A good snow removal contract template covers ten things: the parties, the property and exact surfaces, season dates, the trigger depth that starts a visit, response time, the price model (seasonal, per push or per event), heavy-storm terms, what’s excluded, payment schedule, and damage and liability terms. Copy the blank template below, fill in the brackets, and get it signed with a deposit before the first snowfall.
This page is about the paperwork. If you still need to set your prices, start with our guide on how much to charge for snow removal, then come back. One note before you use it: this is a practical starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer in your province or state review it once, especially for commercial properties, and check your insurance covers the work.
What a snow removal contract needs
Most snow disputes come from three questions nobody answered in writing: when do you come, what exactly do you clear, and what happens when it snows twice as much as usual. A contract that answers those three in plain words heads off most of the calls you’ll get on storm day.
| Section | What it answers | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Parties and property | Who, where, which surfaces | Stops “I thought you did the walkway too” |
| Season dates | Start and end of coverage | Covers the early November or late April storm question |
| Trigger depth | How much snow starts a visit | Stops calls about a 1 cm dusting |
| Response time | How soon after snowfall ends | Sets expectations for a route, not a private plow |
| Price and model | Seasonal, per push, per event, or hourly | The number everyone remembers |
| Heavy-storm terms | What changes above a set depth | Protects you in a record winter |
| Exclusions | Ice, roofs, city windrows, hauling | The most common “but you should have” complaints |
| Salting and sanding | Included, extra, or not offered | Often the biggest grey area |
| Payment schedule | Deposit, instalments, due dates, late fees | Cash flow through a long winter |
| Damage and liability | Markers, reporting window, insurance | Lawns, curbs, slip-and-fall risk |
Every clause, explained
Trigger depth
State the snowfall that starts service, such as 5 cm (2 inches). Say whether it’s measured at the property or from a named weather source. Below the trigger, you don’t come unless the customer asks and pays the per-visit rate.
Response time
Promise a window after snowfall ends, not a clock time. “Cleared within 8 hours after snowfall stops” is realistic for a residential route. Add that during a storm you may do an extra pass, and that overnight storms are cleared before a set morning time where possible. Never promise “before you leave for work” to every customer on a 60-stop route.
Price model
| Model | How it works | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal (flat) | One price for the season, unlimited pushes above trigger | Residential; steady income for you, simple for them |
| Seasonal with cap | Flat price covers up to a set number of pushes, extra pushes billed | You, in a heavy winter |
| Per push | A set price each time you plow | Customers who want to pay only when it snows |
| Per event | One price per storm, however many pushes | Small commercial |
| Hourly or per inch | Time on site, or price by depth | Commercial lots and loaders |
Heavy-storm terms
Seasonal contracts need a ceiling. Common options: a surcharge per push above a set depth (say 20 cm), a cap on included pushes, or a per-event fee for snow that needs hauling or a loader. Write the number, not “extra charges may apply.”
Exclusions
List what you don’t do. Typical ones: ice that forms after you leave, snow pushed back by municipal plows after your visit (or one free return trip, if you offer it), roofs, decks, hauling snow off site, and damage caused by objects hidden under snow that weren’t marked.
Damage and liability
Ask customers to stake garden edges, curbs and hidden objects before the season, and to report any damage within a set number of days with photos. Slip-and-fall claims are the big risk in this business. Have your insurer confirm you’re covered for snow work, and get legal advice on liability wording. Ontario, for example, changed its Occupiers’ Liability Act in 2021 to require written notice within 60 days for many snow and ice injury claims on private property. Rules differ by province and state, so check yours.
The blank template
Copy this into a document or your quoting app. Keep the headings so customers can find things.
SNOW REMOVAL SERVICE AGREEMENT · [SEASON, e.g. 2026–2027]
CONTRACTOR: [Business name] · [Address] · [Phone] · [Email]
GST/HST No. [if registered]
CUSTOMER: [Name] · [Phone] · [Email]
SERVICE ADDRESS: [Address]
1. SERVICES
Contractor will clear snow from: [driveway / front walk / steps /
side path / parking area of approx. ___ spaces].
Not included unless listed: roofs, decks, hauling, [other].
2. SEASON
Coverage runs from [Nov 15, 2026] to [Apr 15, 2027].
Snowfall outside these dates is billed at the per-visit rate.
