Aptoris

Free CDM 2015 template

Principal Contractor Appointment Letter

Download a free, editable one-page Word template for recording a written Principal Contractor appointment under CDM 2015.

Download the free Word template (Word document, 187 KB, Aptoris-Principal-Contractor-Appointment-Letter.docx)

Editable .docx, 1 page, No sign-up required

Read the Principal Contractor appointment guide
The Aptoris Principal Contractor Appointment Letter
  • Word formatEditable .docx, no macros
  • CDM 2015Regulation 5 written appointment
  • One-page letterQuick to complete and sign
  • Editable promptsClick a prompt and type

Preview the appointment letter

A simple written record identifying the client, Principal Contractor, project and effective date, with client signature and Principal Contractor acknowledgement.

This is the whole template: one A4 page, shown exactly as Word renders it. Every grey prompt is a Word content control, ready to replace.

The one-page Aptoris Principal Contractor Appointment Letter: fields for client, Principal Contractor, project, date of letter and effective date; the appointment statement under regulation 5(1)(b) of CDM 2015; a short duties statement; a client signature block; a Principal Contractor acknowledgement block; and a removable template note
Principal Contractor Appointment Letter · A4, one page
Download the free Word template (Word document, 187 KB, Aptoris-Principal-Contractor-Appointment-Letter.docx)Open full-size preview (opens in a new tab)

What’s included?

  • Client
  • Principal Contractor
  • Project
  • Date of letter
  • Effective date
  • Clear Regulation 5 appointment statement
  • Brief CDM duties statement
  • Client signature
  • Principal Contractor acknowledgement
  • Removable template note

A simple written appointment

Where Regulation 5 applies, the client must appoint the Principal Contractor in writing. CDM 2015 does not prescribe a standard appointment form.

The template is designed to make the appointment clear (who is appointed, for which project and from when) without turning the letter into a project-management document.

Detailed scope, programme, interfaces and management arrangements can be dealt with elsewhere in the project documentation where appropriate.

Read the full appointment process

Who is this template for?

Commercial clients making a Principal Contractor appointment under CDM 2015 in Great Britain.

When a Principal Contractor must be appointed

How to use the template

  1. Step 1: Enter the project details

    Add the client, Principal Contractor, project and relevant dates.

  2. Step 2: Review the appointment

    Make sure the letter clearly reflects the organisation being appointed and the project concerned.

  3. Step 3: Sign and issue

    The client signs the written appointment. The Principal Contractor acknowledgement provides a useful record of receipt.

Principal Contractor appointment letter FAQs

  • Is this Principal Contractor Appointment Letter free?

    Yes. It is free to download, with no sign-up and no email address needed. Select Download the free Word template and the file downloads straight away.

  • Is the template editable in Microsoft Word?

    Yes. It is an editable Word document (.docx) with no macros. Each prompt sits in a Word content control: click it and type to replace it. Other software that opens .docx files should work, although formatting may vary.

  • When does a Principal Contractor need to be appointed?

    Where more than one contractor is, or is reasonably foreseeable to be, working on the project at any time, the client must appoint a Principal Contractor as soon as practicable and before the construction phase begins. See when a Principal Contractor must be appointed.

  • Does the appointment have to be in writing?

    Yes. Regulation 5 requires the client to make the appointment in writing. This letter is one simple way to do that.

  • What information should a Principal Contractor appointment letter contain?

    CDM 2015 does not prescribe the content. A clear letter identifies the client, the organisation appointed, the project and the effective date, and states that the organisation is appointed as Principal Contractor under CDM 2015. See what the letter should cover.

  • Does the Principal Contractor have to sign the letter?

    CDM 2015 requires the client to make the appointment in writing; it does not require the Principal Contractor to sign. The template’s acknowledgement section is an optional record of receipt.

  • Can the appointment be included in a contract instead?

    Yes. The appointment can sit within a building contract or another written document, provided the Principal Contractor role, the organisation appointed and the effective date are clear. See appointments in the main contract.

  • Does this template replace the Construction Phase Plan?

    No. The letter records the appointment. The Principal Contractor still needs to draw up the construction phase plan before the construction site is set up. Our Construction Phase Plan template can help.

  • Can this template be used for domestic-client projects?

    It is designed for commercial clients. Different arrangements apply to domestic clients under Regulation 7, so check the domestic client arrangements before using it.

  • Is this an official HSE Principal Contractor appointment form?

    No. Aptoris is independent, and this template is not produced, approved or endorsed by HSE. CDM 2015 does not prescribe an appointment form. For authoritative requirements, refer to CDM 2015 and HSE’s guidance, L153 (opens in a new tab).

Related resources

Guidance and templates for the wider appointment and the construction phase.

Ready to record the appointment?

Download the free Word template (Word document, 187 KB, Aptoris-Principal-Contractor-Appointment-Letter.docx)

Editable .docx, 1 page, No sign-up required