Buying or Selling a Business
Buy or Sell Your Business with Professional Business Sale Agreements, Contracts and Checklists

Buying or selling a business is one of the most significant financial decisions most entrepreneurs will ever make. Whether you are purchasing an established company, selling a family business, transferring ownership to a partner, or acquiring the assets of an existing enterprise, having the right legal documents is essential.
Our professionally drafted business sale agreements, contracts, forms and checklists help buyers and sellers organize the transaction, document their intentions, and protect their interests throughout the process.
All templates are downloadable, fully editable, affordable, and designed for practical business use.
Business Sale Documents for Buyers and Sellers
Every business transaction is different. Some involve the sale of shares in a corporation, while others involve only the sale of business assets such as equipment, inventory, intellectual property, customer lists, or goodwill.
Our collection includes legal templates that can assist with many stages of a business purchase or sale, including:
- Business purchase and sale agreements
- Asset purchase agreements
- Letters of intent
- Confidentiality (Non-Disclosure) Agreements
- Due diligence checklists
- Bills of sale
- Assignments and transfer documents
- Non-competition and non-solicitation agreements
- Corporate resolutions and related business documents
These professionally prepared templates can save considerable time while helping you prepare well-organized documentation for your transaction.
Buying a Business: Look Beyond the Financial Statements
When evaluating a business, the assets shown on the balance sheet are only part of the picture.
An established business often derives much of its value from assets that cannot easily be measured, including:
- Customer loyalty
- Brand recognition
- Goodwill
- Reputation within the community
- Supplier relationships
- Employee experience and expertise
- Established operating systems
- Intellectual property
- Corporate culture
A successful acquisition depends not only on purchasing these assets, but also on maintaining and strengthening them after the transaction closes.
Prospective buyers should conduct thorough due diligence before completing any purchase and ensure they fully understand both the opportunities and the risks associated with the business.
Selling Your Business Successfully
For many owners, selling a business represents years—or even decades—of hard work.
A successful sale is about more than negotiating the purchase price. It also involves presenting the business professionally, preparing accurate documentation, protecting confidential information, and ensuring a smooth transition for customers, employees, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
Many sellers also want reassurance that the purchaser intends to preserve the reputation, values, and relationships that have contributed to the business's success.
Proper legal documentation helps provide certainty for both parties and reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings after closing.
Why Use Professionally Drafted Business Sale Templates?
Our legal templates are designed to help business owners prepare clear, practical documentation without the cost of having every document drafted from scratch.
Benefits include:
- Immediate digital download
- Fully editable Microsoft Word templates
- Professionally written legal forms
- Affordable one-time purchase—no subscription required
- Reusable for future transactions where appropriate
- Suitable for a wide range of business transactions
Every transaction is unique, and professional legal and accounting advice should always be obtained where appropriate, particularly for larger or more complex acquisitions.
Why Choose Our Legal Templates?
Our legal documents are professionally drafted by experienced legal practitioners—not generated by AI.
Every template is written in plain English, fully editable, and designed for practical business use. Many documents are periodically updated to reflect changes in applicable legislation, business practices, privacy requirements, electronic commerce, and emerging technologies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents are needed to buy or sell a business?
The required documents depend on the structure of the transaction. Common documents include a purchase and sale agreement, confidentiality agreement, letter of intent, due diligence checklist, bill of sale, assignments, corporate resolutions, and other supporting documents.
What is the difference between an asset sale and a share sale?
In an asset sale, specific business assets are transferred to the purchaser. In a share sale, ownership of the business corporation itself changes hands through the transfer of shares. Each structure has different legal and tax implications.
Should I conduct due diligence before buying a business?
Yes. The importance of a due diligence review cannot be emphasized strongly enough. Due diligence allows a purchaser to verify the financial condition, legal obligations, contracts, licences, liabilities, and overall health of the business before completing the purchase.
Do I need a lawyer to buy or sell a business?
Many smaller transactions can begin using professionally prepared legal templates, but independent legal and accounting advice is strongly recommended before completing any business acquisition or sale.
Additional Resources
To help you make informed decisions before buying or selling a business, we recommend these practical guides:
16 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Business – Learn how to evaluate a business before committing to a purchase.
The Pros and Cons of Buying a Franchise – Understand whether purchasing a franchise is the right business opportunity for you.
Using a Broker to Help You Sell Your Business – Discover when a business broker may add value during the sale process.
Your Business Exit Strategy – Guidance on planning the sale or succession of your business.
Broker Contract for Sale of Business
Prepare an Agreement for Sale of Business between a business broker and a client with this fully editable template.
- The broker will list the business for sale, identify potential buyers and act on behalf of the seller to complete a sale.
- The broker's commission rate will be calculated as a percentage of the sale price or a minimum fixed rate, whichever is more.
- The seller grants the broker a lien over the business assets until the commission is paid in full.
- The parties agree to arbitration in the event of a dispute.
- This template includes a confidentiality agreement which potential buyers must sign before reviewing confidential business information of the seller.
- Available in MS Word format, easy to use and customize.
- This is a generic form that can be used in many jurisdictions.
Business Viability Analysis Checklist
How viable is that business opportunity you are planning to pursue? Review all the important issues you should consider beforehand with this Business Viability Analysis Checklist.
The checklist includes such topics as:
- performing an industry analysis,
- evaluating your relevant business experience,
- intellectual property audits,
- laying out your marketing strategy.
