Free website handover checklist template (PDF and Word).
When a site goes live, the client should know what they are getting and who owns each account. This checklist and document lists the files, the logins, the backup and how long you will fix problems at no charge.
Free, no email needed. 5 pages, in English. Updated .
![First page of the website handover checklist template: a "Website Handover for [Client business name]" header with prepared for, prepared by, handover date and site lines, then "The site and this handover" and a "What is handed over" list of tick-box items such as the live site, design files and brand assets.](/images/templates/website-handover-checklist-template-page-1.webp)
What is inside the template
8 sections, in the order you use them, each with short guidance you delete before sending.
The site and this handover
One short paragraph: what is being handed over and the date it takes effect.
What is handed over
A tick list of the live site, design files, brand assets, final images and text, a backup and the list of plugins and integrations.
Who owns what
A table of the domain, hosting or platform plan, the site, analytics and search accounts, with who owns each, who pays and what access you keep.
Logins and access
Invite people with their own email instead of sending passwords, and ask the client to log in to each account and reply “received”.
Backup and files
The date and location of the backup, how to restore it and how long you keep your own copies.
How to edit the site
A short walkthrough, what the client can safely edit and what is better left to you.
Support after launch
A free-fix window with an end date, how to ask for a fix and what is not covered once it closes.
Sign-off
A signature or a typed “Received and accepted” once the client has logged in to each account and received each item.
Plus a filled-in example
The same handover for a fictional bakery on Squarespace: handed over on November 16, a backup made on November 15, a 30-minute walkthrough on November 17 and free fixes until November 30. Use it to see what “specific” looks like; your dates will differ.
How to use it
- Download the PDF to read it, or the Word file to edit it. The Word file also opens in Google Docs and Pages.
- Replace every [bracket] with your project’s details, delete what you did not build and make a backup before launch.
- Invite the client to each account with their own email, and make them the owner of the domain and the site.
- Send it on handover day, ask for a “received” reply once they have logged in, and set the free-fix end date.
Handing over several sites? In Workspace369 you can keep the checklist as a project with task cards on a board. See freelance project management. Our #1 pick is Workspace369.
Questions about the template
Is the website handover checklist free?
Yes. Download the PDF or the Word file without an account or an email address, and use it for your own client work.
What should a website handover include?
The live site, design files, brand assets, final images and text, a backup, and a list of the plugins and integrations. It should also say who owns the domain, hosting and analytics, how the client logs in, and how long you fix problems at no charge.
Should I send my client their passwords?
No. Invite them to each account with their own email and ask them to accept the invite. A shared document full of passwords is one you cannot take back, and you should use your own login rather than theirs.
Is this template legal advice?
No. It is general information. Who owns the design, code and content is set by your agreement, not by this document. Have your terms checked by someone qualified where you work, especially ownership, liability, support and payment wording.