Practical examples of non-disclosure agreement clauses for freelancers and clients

Examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language freelancers actually use

Let’s start with what you came for: concrete examples of non-disclosure agreement clause wording that shows up in real freelance and client contracts. These are written in plain English but structured so an attorney can refine them.

1. Example of a definition of confidential information clause

A definition clause sets the boundaries of what’s protected. Here’s a realistic example of non-disclosure agreement clause language you might see in a freelance contract:

Confidential Information means any non-public information disclosed by Disclosing Party to Receiving Party, whether orally or in writing, that is designated as confidential or that a reasonable person would understand to be confidential given the nature of the information and the circumstances of disclosure. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, business plans, product roadmaps, source code, technical specifications, marketing strategies, client lists, pricing, financial data, and any work-in-progress created under this Agreement.

Freelancers often skip this and just say “confidential stuff,” which is risky. Stronger examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language spell out categories like code, designs, analytics, and client lists so there’s less room for argument later.

2. Examples of NDA exclusions from confidentiality clauses

Good NDAs don’t protect everything. They carve out what doesn’t count as confidential. Here’s an example of a balanced exclusion clause:

Confidential Information does not include information that: (a) is or becomes publicly available through no fault of Receiving Party; (b) was lawfully known to Receiving Party before disclosure by Disclosing Party; (c) is independently developed by Receiving Party without use of or reference to Confidential Information; or (d) is lawfully received from a third party without restriction on disclosure.

The best examples of non-disclosure agreement clause drafting always include this kind of carve-out. Without it, you could be accused of breaching an NDA for using knowledge you already had or that is widely available online.

3. Example of non-use and non-disclosure obligations

This is the core of any NDA: what you can’t do with the information. Here’s a simple but strong example of non-disclosure agreement clause wording:

Receiving Party shall: (a) use Confidential Information solely for the purpose of evaluating or performing services under this Agreement; and (b) not disclose Confidential Information to any third party except to its employees, contractors, or professional advisors who have a legitimate need to know and are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those in this Agreement.

In 2024–2025, many freelancers work with subcontractors or virtual assistants. That’s why modern examples of NDA clauses explicitly allow sharing with team members only if those people are also bound by confidentiality.

4. Examples of data security and AI usage clauses (very 2024)

Remote work and AI tools changed how clients think about NDAs. They now care how you store and process their data. Here’s an example of a modern non-disclosure agreement clause addressing that:

Receiving Party shall implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect Confidential Information against unauthorized access, disclosure, or use, consistent with industry standards for organizations of similar size and nature. Receiving Party shall not upload Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information to any public generative artificial intelligence system or other third-party tool that uses such information to train machine learning models, unless expressly authorized in writing by Disclosing Party.

If you’re using AI tools in your workflow, you want clear examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language like this so nobody can later claim you “leaked” data by pasting it into a public AI system.

For general data protection best practices, it’s worth skimming guidance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on data security for small businesses: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/small-businesses/cybersecurity

5. Example of time period / duration clause

NDAs don’t last forever (usually). You need a clear duration. Here’s one of the cleaner examples of NDA duration clauses:

The obligations of confidentiality under this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and continue for a period of three (3) years following the termination or expiration of the business relationship between the parties, except that trade secrets shall be protected for so long as they qualify as trade secrets under applicable law.

Short-term marketing projects might use one to two years. Tech, biotech, or product development work often uses three to five years. When you review examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language from larger companies, you’ll often see this “trade secret” carve-out because U.S. trade secret law protects some information indefinitely.

You can see how U.S. law defines trade secrets in resources from the U.S. Copyright Office and related agencies: https://www.uspto.gov/ip-policy/trade-secret-policy

6. Example of return or destruction of materials clause

When the project ends, what happens to files, prototypes, or access credentials? Here’s an example of non-disclosure agreement clause wording that addresses that clearly:

Upon written request by Disclosing Party, Receiving Party shall promptly return or securely destroy all copies of Confidential Information in its possession or control, including materials containing or derived from Confidential Information, except that Receiving Party may retain one archival copy solely for legal or compliance purposes. Any retained Confidential Information shall remain subject to the terms of this Agreement.

This kind of clause matters for freelancers who store client data in cloud drives, project management tools, or local devices. Clear examples of NDA clauses like this help avoid disputes about who keeps what when the relationship ends.

7. Example of permitted disclosures (legal / regulatory) clause

Sometimes you’re legally required to disclose information (for example, a court order). Good NDAs allow for that but require notice. Here’s a practical example of non-disclosure agreement clause language:

If Receiving Party is required by law, regulation, or court order to disclose any Confidential Information, Receiving Party may do so provided that, to the extent legally permitted, it gives Disclosing Party prompt written notice of the requirement and cooperates, at Disclosing Party’s expense, in any effort to obtain a protective order or other remedy.

If you compare different examples of non-disclosure agreement clause wording from large companies, this concept shows up almost every time, though the exact phrasing can vary.

8. Example of remedies and injunctive relief clause

This is where the NDA says what happens if someone breaks it. Here’s a realistic example of NDA remedy language:

Receiving Party acknowledges that unauthorized disclosure or use of Confidential Information may cause irreparable harm to Disclosing Party for which monetary damages may be an inadequate remedy. Accordingly, in addition to any other rights and remedies available at law or in equity, Disclosing Party shall be entitled to seek immediate injunctive relief to prevent or limit any actual or threatened breach of this Agreement, without the necessity of posting bond.

