Babysitting agreement template
A babysitting agreement covers what parents and sitters usually sort out by text and later disagree about: the rate, what happens when you're home late, cancellations, screen time and who to call in an emergency. This template is for an occasional or regular sitter rather than a full-time nanny, and includes the children's allergies and consent for emergency care. Read it below, fill it in and both sign.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
The contract
Gray blanks are yours to fill in before you send. Each signer fills in the blanks in their color.
- You, before sending
- Babysitter
- Parent or guardian
Babysitting Agreement
This Babysitting Agreement is made on Agreement date between Parent names, of Home address (the "Parents"), and Babysitter name (the "Sitter").
1. The children
The Sitter will look after: Children's names and ages.
- Allergies and what to do: Allergies
- Medications, doses and times: Medications
- Other things to know (fears, routines, health conditions): Other things to know
2. When
The Sitter will babysit Regular days and times, and at other times the Parents and the Sitter agree in advance. Bookings and changes will be confirmed by message so both have a record.
3. Pay
The Parents will pay Hourly rate per hour, plus Extra per child per hour for each additional child, with a minimum of Minimum hours hours per booking. Pay is due at the end of each booking by Payment method.
4. Late returns and cancellations
If the Parents return later than the agreed time, they will let the Sitter know as soon as possible and pay Late rate per hour for the extra time, counted in quarter hours. If the Parents cancel with less than Cancellation notice hours hours' notice, they will pay for the minimum booking. If the Sitter has to cancel, they will give as much notice as they can.
5. Getting home
After dark, or if the Sitter has no ride, Ride home. A parent who has been drinking will not drive the Sitter home.
6. House rules
Bedtimes, screens, snacks and other rules: House rules. The Sitter will not have visitors, use the pool or hot tub with the children, or leave the home with them unless the Parents have agreed in advance. The Sitter will keep their phone for emergencies and contact with the Parents, and will not post photos of the children or the home online.
7. Start and end of each booking
At the start of each booking, the Parents will tell the Sitter where they will be, when they expect to be back, and anything that has changed that day, such as a child feeling unwell or a new medication. At the end, the Sitter will tell the Parents what the children ate, any medication given and when, and anything unusual, including any bump, fall or worry, however small. The Sitter will keep the doors locked while in the home, will never leave a young child alone in the bath or near water, and will give the children only foods the Parents have approved.
8. Emergencies
In an emergency the Sitter will call 911 first and then the Parents. Parent phone numbers: Parent phone numbers. Backup contact: Backup contact. Pediatrician and health insurance: Pediatrician and insurance.
If a child needs urgent medical care and the Parents cannot be reached, the Parents authorize the Sitter to seek emergency treatment for the child from emergency services, a hospital or an urgent care clinic, and authorize those providers to treat the child. The Parents will pay for that care. The Sitter will keep trying to reach the Parents and will tell them everything that happened.
9. Responsibility
The Sitter will supervise the children with reasonable care at all times. The Sitter is not responsible for accidents that happen despite reasonable care. Either side may end this arrangement at any time by telling the other.
Sitter phone: Sitter phone
I have read the children's allergies, medications, house rules and emergency plan.
Babysitter
Parent or guardian
Opens it in SignMaster as a template you can edit and send.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review it for your state and situation.
On this page
Do you need one for a babysitter?
For one evening with a neighbor's teenager, probably not. Once a sitter becomes a regular, a one-page agreement saves awkward conversations: about the extra half hour when your train was late, about a cancellation fee when plans change, about whether friends can come over. It also gives the sitter everything they need in an emergency, in one place.
If the sitter works for you most days on a fixed schedule, they're closer to a nanny, and the nanny contract covers employment taxes, overtime and paid time off.
What the template covers
- The children: names, ages, allergies, medications and anything the sitter needs to know.
- When: regular days and times, or how bookings are made.
- Rate: per hour, with an extra amount for each additional child, and a minimum booking.
- Late returns and cancellations: what you pay if you're late, and if you cancel at short notice.
- Getting home: who drives the sitter home after dark, or pays for a ride.
- House rules: bedtime, screens, snacks, visitors, the pool, phones and social media.
- Emergencies: contacts, the pediatrician, and written consent for emergency treatment if no parent can be reached.
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving allergies and medications to memory. Write them down with what to do, even if you've said it out loud.
- No emergency consent. An emergency room treats a true emergency regardless, but a signed authorization and the insurance details help when no parent picks up.
- Settling pay at the door. Agree the rate and the late fee up front, and pay the same way every time.
- Saying nothing about photos. Decide whether the sitter can post pictures of your children; most parents say no.
- Letting a teenage sitter sign alone. If the sitter is under 18, ask their parent to read the agreement too.
How to send it with SignMaster
- 1
Open the template
Choose Use this template above. The sitter signs first and the parent signs after.
- 2
Add the family details
Fill in the gray blanks: the children, allergies, rate, late fee, house rules and emergency contacts. They print exactly as you type them.
- 3
Send it to the sitter
They get an email link, read the agreement on their phone, add their phone number and sign. Nothing to download.
- 4
Or text the link yourself
SignMaster sends signing links by email. If your sitter lives on text messages, use Copy link and paste their private link into a message.
- 5
Both keep a copy
You sign last, and both get the signed PDF, so the sitter has the emergency contacts and allergy notes on their phone.
Questions? Answers.
How much should I pay a babysitter?
It depends on where you live, how many children there are and the sitter's experience. Agree the rate before the first booking and write it in, with any extra for more children or late nights.
Is a babysitter an employee?
For occasional work, usually not in a way that brings tax paperwork. The IRS doesn't apply Social Security and Medicare tax to wages paid to a household worker under 18 unless household work is their main job. A regular adult sitter paid above the annual threshold is a household employee.
Can I give a babysitter permission to get my child medical care?
Yes. The emergency section of this template authorizes the sitter to get emergency treatment if you can't be reached. Hospitals may still ask for their own forms, and will try to reach you first.
Can the sitter sign on their phone?
Yes. The link opens in a phone browser with no account, and if email isn't reliable you can copy the link and text it yourself.