Amendments clause: Copy, customize, and use instantly
Introduction
An amendment clause outlines how changes to a contract can be made. It ensures that any modifications are formalized and agreed upon by all parties, reducing confusion or disputes about the validity of amendments. This clause is crucial for maintaining clarity and accountability throughout the contract's term.
Below are amendment clause templates for different scenarios. Copy the one you need, customise it, and add it to your contract.
Standard amendment clause
This clause sets clear rules for making amendments through mutual agreement.
This agreement may only be amended, modified, or supplemented by a written agreement signed by all parties.
Email approval amendment clause
This clause allows amendments to be approved via email for flexibility.
Any amendments to this agreement must be agreed upon in writing, including email communications explicitly confirming such amendments by all parties.
Board-approved amendment clause
This clause requires formal approval by the parties’ governing bodies.
Amendments to this agreement must be approved by the board of directors of each party and documented in a written agreement signed by authorized representatives.
Simple majority amendment clause
This clause allows amendments to be approved by a majority of parties in multi-party agreements.
Any amendments to this agreement require the approval of a simple majority of the parties and must be documented in writing.
Unilateral amendment clause
This clause permits one party to make amendments under specific conditions.
[Party A] may unilaterally amend this agreement by providing written notice to [Party B] at least [insert time period] before the amendment becomes effective. [Party B] may reject the amendment by providing written objection within [insert time period].
Conditional amendment clause
This clause allows amendments only under specific circumstances.
This agreement may only be amended if [insert condition, e.g., “a material change in applicable law occurs”]. Any amendments must be made in writing and signed by all parties.
No oral amendments clause
This clause emphasizes that amendments must always be in writing.
This agreement may not be amended orally. All amendments must be documented in writing and signed by all parties to be effective.
Limited-scope amendment clause
This clause restricts amendments to specific sections of the agreement.
Amendments to this agreement are permitted only for the following sections: [insert sections, e.g., “payment terms and delivery schedules”]. All other provisions are non-amendable.
Retroactive amendment clause
This clause allows for retroactive changes to the agreement.
The parties may agree in writing to amend this agreement retroactively to address circumstances that arose prior to the amendment. Such amendments must explicitly state the retroactive effect.
Multi-stage amendment clause
This clause establishes a formal process for making amendments.
Amendments to this agreement must follow a multi-stage process: (i) initial proposal in writing, (ii) review and discussion by all parties, and (iii) final written approval signed by authorized representatives.
Mutual consent amendment clause
This clause emphasizes amendments requiring mutual agreement.
This agreement may only be amended by mutual consent of all parties, expressed in a written document signed by their authorized representatives.
Arbitration-approved amendment clause
This clause requires arbitration approval for disputes over amendments.
Any proposed amendments disputed by the parties must be submitted to arbitration. Amendments will only become effective upon the arbitrator’s approval and documentation in writing.
Industry-standard amendment clause
This clause ties amendments to industry-specific standards.
Any amendments to this agreement must comply with [insert industry standards, e.g., “ISO compliance”]. All amendments must be documented in writing and signed by authorized representatives.
Joint committee amendment clause
This clause assigns responsibility for amendments to a joint committee.
Amendments to this agreement must be reviewed and approved by a joint committee comprising representatives from each party. Final approval must be documented in writing and signed by the authorized representatives of all parties.
Sunset provision amendment clause
This clause limits amendments after a specific time frame.
No amendments to this agreement may be made after [insert date] unless explicitly agreed in writing by all parties. Prior to this date, amendments must be documented in writing and signed by all parties.
Emergency amendment clause
This clause allows for expedited amendments in urgent situations.
In cases of emergency, this agreement may be amended through an expedited process. The amendment must be documented in writing, signed by authorized representatives, and later ratified by all parties within [insert time period].
Specific-purpose amendment clause
This clause restricts amendments to a defined purpose.
