IT Project Contracts & Payment in Iran — Professional Guide

Fair and timely payment is central to every IT freelancer and agency in Iran. Civil service contracts, e-commerce law and (for public sector) procurement rules shape day-to-day practice. This article is practical guidance — not formal legal advice.

Essential contract clauses

Parties and subject

Full legal names, national/company IDs, address and precise scope: e.g. "design and development of an e-commerce website with …"

Scope of work

Feature list, tech stack, exclusions and definition of done as annexes.

Price and payment

Common patterns: - 40% upfront — 40% mid-project — 20% on delivery - Three equal milestones with written sign-off - Monthly retainer for maintenance

Tie final source-code and server handover to last payment — explicitly.

IP ownership

Under Iran's author rights law, software is protected. Specify who owns source after full payment, reusable boilerplate rights and graphic assets.

Timeline and delay

Start/end dates, client-caused delays (content, approvals).

NDA and termination

Confidentiality, termination, work-done calculation and refund rules.

Official invoices and tax

Agree on official invoices, VAT (10%) and economic code requirements for corporate clients.

Secure payment practices

Signed contract, proforma before transfers, bank trail, delivery logs (Git, tickets, email sign-off).

Electronic interactions under Iran's E-Commerce Law 2003 can support claims in disputes.

Satranaut provides phased contracts with clear payment and support terms.