Most design projects do not go off the rails because of bad design. They go off the rails because nobody agreed on what “one more small change” actually means. A written design revision policy fixes that. It tells the client exactly how many rounds of feedback are included, what belongs in each round, what counts as a revision, and what happens when a request falls outside the agreed scope.
At Zach’s Web Designs we have run this policy across hundreds of web and brand projects. Below is the exact structure we use, plus sample wording you can adapt for your own contracts or client onboarding documents.
What a design revision policy actually is
A design revision policy is a short, written section of your proposal or contract that defines:
- How many rounds of revisions are included in the quoted price
- What a single round contains (one consolidated batch of feedback, not a drip-feed of emails)
- What qualifies as a revision versus a new request
- How long the client has to submit feedback
- What happens when feedback goes beyond the agreed scope, and what the hourly or per-round rate is
Without it, the designer absorbs unlimited labour and the client has no framework for giving useful feedback. Both sides lose. The point is broken down further in this analysis.
What counts as a design revision (and what does not)
This is where most disputes start, so define it first. A revision is any change the client requests to a deliverable that has already been presented for approval. It is not every tiny tweak the designer makes internally while building the thing.
| Counts as a revision | Does NOT count as a revision |
|---|---|
| Changing a headline, button label or paragraph you supplied | Internal refinements the designer makes before the first presentation |
| Swapping an image, icon or hero photo | Fixing a genuine error made by the designer (typo we introduced, broken link, misaligned element) |
| Adjusting colours, spacing or type sizes | Bug fixes on a build that does not match the approved design |
| Reordering sections on a page | Clarifying questions asked during a review call |
| Trying a different layout for an existing section | Adding a brand new page, feature or deliverable (this is a change order, not a revision) |
The simplest definition to put in writing: a round of revisions is one consolidated set of client feedback, delivered in a single document or tool, resulting in one updated version of the deliverable presented back for approval.
Why “one round” must mean “one batch”
If a client sends four separate emails over three days, that is four presentations, four context switches and four versions. State clearly that feedback must be consolidated. One batch in, one version out. That single sentence will save you more time than any other clause in your policy.
How many revision rounds should you include?
The industry standard is two to three rounds, and there is a practical reason for it rather than an arbitrary one. Research on creative workflows and the experience of most studios points to the same pattern: the first round resolves direction, the second resolves detail, and the third is a final polish. Beyond round three, feedback usually stops improving the work and starts circling it.
Here is how we typically scale rounds by project type:
| Project type | Recommended rounds | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Logo or single asset | 2 rounds | Small surface area, fast decisions, usually one decision maker |
| Landing page or brochure site | 2 rounds per key screen | Design system is set once, then applied |
| Full website (8 to 15 pages) | 3 rounds | Concept, interior pages, then pre-launch polish |
| Full brand identity | 3 rounds | Multiple stakeholders and multiple applications |
| Enterprise or committee-approved work | 3 rounds + paid hourly buffer | Decision by committee always generates extra cycles |
A note on “unlimited revisions”: it sounds generous and it is usually a trap. Either the price is inflated to cover the worst-case client, or the designer quietly disengages once the project stops being profitable. Limited rounds plus a clear paid path for extra work is more honest and produces better outcomes.
How to structure each revision round
Numbering rounds is not enough. The real value comes from telling clients what kind of feedback belongs in each round. This stops the classic disaster where a client approves a layout in round one and then asks to change the entire direction in round three.
Round 1: Direction and structure
The big-picture round. At this stage the client should be reacting to concept, hierarchy, layout and overall tone.
- Does the overall direction match the brief?
- Is the page structure and section order correct?
- Is the visual tone right (bold vs understated, modern vs classic)?
- Is anything important missing or unnecessary?
Closed at the end of round 1: the chosen concept and the page or asset structure. After approval, these are locked.
Round 2: Content and refinement
The detail round. The direction is settled, so feedback now focuses on the contents of the containers.
- Final copy edits and headline wording
- Image and icon selection
- Colour, type size and spacing adjustments
- Specific component tweaks (button styles, card layouts, form fields)
Closed at the end of round 2: copy, imagery and component styling.
Round 3: Final polish and sign-off
The last pass. This round is intentionally narrow.
- Typos and factual corrections
- Minor alignment and spacing nudges
- Responsive or mobile-specific adjustments
- Final legal, compliance or accessibility checks
Closed at the end of round 3: the deliverable is approved and moves to build, print or launch.
The rule that makes this work
Add a single line to your policy: feedback that reopens a decision approved in an earlier round is treated as a new round or a change order. Clients rarely object to this once they understand that each approval is what lets the project move forward.
Sample design revision policy wording
Copy this into your proposal, statement of work or client portal and adapt the numbers and rates to your business.
Revisions
This project includes three (3) rounds of revisions. A revision round is defined as one consolidated set of written feedback from the Client, submitted in a single document or through the agreed project tool, which results in one revised version of the deliverable being presented for approval.
Round 1 covers direction, layout and structure. Round 2 covers copy, imagery and styling refinements. Round 3 covers final corrections such as typos, alignment and responsive adjustments.
Feedback must be submitted within five (5) business days of each presentation. Feedback received after this period may affect the project timeline. Feedback sent in multiple separate messages after a round has begun will be scheduled into the following round.
