Free Employee Equipment Agreement Template
An employee equipment agreement defines who owns the equipment, how it should be used, and what happens when employment ends. This template covers the standard clauses US businesses need — ownership, acceptable use, maintenance, return policy, security, and liability.
Download Template (Google Docs) →
What the Agreement Covers
The template includes 10 sections. Here's what each one addresses:
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Provision of Equipment | List of items issued, serial numbers, date provided |
| Ownership | Company retains ownership; work use only |
| Equipment Use | Job-related tasks only; no personal use without written consent |
| Maintenance and Care | Employee must prevent loss/damage and report issues promptly |
| Return of Equipment | Return timeline on termination; paycheck deduction clause |
| Loss or Damage | Employee liability for negligence or intentional misconduct |
| Security and Confidentiality | Passwords, encryption, no company data on personal devices |
| Liability | Company not liable for personal injury from equipment use |
| Modification | Changes require written mutual consent |
| Governing Law | State law jurisdiction (fill in your state) |
The agreement ends with signature blocks for both the company representative and the employee.
Full Agreement Text
This Employee Equipment Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into as of ________, by and between ________ ("Company") and ________ ("Employee").
1. Provision of Equipment
The Company agrees to provide the following equipment to the Employee for work-related purposes:
- Equipment Description:
- Serial Numbers (if applicable):
- Date Provided:
2. Ownership of Equipment
The Employee acknowledges that all equipment provided by the Company is the property of the Company and is to be used for work-related purposes only. The Employee agrees to take appropriate care of the equipment and ensure its safe and proper use at all times.
3. Equipment Use
The Employee agrees to:
- Use the equipment only for tasks related to their job duties.
- Refrain from using the equipment for personal purposes without express written consent from the Company.
- Follow all Company policies regarding security, confidentiality, and data protection when using the equipment.
4. Maintenance and Care
The Employee agrees to:
- Take reasonable care of the equipment to prevent loss, theft, or damage.
- Promptly report any issues, malfunctions, or damages to the Company.
- Refrain from attempting to repair or modify the equipment without Company approval.
5. Return of Equipment
Upon the termination of employment, or upon request by the Company, the Employee agrees to return all equipment in good working condition (normal wear and tear excepted) by ________. Failure to return the equipment may result in the Company deducting the cost of the equipment from the Employee's final paycheck, as permitted by law.
6. Loss or Damage
In the event of loss, theft, or damage due to the Employee's negligence or intentional misconduct, the Employee agrees to be financially responsible for the repair or replacement of the equipment, subject to applicable laws.
7. Security and Confidentiality
The Employee agrees to:
- Use appropriate security measures (e.g., passwords, encryption) to protect the equipment and any Company data stored on it.
- Avoid storing confidential Company information on any personal devices.
- Report any breaches of security or unauthorized access to Company data immediately.
8. Liability
The Company will not be liable for any personal injury, damage, or loss resulting from the use of the equipment provided under this Agreement unless such damage is due to Company negligence.
9. Modification of Agreement
This Agreement may be modified only in writing and with the mutual consent of both parties.
10. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the ________, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
[Company Name]:
Signature: ___________________________
Date: ___________________________
[Employee Name]:
Signature: ___________________________
Date: ___________________________
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When Do You Need This Agreement?
Use this agreement any time you issue company equipment to an employee — especially for:
Remote and hybrid workers
Employees who take laptops, monitors, or phones home — especially if you use workforce management software to manage distributed teams.
New hires during onboarding
Include it in their IT onboarding checklist and new employee paperwork.
Employees switching roles
When an employee moves to a new position and receives different equipment, update the agreement with the new items.
Contractors or temporary staff
Anyone using company tools should sign an equipment agreement, regardless of employment status.
For remote teams, pair this agreement with a work from home policy and a remote worker agreement to cover the full scope of remote work expectations.
Legal Considerations
This template follows standard US employment practices, but you should review it with your legal team before use. Key points to verify:
Paycheck deductions
Some states restrict deducting equipment costs from final paychecks. Check your state labor laws.
Privacy
If equipment has monitoring or tracking software, disclose this in the agreement or your IT and communication policy.
Data protection
Include language about GDPR if your employees handle EU customer data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about employee equipment agreements.
Yes. The Google Docs template is fully editable. Add clauses, remove sections, or adjust language to match your company's needs and your state's legal requirements.
Yes, but you may need to adjust the language. Independent contractors aren't employees, so references to "termination of employment" should be changed to "end of engagement" or similar.
List every item you're issuing — laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset, phone, software licenses, access cards. Be specific with make, model, and serial numbers.
Maintain a spreadsheet or asset management system. For each item, record the employee name, date issued, equipment details, and return date. The employee asset return form can help when collecting equipment back.
It depends on your state. Some states restrict or prohibit paycheck deductions for unreturned equipment. Always check your state labor laws before including a deduction clause.
Not necessarily. You can list software licenses in the equipment description section of this agreement. However, if the software has its own end-user license agreement (EULA), employees should acknowledge that separately.
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