Confidentiality Agreement Template

A confidentiality agreement is also addressed as a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and is a legally binding contract between two or more parties, in which at least one of the parties agrees not to disclose confidential information.

Use a confidentiality agreement if you need a party to keep specific information disclosed for a certain period of time or for as long as the relationship with that party lasts, whether as a business or between individuals. 

Are confidentiality agreements legally binding?

Yes. Confidentiality agreements are legally binding contracts.

What is the difference between an NDA and a confidentiality agreement?

There is no difference between a confidentiality agreement and a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Both of them are binding legal contracts in which at least one party agrees not to divulge certain information.

How do you write a confidentiality agreement?

Download a template and customize it to meet your specific requirements.

How long does a confidentiality agreement last?

The period of a confidentiality agreement's validity is up to the person who writes the agreement, but the standard period ranges between two and five years. Also, there is usually a statement that the non-disclosure agreement automatically terminates once the information that it protects becomes publicly available.

Is a confidentiality agreement the same as a non-compete agreement?

No. An employee confidentiality agreement, or confidentiality clause, restricts information that the person bound by the contract can share, whereas a non-compete prevents them from competing with the organization they've entered into the contract with for a certain period in a geographical region.

Is it important for my employees to sign a confidentiality agreement?

It is important to have employees sign a confidentiality agreement in order to protect proprietary information, customer data, processes, company strategy, intellectual property, and other information vital to a company.

Do all employees have to sign a confidentiality agreement?

No. At many companies, and in many positions, employees are not required to sign a confidentiality statement.

What happens if a candidate refuses to sign my non-disclosure agreement form?

A job candidate may refuse to sign a non-disclosure agreement form, but companies are then within their rights to withdraw the candidate from consideration for the job if they don't sign.

Is it safe to use a non-disclosure agreement template for my business?

It's probably fine to use a non-disclosure agreement template in most circumstances, but you may want to have your legal counsel check it out to be sure it's valid in your state, especially if employees will be working with highly sensitive information.

How do I know if my company should start using non-disclosure agreements?

If your employees are in contact with information that would cause damage to your company or organization if it became accessible to the public or competitors, and the information is not otherwise available, you should consider using a confidentiality agreement form to get a non-disclosure agreement in place quickly.

Is it too late to have my employee sign a confidentiality agreement once they've been hired?

No. While it may be best to do it at the beginning of your hiring process, it's never too late to start protecting your company's information.