Amendments to this agreement are permitted only for the purpose of [insert purpose, e.g., “complying with new regulations”]. Such amendments must be documented in writing and signed by all parties.
Emergency delegation amendment clause
This clause allows amendments in urgent situations through delegated authority.
In the event of an emergency, amendments to this agreement may be made by a delegated representative from each party. Such amendments must be documented in writing and ratified by all parties within [insert time period].
Rollback amendment clause
This clause allows for the reversal of amendments under certain conditions.
If an amendment results in unintended consequences or operational difficulties, the parties may mutually agree in writing to revert to the original terms of the agreement.
Pilot program amendment clause
This clause permits amendments during a pilot or testing phase.
During the pilot phase of this agreement, amendments may be made on a temporary basis through mutual written agreement. Such amendments will expire at the conclusion of the pilot phase unless formally adopted.
Silent approval amendment clause
This clause presumes approval of amendments if no objections are raised.
Amendments proposed under this agreement will be deemed approved unless written objection is provided by the non-proposing party within [insert time period] of receiving the proposed amendment.
Performance-triggered amendment clause
This clause ties amendments to specific performance benchmarks.
Amendments to this agreement may only be made if the parties achieve the performance benchmarks outlined in [insert section or schedule]. Such amendments must be documented in writing and signed by both parties.
Multi-tier amendment clause
This clause establishes different procedures for amending various sections.
Amendments to financial terms require written approval from both parties’ finance teams. Amendments to operational terms require approval from the designated project leads. All amendments must be signed by the parties’ authorized representatives.
Penalty-protected amendment clause
This clause protects amendments from being invalidated due to procedural errors.
Any amendments made under this agreement will remain valid and enforceable, even if procedural requirements are inadvertently not followed, provided the parties’ intent to amend is clear and documented in writing.
Future-proof amendment clause
This clause anticipates changes in technology or regulations.
Amendments to this agreement may be made to accommodate technological advancements or changes in regulations without affecting the validity of the original terms. Such amendments must be documented in writing and signed by all parties.
Sector-specific amendment clause
This clause adapts amendments to specific industry regulations.
Any amendments to this agreement must comply with the specific requirements of [insert industry, e.g., “healthcare” or “technology”] and be documented in writing. Amendments that fail to meet regulatory standards will be null and void.
Arbitration-bound amendment clause
This clause requires disputed amendments to undergo arbitration before approval.
Proposed amendments disputed by either party must be resolved through arbitration. Amendments will only take effect upon approval by the arbitrator and documentation in writing.
Automatic renewal amendment clause
This clause links amendments to automatic contract renewals.
Amendments to this agreement may be proposed at the time of automatic renewal. Any proposed amendments must be agreed upon in writing prior to the renewal date.
Consent hierarchy amendment clause
This clause establishes a hierarchy for amendment approvals.
Amendments to this agreement require approval from the following hierarchy: (i) project managers for operational terms, (ii) legal departments for liability terms, and (iii) executive leadership for strategic terms. All approvals must be documented in writing.
External review amendment clause
This clause mandates third-party review for certain amendments.
Amendments to this agreement related to [insert terms, e.g., “compliance”] must undergo review by an external advisor or auditor before being finalized. All amendments must be documented in writing and signed by the parties.
Expedited amendment clause
This clause allows for faster amendments under agreed circumstances.
The parties may agree in writing to expedite amendments under specific circumstances, bypassing standard approval procedures. Such expedited amendments must be documented in writing and approved retroactively within [insert time period].
Dual-language amendment clause
This clause ensures that amendments are made and interpreted in multiple languages.
All amendments to this agreement must be documented in both [insert languages, e.g., “English and Spanish”]. In the event of a discrepancy between the language versions, the [insert language] version will prevail.
Anniversary-based amendment clause
This clause ties amendments to specific annual review dates.
