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Home Business Purchase Agreement Business

Business Purchase Agreement Template

Use our free Business Purchase Agreement to record the sale of a business.

Updated May 26, 2023 | Legally reviewed by Brooke Davis

A Business Purchase Agreement, or Purchase of Business Agreement, is a legal contract used to sell any business to another person officially.

This document can also be used only to sell some of a business’s assets or shares, not the entire business. In these cases, including all details regarding what assets or shares are being sold.

A Business Purchase Agreement is an official record of the sale and purchase and serves as proof of ownership for the buyer.

By Type

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Table of Contents
  • By Type
  • What is a Business Purchase Agreement?
  • When to Use a Business Purchase Agreement?
  • How to Write a Business Purchase Agreement?
  • Business Purchase Agreement Sample
  • Consequences of Not Having a Purchase of Business Agreement
  • Common Business Purchase Agreement Situations
  • Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Business Purchase Agreement?

A Business Purchase Agreement details the transfer of assets of a business or shares in the company. It’s like a Bill of Sale that documents the purchase of a business.

As a legally enforceable contract, this agreement ensures that both the seller and purchaser follow through with their promises and creates an opportunity to confirm the terms and conditions of the transaction.

Use a Purchase Agreement instead to buy or sell the property.

A Business Purchase Agreement will identify the following essential elements:

  • Business: describe the company, assets, and/or stock being transferred
  • Closing Date: when the Purchaser will pay, and the Seller will deliver the assets
  • Confidentiality: both parties agree not to share the details of the business transfer
  • Non-Competition: the seller promises not to compete with the business
  • Non-Solicitation: the seller will not hire any of their former employees away
  • Parties: identify the Seller of the business and the Purchaser
  • Purchase Price: payment for the transfer, including any deposits or financing
  • Representations & Warranties: each party is relying on statements of fact or promises about the assets, business, and authority to enter the transaction

Negotiate the terms and conditions of the sale of a business and document the transaction with a Business Purchase Agreement at the closing. It’s essential to equip yourself with the skills to develop a solid negotiation strategy to secure the best outcome from a business deal. [1]

When to Use a Business Purchase Agreement?

Suppose you are either considering selling or purchasing a business. In that case, you should memorialize such an important transaction in a Business Purchase Agreement to confirm all details are carefully considered and documented.

This Agreement allows both parties to prevent the following misunderstandings:

  • The seller does not have the required power or authority to sell the business
  • Business lacks the needed license, permits, or authorizations to operate
  • A certified public accountant has not examined financial statements
  • Accounts receivable may be subject to undisclosed set-offs or counterclaims
  • Some liabilities or obligations have not already been paid or discharged
  • Dividends have been unexpectedly set aside or paid
  • Salaries and benefits to officers or employees have been suddenly increased
  • The existing condition of the company does not match Purchaser’s understanding

Consult your accountant, attorney, and broker (if any) for the best tax, legal, and financial implications of buying or selling a business in your state.

IMPORTANT: Supporting Documents

Business purchase agreements are typically accompanied by several supporting documents. Some of the documents you may need include:

  • Bill of Sale
  • Business Contracts
  • Trademark Assignment Agreement
  • Commercial Lease Agreement

How to Write a Business Purchase Agreement?

Here’s a step-by-step on creating a business purchase agreement with a free business purchase agreement template.

Step 1 – Parties and Business Information

A business purchase agreement should detail the names of the buyer and seller at the start of the contract.

It will also need to include the information of the business being sold, such as name, location, description, and business entity type.

business purchase agreement parties
An example of where to write party names in our business purchase agreement template

Step 2 – Business Assets

The business purchase agreement will identify the specific assets transferred in the sale.

This could include physical assets such as vehicles, real estate, or furnishings and financial assets such as accounts receivable. It may also include intangible assets such as the business name, trademarks, patents, goodwill, and customer lists.

You will also want to include excluded assets you do not wish to include in the sale.

business purchase agreement business assets information
An example of where you should include information about business assets in our business purchase agreement template

Step 3 – Business Liabilities

A business purchase agreement should cover whether the buyer assumes any liability by purchasing the business. Liabilities may include accounts payable, environmental liabilities, employee-related expenses, lawsuits, and contractual obligations.

business purchase agreement liabilities
An example of where to include information about assumed liabilities in our business purchase agreement template

If you need to, you can also include excluded liabilities — any liabilities explicitly not included in the sale.

business purchase agreement excluded liabilities
An example of where to include excluded liabilities in our business purchase agreement template

Step 4 – Purchase Price

One of the critical elements in a business purchase agreement is the purchase price. Here you should detail how much the buyer will pay to the seller for the purchase of the business and if the buyer will be paying a deposit when the agreement is signed.

business purchase price
An example of where to include the business purchase price in our business purchase agreement template

You should also include whether you want to have how the purchase price will be allocated among the assets in the agreement and then detail how much will be allocated to each asset.

allocation of purchase price
An example of where to include any allocation of the purchase price in our business purchase agreement template

Another element of the purchase price is purchase price adjustments. This covers whether any adjustments will be made to the purchase price at closing to account for any differences in the business between the time of signing the agreement and the closing date.

