Download free, fully‑editable Non‑Disclosure Agreement templates in Microsoft Word. Includes mutual, unilateral, employee, contractor, startup and more—plus a step‑by‑step guide. You can explore all of our Agreement Templates to find one suitable for your requirements.
For both sides whenever there is an exchange of sensitive information, such as for example when a startup hopes to advertise their project, or when a company reveals its internal affairs to a contractor, or if funneling a new employee into the organization, trust between the sides in the relation should not be taken as a basis. To this end, a Non‑Disclosure Agreement eliminates the possibility of the receiving party divulging the explicit information and breaks down what may be regarded as prohibited or restricted information and also the repercussions of a violation.
What Is a Non‑Disclosure Agreement?
A Non‑Disclosure Agreement (sometimes called a Confidentiality Agreement or Secrecy Agreement) is a legally binding contract in which one or both parties agree to protect certain information from being disclosed to third parties. The Non‑Disclosure agreement is a legal infringement concerning one party that limits the use of such confidential material to save that confidential information, in this way ensuring that it remains protected in the given manner and for the duration of the agreement. The abstract contains a list of information that is not considered confidential (e.g. information located outside the country, know-how in the given industry, information obtained via the media / the public domain). Various forms of relief are included in case of breach (e.g. issues of precaution, reimbursement for full costs and expenses including attorneys’ fees, which might prove to be quite costly in some instances). Such non-disclosure agreements also include but are not limited to a disclaimer, i.e., mentioning the items so that as prosecutors of this example illustrate the sum warn lawsuit. This clarifies what must be protected by either party and what legal actions can be employed in case of a breach of the Non‑Disclosure Agreement.
How to Use an NDA Sample in Word?
Begin by opening the Word document that was just downloaded and make sure you read each and every clause to derive meaning from it. The clause should not have any place holder like for instance in (“[Disclosing Party]” or “[Receiving Party]” or even “[Effective Date]” and “[Definition of Confidential Information]”) instead of going into specific matters pertaining to one’s activity. Places such as definition of terms are however very important and care should be taken to make it as all inclusive as possible extensions of this why not included them thinking only many attachments will be supplied. Where there will be the grant of a one-way Non‑Disclosure Agreement, observe that the confidentiality provision should only go to the ‘Receiving Party’. In such cases, whereas the NDA would be binding on both, the obligations on either are simply mirrors.
Before the Non‑Disclosure for NDAs is ready, it is better for the legal representatives of all parties to go through it and assure that any applicable statutory protections, say, for California “trade secrets”, or any mandatory terms, for instance, the “no poach” clause for employee NDAs are included therein. After that check has been conducted, the parties have to proceed and print two copies for signing in the presence of the necessary witnesses or a prosecutor, if the jurisdiction recognizes notary, and the original is kept in a safe place and a pdf saved with text searching capabilities for an easy access.
Download Free Non‑Disclosure Agreements
Here you can download our collection of Free Non‑Disclosure Agreements.
Popular Types of Non-Disclosure Agreements
Choosing the right NDA template begins with understanding the relationship between the parties and the type of information that will be exchanged. The market provides several standard formats, each crafted to address a particular scenario. Below is a narrative overview of the most frequently used NDA types so you can determine which one—or which combination of clauses—fits your needs best.
Mutual (Two‑Way) NDA
In contrast to one-sided, a non-discotic Non‑Disclosure agreement will be used, more to the point, a Non‑Disclosure Agreement, in situations where the two teams will be sharing sensitive information. Cases where nondisclosure elements are shared include research and development, business transactions such as acquisition and merger discussions. This NDA draft proposes similar terms and conditions for the two parties, describes the claimed issue, and sets out the period for the non – disclosure respectively. Since neither holds a higher position, the contract normally comprises inclusive “return or destroy” obligation that entails both sides to either return all shared materials or confirm the destruction of their materials once the mission is achieved.
Unilateral (One‑Way) NDA
In those circumstances where the dissemination of confidential information is one-way— this usually happens when a company gives its pitch to a potential funder, a provider gets a client’s product details or a scholar provides data to a researcher—it is reasonable to employ Unilateral or One-Way Non‑Disclosure Agreements (NDA). The document in this case is written in a way that clarifies obligations regarding the receiving party, which simplifies or facilitates the remedy in case of a breach. There is usually a “survival” clause as part of the deal in the Non-Disclosure Agreement, and this ensures that the disclosing party’s trade secret is kept non‑disclosable even after the contract has expired as it is understood that confidential information provided remains useful even after the anticipated business engagement is closed.