Once a deliverable has been approved at the end of a round, decisions made in that round are considered final. Requests that reverse a previously approved decision, or that introduce new pages, features, deliverables or a change in creative direction, fall outside the included revision rounds and will be quoted as a change order.
Additional revision rounds beyond those included are billed at [rate] per round, or at [hourly rate] per hour for smaller ad hoc requests, and require written approval before work begins.
Corrections of errors made by the Designer, including typographical errors introduced by us, broken functionality, or deviations from the approved design, are not counted as revisions and will be fixed at no cost. There is a practical rundown of it online.
Short version for small projects
Two rounds of revisions are included. A round is one consolidated list of changes, sent in one message, that produces one updated version. New pages, new features or a change of creative direction are quoted separately. Extra rounds are billed at [rate].
How to handle requests that fall outside scope
Having the clause is the easy part. Using it without damaging the relationship is the skill. Follow this sequence:
- Acknowledge the request positively. Never open with “that’s out of scope.” Open with “good idea, here’s what that involves.”
- Name it as a change, not a revision. Say plainly which approved decision it reverses or which new deliverable it adds. Reference the round where it was approved.
- Quote it immediately. Give a fixed price or an hour estimate, plus the timeline impact, in the same message. Vagueness invites pressure.
- Offer a choice, not an ultimatum. Present two options: proceed now as a paid change order, or park it for a post-launch phase two. Many requests quietly disappear when phase two is on the table.
- Get written approval before starting. A one-line email confirmation is enough. Never start unbilled work on a verbal “go ahead.”
Wording you can reuse
- “Happy to do that. Since the homepage layout was signed off in round one, this falls under a change order. It’s about 3 hours, so [amount], and it would push the launch date by two days. Want me to proceed?”
- “That’s a great addition. It wasn’t in the original scope, so I’d suggest we either add it now at [amount], or hold it for a phase two after launch. Which do you prefer?”
- “We’ve used all three included rounds. I can run a fourth round at [rate] covering everything on your latest list in one pass. Shall I send the change order?”
Six practices that cut revision rounds in half
- Nail the brief. Most revision pain is a brief problem wearing a design costume. Spend an extra hour on discovery and save three rounds later.
- Identify the single decision maker. Ask who gives final approval before you present anything. Feedback from five people with no tie-breaker is how projects die.
- Use one feedback tool. Comments pinned directly to the design (Figma, a staging site plugin, or a review tool) beat email threads every time.
- Present, don’t just send. Walking a client through the rationale live reduces reactive feedback dramatically compared to dropping a link in an inbox.
- Lock content early. Late copy is the single biggest cause of extra rounds on websites. Set a content deadline before design starts.
- Ask for specific feedback. Instead of “what do you think?”, ask the questions listed in each round above. Vague prompts produce vague, expensive answers.
Putting your revision policy where clients will actually read it
A policy buried on page nine of a contract does not prevent arguments. Place it in at least three places:
- In the proposal, directly under the price, so the included rounds are seen as part of the value
- In the contract, as a numbered clause with the rates for additional rounds
- In the kick-off email or welcome document, written in plain language with the round-by-round breakdown
Then repeat it at every presentation: “this is round two of three, so we’re focusing on copy and imagery today.” Repetition, not legal language, is what makes the policy stick.
FAQ
What is a revision policy?
A revision policy is the written section of a design agreement that states how many rounds of changes are included in the price, what a round consists of, the deadline for submitting feedback, what counts as a revision versus a new request, and the rate charged for any additional rounds.
What is a design revision?
A design revision is any change a client requests to a deliverable that has already been presented for approval. It includes edits to copy, imagery, colour, spacing and layout. It does not include internal refinements made before the first presentation, or the correction of errors introduced by the designer.
How many revision rounds are standard?
Two to three rounds is the widely accepted industry standard. Smaller deliverables such as a logo or a single page usually need two. Full websites, brand identities and projects with multiple stakeholders are better served with three, plus a clearly priced option for extra rounds.
What are the three stages of revision?
In a structured design process the three stages are: direction and structure (round one), content and refinement (round two), and final polish and sign-off (round three). Each stage narrows the type of feedback that is appropriate, and each ends with an approval that locks those decisions.
Should I offer unlimited revisions?
Generally no. Unlimited revisions either force you to inflate pricing for every client or leave you working unpaid on the difficult ones. A defined number of rounds with a transparent rate for extras is clearer for the client and sustainable for the studio.
What do I do when a client exceeds the included rounds?
Tell them straight away, before you do the work. Confirm which rounds have been used, summarise what they are now asking for, quote it as an additional round or a change order with a timeline impact, and ask for written approval. Offering a post-launch phase two as an alternative keeps the relationship positive. Reference: https://docsie.io.
Does fixing a designer’s mistake count as a revision?
No. Typos you introduced, broken links, misaligned elements or anything that deviates from the approved design are corrections, not revisions, and should always be fixed free of charge. Making this explicit in your policy builds trust in the rest of it.
Need a revision policy that holds up on real projects?
Every project we take on at Zach’s Web Designs ships with a clearly scoped revision structure, so you always know how many rounds you have, what each one covers, and exactly what a change beyond scope would cost before any work begins. Get in touch and we’ll walk you through it.