It covers any changes to the company’s value, such as specific net working capital or fair market value, assumed by the buyer when signing the business purchase agreement.

Step 5 – Terms

The terms of a business purchase agreement take up the bulk of the contract and are made up of important information such as:

  • Buyer’s representations and warranties
  • Seller’s representations and warranties
  • Conditions precedent (a condition or event that must occur before a right, duty, or interest arises)
  • A non-compete clause (whether the seller is prohibited from engaging in a similar business once the business is sold),
  • What should happen if a dispute arises
  • Any additional provisions

Step 6 – Signatures

To finish your business purchase agreement, signatures by the buyer and seller, or their representatives, are required to make the agreement binding — this may need to be witnessed and notarized by a notary public.

business purchase agreement signatures
An example of where to include signatures in our business purchase agreement template

Business Purchase Agreement Sample

Here’s what a typical business purchase agreement looks like:

business purchase agreement

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Download MS Word

Consequences of Not Having a Purchase of Business Agreement

After doing your research and negotiating the best deal, properly transfer the ownership of a business with proper documentation. Unless you memorialize your negotiation in writing, the thorny details of the deal could get lost or cause problems later.

Both parties should clearly understand the business’ outstanding debts and liabilities during the transfer to avoid surprise bills. You must make many important considerations before exiting a business, so you must have an exit plan.

Check out these valuable tips from five entrepreneurs who successfully exited their businesses. [2]

Common Business Purchase Agreement Situations

Here are just a few of the situations when a Business Purchase Agreement is commonly used:

  • Sell your company name
  • Sell furniture, machinery, or supplies from your business
  • Purchase another company’s real estate or office
  • Sell only your customer list or accounts receivable
  • Ensure Seller’s representations and warranties are enforceable

Purchasers will want a guarantee from the Seller that the business is in good standing with the state and has the licenses needed to operate legally.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Assumed Liabilities?

Assumed liabilities are liabilities that are taken on by a party purchasing a business under the terms of a contract.

Examples of liabilities from purchasing a business can include accounts payable, environmental liabilities, employee-related expenses, and contractual obligations.

What are Buyer’s and Seller’s Representations and Warranties?

Representations and warranties in a business purchase agreement are facts and promises about what is sold.

They are assertions or assurances given by the parties and are typically one of the most negotiated sections of the agreement.

The seller usually makes several representations about the business, which the buyer relies on being factual and correct and assisting in their due diligence.

Buyer’s representations and warranties focus on statements of facts and assurances regarding the buyer and its standing, specifically about their ability to purchase the business.

What is a Condition Precedent?

Conditions precedent is certain events that must happen on the part of either the buyer or the seller for the closing transaction to occur.

What is a Non-Compete Clause?

A non-compete clause in a business purchase agreement dictates whether the seller is prohibited from engaging in a similar business once the business is sold.

The non-compete is for a specific time and prevents the seller from participating in similar businesses in or near the city of the business being sold.

What types of business purchases can a business purchase agreement be used for?

A business purchase agreement can officially sell any business to another person or business. A business purchase agreement will describe the company, assets, and any stocks that are being purchased.

What is the difference between an asset purchase and a business purchase?

A business purchase agreement is used to record a sale of a business and can be used to purchase the entire business or just some of a business’s assets or shares.

An asset purchase agreement is solely used to purchase a business’s assets.

Legal Templates uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

  1. How to Negotiate When Buying a Business. https://www.inc.com/guides/201101/how-to-negotiate-when-buying-a-business.html
  2. Thomas Smale . How to Make a Lucrative Business Exit From 5 Entrepreneurs Who've Done It. (November 18, 2015). https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/252966

Related Business Operations Documents

  • Business Plan: A plan that guides you through each stage of starting and growing your business.
  • Buy-Sell Agreement: A legal contract outlining what happens with the shares of a co-owner or partner if they die or leave the company.
  • Business Contract: An agreement in which each party agrees to an exchange, typically involving money, goods, or services.
  • Purchase Order: A written document that records a business transaction between two parties - the Buyer and Seller.
  • Business Proposal: A document used to form new relationships with other businesses and organizations.

Business Purchase Agreement Template

Create Your Business Purchase Agreement in Minutes!

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