
Once an adult, mental competence comes into play.

One party makes an offer (such as selling goods or services for a quoted price) and the other party accepts the terms of the offer (often by making a payment or by providing their signature in writing). Offer and Acceptance: A contract must have an offer and acceptance.To create a valid, enforceable contract under state and federal laws, you must include the required elements. It’s only when the terms of the contract become more detailed-and the contract is less routine-that people should write them down and indicate acceptance with a signature. For instance, it’s implied that when you go to the hairdresser they’ll give you what you asked for, within reason, and won’t simply cut off all your hair (unless, of course, that’s what you’d asked for). Most contracts are routine and easily fulfilled. Read more: The Elements of a Valid Contract The Basic Elements of a Valid Contract In this post, we’ll explain the key elements that make up a valid agreement, the factors that make a contract void or voidable, and the steps you can take to carry out your contract correctly. Without a valid contract, you won’t be able to enforce any of its terms (such as receiving reimbursement for work-related expenses or retaining ownership of your intellectual property). If you create or enter into a contract and want to be sure it’s legally enforceable, the contract must comply with several legal formalities in order to be valid.įor instance, if you’re creating a Service Agreement, you must have all the basic elements of validity in place so you can successfully resolve any disputes that arise. But, when it comes to complex contracts that involve multiple terms and conditions, it’s best to get the agreement in writing. Instead, accepting a contract is usually done by exchanging money for a product or service, like purchasing something from a store.

While a contract can be either written or verbal, the vast majority of contracts never get written down or accepted with a signature.

So, what exactly is a contract? It’s an agreement between two or more parties: one party accepts what the other party has to offer, in exchange for something else. People enter into contracts daily without even thinking about it-when we fill up with gas, go to the hairdresser, sign up for a gym membership, etc.