This free Business Viability Analysis Checklist is provided in MS Word format and is fully editable.
California Purchase Agreement for Business Assets
Prepare an Offer to Purchase / Purchase Agreement for the assets of a California business with this professional contract template.
- The offer is for the assets, equipment, fixtures, leasehold interests, contract rights, records, franchises, etc. of the business, but NOT the receivables, bank accounts, or cash on hand.
- Once accepted by the seller, the offer becomes a purchase agreement.
- Part of the purchase price will be paid by way of the purchaser's assumption of business debt and partly by a non-negotiable note with right of offset.
- The transaction is conditional upon:
- the purchaser having satisfactorily inspected the assets and records of the business, and
- the seller being satisfied as to the qualifications and creditworthiness of the purchaser.
- Having a lawyer draw up the agreement could cost hundreds of dollars (or more). Save yourself time and money with this easy-to-use MS Word template.
- Intended to be used only in the State of California.
California Purchase and Sale Agreement for Business Property
Draw up a Purchase and Sale Agreement for a business in California, including the land and premises, with this customizable template.
- The sale includes the land, building(s), improvements, chattels, equipment, vehicles, inventory and other assets of the business.
- The purchaser agrees to assume an existing business loan secured by the real property. The balance of the loan will be set off against the purchase price.
- The seller will provide a standard CLTA title insurance policy.
Buy and download the Purchase and Sale Agreement for California business properties, and you can easily tailor it to your specifications.
Certificate of Shareholder Consent to Sale of Assets
Use this free template to prepare a certified copy of a shareholders resolution authorizing the transfer of the corporation's assets to a buyer.
- All of the shareholders resolve to transfer all of the corporate assets to a purchaser pursuant to the terms and conditions of a purchase agreement.
- This is a free generic form which is not country-specific.
- Available in MS Word format.
Checklist for Selling Your Business
Use this 6-page checklist to help you navigate the issues and get through the process of selling your business.
- Topics include:
- assembling your team of advisors;
- defining your needs;
- preparing an opportunity plan and a marketing plan;
- disclosure documentation;
- following up with interested parties.
- If your business has a value in excess of $1 million, this checklist can help you through the selling process.
- Available in PDF format.
- Prepared by an Ontario corporate lawyer with years of experience and expertise in assisting owners in the sale of their businesses.
Confidentiality Agreement for Competitors
If you are in discussions with a competitor about a possible joint venture or acquisition, get this Confidentiality Agreement signed prior to providing your business information.
- During the course of negotiations with respect to partnering or being bought out by the competition, you will undoubtedly need to provide confidential business data for your competitor's due diligence review.
- You need to protect that sensitive confidential and proprietary information. That's why it's essential to have the competitor sign this Agreement prior to releasing any such information.
- The template also includes a no solicitation clause, under which the competitor agrees not to solicit either your customers or your employees.
- The Confidentiality Agreement for Competitors is a generic legal document which does not contain references to any specific laws or regulations and can be used in most countries.
- The contract template is provided in MS Word format and can be easily customized to fit your unique needs.
Confidentiality and Disclosure Agreement for Business Brokers
Business brokers, protect your leads by having potential buyers sign this standard-form Confidentiality & Agency Disclosure Agreement.
Purpose of Agreement
This Confidentiality & Agency Disclosure Agreement is designed to protect sensitive information and ensure that the broker's role in any transaction is respected.
Terms of Broker-Buyer Relationship
- Under the terms of this agreement, the buyer commits to conducting all negotiations and dealings exclusively through the broker.
- The broker, in turn, has a separate agreement with the seller regarding the payment of commissions.
- This arrangement helps maintain transparency and ensures that the broker is properly compensated for their services.
Confidentiality Obligations
The buyer agrees to keep confidential all information provided about any business they are interested in acquiring. This obligation extends to any details shared during the inquiry or due diligence process, protecting the interests of both the broker and the seller.
Broker’s Acknowledgement, No Warranties
It is important to note that the broker does not offer any warranties regarding the accuracy of the information provided about the business. The buyer acknowledges that the broker is acting as the seller’s agent and should verify any details independently as part of their due diligence.
Payment of Commission
If the buyer discloses confidential information to a third party, and that third party subsequently purchases the business without going through the broker, the buyer is responsible for paying the commissions that would have been owed on the sale price. This clause ensures that the broker's interests are protected, even if the sale occurs indirectly.
Template Availability and Use
This agreement template is available for download as a fully editable Microsoft Word document. It is a generic form designed to be applicable in a wide range of jurisdictions, making it a versatile tool for business brokers.
Due Diligence Checklist for Business Purchase | Canada
Before you purchase a business, make sure you consider all the issues with this free Due Diligence Checklist for Canadian companies.
- The checklist covers the items you need to review, such as:
- corporate records;
- financial information;
- contractual arrangements;
- assets and property;
- employee relations and benefits;
- tax matters.
- This is a free downloadable file prepared for use in Canada.
Due Diligence Guide for Private Company Investment or Purchase
Before you purchase or invest in a privately held company, do your due diligence with this 5-page guide and checklist covering such items as:
- a review of the corporate documents,
- shareholders, shareholder loans, guarantees, options and warrants,
- financial review,
- corporate borrowing, credit facilities, and debt obligations,
- taxes and government compliance,
- operations management,
- products, competition, sales and marketing,
- employees and senior management,
- tangible and intellectual property,
- legal action by and against the business,
- overview of the company's insurance coverages,
- third party consents and approvals required.