Amendments to this agreement may only be proposed and finalized during the annual review period, which occurs on the anniversary of the agreement’s effective date. All amendments must be documented in writing and signed by the parties.
Interim amendment clause
This clause allows temporary amendments for testing or transitional purposes.
Temporary amendments may be made to this agreement to address transitional needs or pilot changes. Such amendments must be documented in writing and will expire on [insert date] unless made permanent through mutual agreement.
Penalty-enforced amendment clause
This clause imposes penalties for unauthorized amendments.
Unauthorized amendments to this agreement will be considered a material breach, and the party responsible will be liable for any resulting damages or penalties. All amendments must be documented in writing and signed by authorized representatives.
Amendment exclusion clause
This clause explicitly excludes certain provisions from being amended.
The provisions outlined in [insert section or clause, e.g., “confidentiality”] are not subject to amendment under any circumstances. All other amendments must be documented in writing and signed by the parties.
Consensus-driven amendment clause
This clause requires unanimous consent from all parties for amendments.
Amendments to this agreement will require unanimous written consent from all parties. Proposals for amendments must be distributed at least [insert time period] in advance for review.
Amendment with materiality threshold clause
This clause limits amendments to changes above a certain threshold of materiality.
Amendments to this agreement may only address material changes that significantly impact the scope, terms, or obligations of the parties. Non-material amendments are void unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Cross-agreement amendment clause
This clause ties amendments to related agreements.
Any amendment to this agreement that impacts the terms of a related agreement must also result in an equivalent amendment to the related agreement. Both amendments must be approved and documented in writing simultaneously.
Counterparty approval amendment clause
This clause requires third-party consent for certain amendments.
Amendments to this agreement that affect obligations to third parties must be pre-approved in writing by the affected third party. Such amendments are not valid without documented third-party consent.
Inflation-adjusted amendment clause
This clause allows adjustments to monetary terms based on inflation rates.
Amendments to financial terms in this agreement may be made to adjust for inflation, as determined by the [insert inflation index, e.g., “Consumer Price Index”]. Such amendments must be documented in writing and signed by both parties.
Geographic-specific amendment clause
This clause permits amendments for local compliance in different regions.
Amendments to this agreement may be made to comply with the legal requirements of a specific geographic region. Such amendments apply solely within the relevant jurisdiction and must be documented in writing.
Discretionary amendment clause
This clause gives one party the discretion to propose amendments, subject to approval.
[Party A] may propose discretionary amendments to this agreement at any time. Such amendments will not take effect unless approved in writing by [Party B] within [insert time period].
Statutory compliance amendment clause
This clause mandates amendments to comply with changes in applicable laws.
This agreement will be amended as necessary to ensure compliance with any new or revised laws or regulations. Such amendments must be documented in writing and signed by both parties.
Multi-phase amendment clause
This clause allows for staged implementation of amendments.
Amendments to this agreement may be implemented in phases, with each phase subject to separate approval in writing. The final phase must be completed within [insert time period].
Redlined amendment clause
This clause requires amendments to include a redline comparison to the original terms.
Any proposed amendments must include a redlined version showing all changes to the original agreement. Amendments are not valid unless approved in writing with the redlined version attached.
Department-specific amendment clause
This clause assigns amendment authority to specific departments.
Amendments to financial terms must be approved by the finance departments of both parties. Amendments to operational terms must be approved by the respective project managers. All approvals must be documented in writing.
Amendment with contingency clause
This clause ties amendments to specific triggering events.
Amendments to this agreement may only be made upon the occurrence of [insert triggering event, e.g., “a merger or acquisition”]. Such amendments must be documented in writing and signed by all parties.
Trust-based amendment clause
This clause allows informal amendments based on mutual trust, with later formalization.
Amendments may be agreed upon informally between the parties but must be formalized in writing within [insert time period]. Failure to formalize an amendment does not invalidate the parties’ mutual intent.
This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Cobrief is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice, please ask a lawyer.