3. TRIGGER AND TIMING
Service begins when snowfall reaches [5 cm / 2 in] as measured
[at the property / by ________].
Contractor will clear within [8] hours after snowfall ends.
During long storms, Contractor may make more than one pass.
4. PRICE
[ ] Seasonal: $[____] for the season, [unlimited pushes / up to
___ pushes, then $[___] per extra push].
[ ] Per push: $[____] per visit.
[ ] Per event: $[____] per storm.
Heavy snowfall: storms over [20 cm / 8 in] add $[____] per push.
Salting/sanding: [included / $___ per application / not offered].
Prices [include / exclude] applicable taxes.
5. PAYMENT
Deposit: $[____] due on signing.
Balance: [in ___ monthly instalments on the 1st, Dec–Mar /
invoiced monthly for visits completed].
Payment by [card link / e-Transfer / other]. Invoices are due
in [__] days. Late payments [may pause service / add __%].
6. CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES
Mark garden edges, curbs, drains and hidden objects before
[Dec 1]. Keep vehicles off the cleared area during service
where possible. Report damage within [7] days, with photos.
7. EXCLUSIONS
Contractor is not responsible for: ice that forms after service,
snow returned by municipal plows after service [one free return
per storm: yes / no], damage from unmarked objects, or delays
from extreme weather, road closures or equipment breakdown.
8. LIABILITY AND INSURANCE
Contractor carries [general liability] insurance of $[____].
[Liability terms reviewed by your lawyer go here.]
9. CANCELLATION
Either party may cancel with [14] days’ written notice.
Deposit is [non-refundable / refundable less visits completed].
SIGNED
Customer: ____________________ Date: __________
Contractor: __________________ Date: __________
A filled-in example
An illustrative residential contract, not a quote: a double driveway and front walk in a snowbelt suburb.
| Clause | Filled in |
|---|---|
| Services | Double driveway, front walk, three front steps |
| Season | Nov 15, 2026 to Apr 15, 2027 |
| Trigger | 5 cm, measured at the property |
| Timing | Cleared within 8 hours after snowfall ends |
| Price | $650 seasonal, up to 20 pushes, then $35 per extra push |
| Heavy snowfall | +$20 per push for storms over 20 cm |
| Salting | $15 per application, on request |
| Payment | $200 deposit on signing, then three payments of $150 on Dec 1, Jan 1 and Feb 1 |
| Exclusions | Ice after service, one free return for city windrows per storm |
| Cancellation | 14 days’ notice, deposit non-refundable |
Notice the cap at 20 pushes. In a mild winter the customer never notices it. In a record winter it’s the clause that keeps your season profitable.
Extra terms for commercial lots
- Site map. Attach a map showing areas to plow, piles, no-push zones and fire routes.
- Service levels. Opening-time targets (lot clear by 7 a.m. for a store opening at 8), and priority areas like entrances and accessible spots.
- Ice management. Who decides when to salt, the material, and the rate per application or per tonne.
- Service logs. Time on site, depth, photos and salt used, per visit. These records matter if a claim comes in later.
- Certificate of insurance. Most property managers ask to be named as additional insured.
- Snow relocation. Price for hauling when piles run out of room.
Contract mistakes that cost a season
A flat seasonal price with unlimited pushes and no heavy-storm clause turns a big winter into free work.
“Clear the driveway” leads to arguments about the walk, the steps and the mailbox.
Without a signature and deposit, the customer can walk the day another plow drives by.
Lawn damage reported in May is impossible to sort out. Ask for photos within days.
If you can’t show you came, you can’t bill confidently. Log each visit with a time and a photo.
Getting it signed and paid
Paper contracts left in mailboxes come back slowly. The faster route is sending the contract as a quote customers open on their phone, sign, and pay the deposit on the spot. Do it in October and early November, when people are thinking about winter but before the first storm.
Contruva handles that part. Your terms go on a quote with e-signature and a deposit, follow-ups go out automatically to anyone who hasn’t signed, visits sit on the schedule, your crew logs each stop with photos in the crew app, and recurring or batch invoices go out with automatic reminders. Contruva doesn’t do GPS tracking or route optimization, so large commercial plow fleets will want a snow-specific tool. For residential routes and small lots, it covers contract to cash. For the software side, see our page on snow removal business software.