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Website Maintenance Agreement Template – Illinois
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Website Maintenance Agreement Template
1. Scope of Services
This Website Maintenance Agreement ("Agreement") is made on [Effective Date: March 5, 2026] by and between:
Client: [Client: Lakeshore Learning Lab, Inc.; Address: 233 S Wacker Dr, Suite 8400, Chicago, IL 60606; Email: [email protected]; Phone: (312) 555-0131]
Service Provider: [Service Provider: Prairie Web Maintenance Co.; Address: 1 N Franklin St, Suite 1800, Chicago, IL 60606; Email: [email protected]; Phone: (312) 555-0172]
Covered website: [Website URL: https://www.lakeshorelearninglab.com] on [Platform: Drupal 10 + approved modules].
The Service Provider will perform routine updates, security monitoring, backups, uptime monitoring, bug fixing, and performance optimization as part of ongoing website maintenance.
2. Acceptance and Verification Matrix
If the Client does not respond within the acceptance timing window, the work is deemed accepted, unless the Client reports a material defect within the reopen window.
Work Type | Verification Method | Acceptance Timing | Reopen Window |
Security patch | Confirm version and run smoke test on key pages | Accepted upon deployment notice | 2 business days |
Bug fix | Reproduce issue then validate fix in staging or production | Accepted after Client review or 3 business days | 5 business days |
Content update | Visual check of updated page(s) | Accepted upon posting | 2 business days |
Performance tuning | Before/after metrics summary | Accepted after Client review or 5 business days | 10 business days |
3. Support, Response Targets, and Reporting
Support hours are Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00 Central Time.
Emergency Issues will be acknowledged within 2 hours during support hours and within 6 hours outside support hours.
Standard issues will be acknowledged within 1 business day and targeted for resolution within 3 business days where commercially reasonable.
The Service Provider will provide a monthly maintenance report summarizing updates performed, incidents, and verification notes.
4. Term and Renewal
This Agreement begins on the Effective Date and continues for an initial 12-month term.
After the initial term, this Agreement renews month-to-month unless either Party provides 30 days' written notice of non-renewal.
5. Fees and Payment
Monthly fee: [Monthly Fee: $1,600], billed in advance on the first calendar day of each month via [Payment Method: ACH transfer].
Overdue amounts may accrue interest at 1.0% per month after 10 days.
If payment is more than 20 days late, the Service Provider may suspend non-emergency work until the account is current.
6. Access Credentials and Change Logs
The Client will provide the Service Provider with the necessary credentials to perform the Services and will notify the Service Provider of any credential changes within one business day.
The Service Provider will maintain a change log of updates and notable actions performed on the Website and will include a summary in the monthly report.
The Client will designate a primary approver for change requests: [Client Approver: Jordan Patel, [email protected]].
7. Backups and Restoration
The Service Provider will create at least weekly backups with 30-day retention and will store backups in a secure location.
One restoration per quarter is included; additional restorations are billed at $165 per hour.
8. Client Responsibilities
The Client will keep hosting and domain services active, provide timely approvals, and avoid unauthorized changes that interfere with maintenance.
The Client will provide accurate reproduction steps for bugs where feasible and will promptly communicate business-impact changes to the Website.
9. Exclusions
This Agreement does not include full redesigns, new builds, SEO programs, paid marketing, or third-party licensing costs.
Hosting, domain renewal, and third-party vendor fees are excluded unless the Parties agree otherwise in writing.
10. Confidentiality
Each Party will keep the other Party's confidential information confidential and will use it only to perform obligations under this Agreement.
Confidential information includes access credentials and non-public business information shared for the purpose of maintaining the Website.
11. Termination and Handoff Records
Either Party may terminate for convenience with 30 days' written notice.
Either Party may terminate for material breach if not cured within 10 days after written notice.
Upon termination, the Service Provider will deliver within 7 business days a copy of the most recent backup, the last 90 days of change log summaries, and an access inventory.
12. Liability, Disputes, Governing Law, and Entire Agreement
Neither Party is liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages.
The Service Provider's total liability is limited to the total fees paid by the Client in the 2 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
The Parties will attempt good-faith resolution by business representatives, and if not resolved within 20 days, the Parties will attempt mediation before litigation.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of Illinois, and the Parties consent to venue in state or federal courts located in [Venue County: Cook County, Illinois].
This Agreement is the entire agreement between the Parties regarding website maintenance and supersedes all prior discussions or agreements on that subject.
Signatures
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties execute this Agreement as of the Effective Date.
Client Authorized Signer: [Client Signer Block: Morgan Ellis, Executive Director; Signature Morgan Ellis; Date March 5, 2026]
Records Contact (Acknowledgment): [Client Records Acknowledgment: Jordan Patel, Program Manager; Signature Jordan Patel; Date March 5, 2026]
Service Provider Authorized Signer: [Provider Signer Block: Taylor Singh, President; Signature Taylor Singh; Date March 5, 2026]
Quality Verification Lead (Acknowledgment): [Provider QA Acknowledgment: Avery Jones, QA Lead; Signature Avery Jones; Date March 5, 2026]
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Website Maintenance Agreement Template – Illinois
Illinois Website Maintenance Agreement Template FAQ
What is the purpose of the acceptance and verification matrix in the Illinois template?
It creates a simple quality-control loop by stating how each type of work will be verified and when it is considered accepted. That reduces the chance that a routine update turns into an open-ended debate about whether the work is finished.
How are bug fixes approved if the client is slow to respond?
The Illinois version uses a deemed-acceptance approach after a short review window, while still allowing a limited reopen period for material defects. This keeps the provider from carrying indefinite open work and gives the client a fair chance to confirm results.
What records does the provider keep during maintenance?
The agreement includes change-log language so the client has a traceable record of what was updated, when it happened, and what verification occurred. This is helpful for internal reporting and for troubleshooting regressions.
Does this agreement cover SEO or marketing tools?
No, SEO programs and paid marketing are excluded by default because they are separate services with different goals and measurement. If you want those services, they should be added as a separate scope with its own deliverables.
What does a standard issue mean in the support section?
A standard issue is a non-emergency request such as a layout tweak, a minor bug without major business impact, or a routine update question. The response targets are designed to keep those items moving without treating everything like a crisis.
What happens to access credentials after termination?
The offboarding language focuses on delivering an access inventory and removing the provider's administrative access. This makes it easier for the client to transition to another provider without lingering accounts.
When should an Illinois business use this template instead of ad-hoc support?
If your website supports revenue, lead generation, or customer operations, ad-hoc support can leave gaps in updates, backups, and accountability. A maintenance agreement is most useful when you want predictable service levels and a documented process for changes.
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