Employee NDA
Certainly, it is highly beneficial to have Non-Disclosure agreements in place for companies that want to secure their trade secrets, inventions, and leads from their personnel. Because the employee will have access to such information, the employee’s contract will include a confidentiality provision, which is the case here, and within such provision a period of time is normally mentioned. It also introduces a ‘non‑competition’ or ‘non‑solicitation’ agreement where it is permissible in every country in order to protect an employer’s interests. Because employment offers are generally accompanied by the mandatory requirement of an NDA, there is likely some acknowledgement in the template confirming that the company’s internal rules and regulations regarding contagious information have been delivered to the employee in question.
Independent‑Contractor NDA
The Non‑Disclosure Agreement (NDA) for Independent Contractors aims to protect businesses in the same manner when they engage freelancers, consultants, or independent contractors without the need to create an employer‑employee relationship. The form incorporates the structure of an employee NDA to provide the confidentiality agreement, but without the non‑competition clause (unless specifically requested) to prevent the contractor from being misconstrued as an employee. It also specifies that all client materials have to be returned by the contractor and that work products produced under the contract may be transferred to the hiring company, if so agreed by parties.
Founder‑Investor NDA
Partnership Non‑Disclosure Agreements are prevalent as a standard Non‑Disclosure Agreement between the Founders and potential investors. This variation is actually a type of non-disclosure agreement yet it has a clause saying that the investor may, if needed, disclose the given sensitive information to selected individuals such as advisors and the board of directors or even some lawyers, on condition that all these individuals are bound to maintain confidentiality. Moreover, it may have a “no-shop” clause, which prevents the startup from approaching any other investors for a certain time after making a disclosure to ensure that the investor remains in a better position to negotiate.
HIPAA‑Compliant NDA
In certain sectors where data is carefully controlled, for example in healthcare, Fintech, and military, the main alignment may demand a Low-Signature agreement among the parties – usually referred to as a Non-Disclosure Agreement or NDA/AAPI in such contexts. Such ready-made Non-Disclosure Agreement Templates have all walk-through proceeds in place clearly including mandatory phrases such as ‘compliant to HIPAA standards’ where sensitive medical data is involved or the ‘DFARS’ clause or compliance for handling classified material is adopted. This will also include the provisions of breach notification outline and the technology or procedures (such as encryption policies, authentication controls) which are not considered as typical confidentiality clauses.
Perpetual NDA
In certain circumstances the parties may wish to make the confidentiality provision valid even after the contract has lapsed. The contract may in this case include a so-called Perpetual Non‑Disclosure Agreement, in which it is provided that the obligation to keep trade secrets does not cease even after the obligations or the Non‑Disclosure Agreement have ended. This situation arises, inter alia, where the information to be disclosed will be of value for an indefinite period; for example, in the case of a patented formula or an original algorithm.
One‑Page NDA
For short‑term engagements where the parties prefer a simple, “click‑to‑accept” arrangement—like sharing a prototype design via a cloud portal—a One‑Page NDA template condenses all essential elements (definition, obligations, term, and remedies) into a single page, making it quick to review and sign electronically.
Each of these templates can be used alone or combined to reflect the specific nuances of a complex relationship. By selecting the sections that align with the nature of the disclosure, the status of the parties (employee, contractor, investor, etc.), and any regulatory constraints, you can create a Non‑Disclosure Agreement that protects your confidential information, complies with local law, and gives you a clear, enforceable remedy if the confidentiality promise is broken.
There are many reasons why people are using Nondisclosure Agreements or NDA templates. You can use it when a person needs to protect their legal rights. It also protects the payments. This agreement helps secure the most personal information leaking from their workplace. No more worries, even if the data you privately own is being disseminated to unauthorized people without your knowledge. You too can take advantage of simple Nondisclosure Agreement templates. It can help save you from a lot of possible hassles later on. Similarly, you can browse here legal documents like commission, consignment, consultants, and service agreements. All these instruments will work as the legal document and incorporate agreed terms & conditions to prevent future discrepancies.
In short, businesses can protect their ideas and rights with NDA and printable Partnership agreement formats with our free editable examples. Here are previews and downloads link for these free templates in MS Word format.
