a snow removal contract before the first storm
Sign your contracts in the fall, before the first storm.
- September to October: visit the site. Measure, note obstacles, agree on stacking areas.
- Same visit: photos and markers. Date-stamped photos of curbs, lawn edges and pavement, then stakes along edges.
- Pick the pricing model. Per push, per event, per inch or seasonal with a cap.
- Sign and collect a deposit before November 1. The first installment confirms the client's spot on your route.
- Set up visit tracking. Decide how you will log every push (GPS, time-stamped photos, hours) before the first snowfall.
Bill each push or installment with our free invoice generator with a snow removal preset.
Using this contract in Canada
Write amounts in CAD and add GST/HST to invoices if you are registered. If your late fee is a percentage per month, state the yearly rate next to it: under section 4 of the federal Interest Act, a written contract that gives only a daily, weekly or monthly rate cannot recover more than 5% per year (Interest Act, s. 4). Change the governing-law line in clause 13 to your province. Use an Environment and Climate Change Canada station as the weather reference in clause 10. Liability and consumer protection rules differ by province: your provincial consumer affairs office (Government of Canada directory) can tell you which rules apply to service contracts and renewals. Have a local lawyer review it.
Track every push to back up your contract
When a client says you never came, or a slip claim names a date, GPS records and time-stamped photos settle it. Field service software logs visits automatically and ties them to the invoice.
Jobber handles recurring jobs, visit notes and photos, timers and invoicing. Its built-in reports include visits, timesheets and GPS waypoints, per Jobber's Reports Basics article, and its timers keep running offline, though location (geofenced) timers need a connection, per its Timers and Timesheets article. Jobber says reports are available on select plans, and location timers are on the Grow plan, so confirm what your plan includes. We found no Jobber feature built specifically for per-push snow billing; check how you will log pushes before the first storm. Jobber Core costs $49 per month with no commitment, or $29 per month billed annually; Grow for one user costs $199 per month with no commitment, or $149 billed annually (as of November 2026). It bills Canadians in USD and has no official CAD price. Full details in our Jobber review.
For snow-specific tools and their prices, see our best snow removal software. The editable pack is in the form at the top of this page.
Other contract templates
- The lawn care contract template: residential, seasonal and commercial versions
- The cleaning contract template: recurring, one-time and move-out versions