You’ll see similar examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language in most attorney-drafted NDAs. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll win in court, but it signals that the parties understand the seriousness of a breach.

For a deeper background on how contracts and remedies work in U.S. law, the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School is a reliable reference: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contract

How to adapt these examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language to your freelance work

Reading examples is helpful, but the real value comes from tailoring them. A one-page NDA for a logo design gig should not look the same as a multi-year software development engagement with access to sensitive user data.

When you evaluate examples of NDA clauses, ask yourself:

• What exactly is confidential? Source code? Client lists? Health data? Early product concepts? The more specific, the better.
• Who needs access? Do you use subcontractors, virtual assistants, or agencies? Make sure the clause allows sharing with them under the right conditions.
• How long does this really need to last? A short social media campaign probably doesn’t need a five-year confidentiality period.
• What tools do you use? If you rely heavily on cloud tools or AI platforms, you need examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language that reflects modern workflows.

In practice, many freelancers end up with a short, plain-English NDA that borrows structure from these examples but strips out dense legal jargon.

Real examples of NDA clauses in common freelance scenarios

To make this less abstract, here are real-world style scenarios and how the clause language shifts.

Startup hiring a freelance developer

A venture-backed startup shares unreleased product details, architecture diagrams, and database schemas with a contract engineer.

Strong examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language here would:

• Define confidential information to include source code, technical documentation, and system architecture.
• Explicitly ban uploading code or documentation to public repositories or public AI tools.
• Include a three- to five-year confidentiality term, with trade secret protection lasting as long as the information qualifies.

The NDA might say:

Receiving Party shall not incorporate any portion of the Confidential Information, including but not limited to source code or proprietary algorithms, into any product or service developed for any third party without Disclosing Party’s prior written consent.

Marketing consultant for a healthcare provider

A freelance marketer is given access to internal performance dashboards and patient-facing messaging. While they may not directly handle protected health information, the client is nervous about regulatory risk.

In this case, the best examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language would:

• Reference applicable privacy laws (for U.S. healthcare, think HIPAA, even if the NDA itself isn’t a Business Associate Agreement).
• Emphasize secure storage and limited access to dashboards and reports.

A clause might read:

Receiving Party shall handle any Confidential Information relating to patients or health services in a manner consistent with Disclosing Party’s privacy and security policies, as communicated in writing, and in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

For general background on health privacy in the U.S., the Department of Health and Human Services maintains current guidance: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html

UX designer working on a pre-launch product

A UX designer helps a company design flows for a product that hasn’t been announced yet.

Here, real examples of NDA clauses often:

• Emphasize non-disclosure of product concepts, user flows, and visual designs.
• Include a clause that restricts using the work in a public portfolio until launch or written approval.

Sample clause:

Receiving Party shall not publicly display or otherwise disclose any visual designs, wireframes, prototypes, or related materials incorporating Confidential Information, including in portfolios or case studies, without Disclosing Party’s prior written consent.

Common mistakes when copying examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language

A lot of freelancers grab the first NDA template they find and hope for the best. That’s how you end up with:

• Jurisdiction mismatches (California law in a contract between two New York entities).
• Irrelevant clauses (manufacturing trade secret language in a social media consulting agreement).
• Missing modern protections (no mention of cloud storage, remote teams, or AI tools).

When reviewing examples of non-disclosure agreement clause options, watch for:

• Overly broad definitions that claim everything you ever learn is confidential.
• No exclusions for prior knowledge or public information.
• Unrealistic durations, like “in perpetuity” for basic marketing metrics.

You don’t need to become a lawyer, but you should be able to read an NDA and explain, in plain language, what each clause means for your day-to-day work.

FAQs about NDA clauses with real examples

What are some common examples of non-disclosure agreement clause types?

Common examples include:

• Definition of Confidential Information (what’s covered)
• Exclusions from Confidentiality (what’s not covered)
• Non-use and Non-disclosure (what you can’t do)
• Security Measures (how you must protect data)
• Term and Duration (how long it lasts)
• Return/Destruction (what happens at the end)
• Permitted Disclosures (legal or regulatory situations)
• Remedies (what happens if there’s a breach)

Most real examples of NDA documents you see online are just variations on these building blocks.

Can you give an example of a simple NDA clause for a one-off freelance project?

Here’s a short example of non-disclosure agreement clause wording for a small, low-risk project:

Contractor agrees not to disclose any non-public information about Client’s business, customers, or internal processes that Contractor learns while performing services under this Agreement, and not to use such information for any purpose other than providing the services. This obligation continues for one (1) year after the end of the project.

It’s not perfect, but it’s far better than having nothing, and it’s easier for both sides to understand.

Are free online NDA templates safe to use?

They’re a starting point, not a finished product. Many include outdated language or ignore modern realities like remote work and AI tools. Use them to see more examples of non-disclosure agreement clause structures, then customize with a lawyer or at least compare against more current samples from reputable legal resources.

Do NDAs work internationally for remote freelance work?

They can, but enforcement gets messy across borders. If you or your client work in multiple countries, you’ll see more complex examples of NDA clauses dealing with jurisdiction, governing law, and data transfer. At minimum, make sure the NDA states which country’s law applies and where disputes will be handled.

The bottom line: don’t just copy the first NDA you find. Use these examples of non-disclosure agreement clause language as raw material, then shape them into something that fits your actual freelance reality, your tools, your clients, and your risk tolerance. And when the stakes are high—sensitive data, big money, or long-term IP—pay for a real attorney to review your agreement. That’s one line item that usually pays for itself the first time something goes sideways.