What is it?
Daily acts as a type of clause specification within contracts or a recurring procedural rule in court filings that governs continuous performance or action.
daily
Contract LawLegal glossary term
Quick answer
Daily usually means something that happens every twenty-four hours without fail. In contracts, it creates an ongoing performance obligation between parties, often leading to continuous liability. Before signing, check if the requirement is truly continuous or conditional.
Definitions
What is daily?
Legal Definition
A daily obligation or event refers to something that occurs each twenty-four hour period without exception. When a contract specifies a 'daily' requirement, it generally creates an ongoing duty for performance between the signing parties. Practitioners often focus on whether this requirement is continuous or contingent upon specific conditions.
Plain-English Translation
A daily pass means you have permission to go outside every single day of the week. If you don't use your daily pass, you might lose the right to use it tomorrow.
Contract relevance
Why daily matters in contracts
Ignoring a daily requirement can trigger an immediate default under the terms of a loan agreement, exposing the borrower to accelerated repayment demands. The defaulting party bears this risk.
Document context
Where daily appears in documents
| Document type | Section | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Service Agreement | Scope of Work Section | Determines recurring tasks owed by a contractor."; "Lease Agreement |
| Statute/Regulation | Reporting Requirements | Specifies how often government filings must occur (e.g., EPA daily reports). |
| Commercial Invoice | Terms & Conditions | Often sets the cadence for invoicing or shipment milestones. |
Contract language
Common contract wording
| Contract wording | Plain-English meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Daily delivery of goods | Goods must arrive each day | Ensure there is a fallback plan if one day is missed."; "Daily reporting obligation |
| Daily maintenance check | System checks performed each calendar day | Confirm the standard for 'check'—is it visual or technical? |
| Payable daily upon receipt | Payment is due at the end of each business day | Watch out for weekends/holidays affecting this cycle. |
Red flags
Red flags to watch for
Wording examples
Clearer wording examples
Vague wording
Performance required daily
Clearer wording
Performance must occur every twenty-four (24) hour period.
Vague wording
Daily submission of data
Clearer wording
Data must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM local time each day.
Note: “clearer” means easier to read — not legally reviewed or guaranteed safe.
Pre-signature checklist
What to check before signing
1
Is the duty truly continuous or conditional?
2
What constitutes a 'day' (calendar vs. business)?
3
Who is responsible for performance on any given day?
4
Are there exceptions listed (e.g., holidays, force majeure)?
5
Does it specify *when* during the 24 hours the duty must be met?
6
Is there a defined method for tracking compliance?
7
What happens if the obligation is missed once?
Party impact
How daily affects each party
| Party | What this party should check |
|---|---|
| Seller | Must confirm daily shipment/inventory availability. |
| Buyer | Should verify that seller performance meets the daily standard. |
| Tenant | Needs to ensure rent payment triggers every single day. |
| Employer | Should clarify if 'daily' applies to shifts, tasks, or presence. |
Comparison
daily vs similar terms
| Related term | Plain meaning | Main difference from daily |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Occurs once per seven-day period | Less frequent than daily; a gap of 6 days is acceptable. |
| Monthly | Occurs once per calendar month | A large interval (up to 31 days) can exist between duties. |
| As needed | Performance occurs only when required or requested | This duty isn't automatic; it requires an external trigger. |
Missing or vague
If daily is missing or vague
If the term 'daily' remains undefined, parties may argue over whether a weekend counts as a day of obligation. A dispute could arise concerning late submissions—was the 24-hour window breached if performance occurred at 1:00 AM or 11:59 PM? Furthermore, without clarity on exceptions, one party might claim non-performance because they experienced 'unforeseen operational strain,' while the other argues that such strain is part of daily business risk.
Document map
Document section map
| Contract section | What to inspect |
|---|---|
| Definitions Section | Look for a specific definition of 'Daily' or 'Day' |
| Scope of Work | Find all tasks marked as 'daily' |
| Payment Schedule | See how payment triggers are set up |
| Warranties/Obligations | Review clauses stating continuous duties |
Visual model
Understand daily fast
An explainer image has not been generated for this term yet.
01
Landlord requires tenant to sweep entryway daily; outcome is forfeiture of one day's rent if missed.
02
Borrower commits to making a $50 payment daily; outcome is acceleration of the entire mortgage balance upon missing two consecutive days.
03
Franchisor mandates franchisee submit sales data daily; outcome is audit rights granted to franchisor for that specific business unit.
Document context
How daily shows up in legal documents
Why does it matter?
Ignoring a daily requirement can trigger an immediate default under the terms of a loan agreement, exposing the borrower to accelerated repayment demands. The defaulting party bears this risk.
When does it matter?
This term triggers when a specified event happens each day, such as making a required payment or filing a status report. It remains active until explicitly terminated by the contract.
Where is it usually seen?
You find 'daily' in standard clauses of commercial lease agreements and within daily reporting requirements mandated by regulatory bodies like the SEC.
Who is affected?
The tenant gains continuous occupancy rights based on a daily rent payment; conversely, the subcontractor risks breach if they fail to provide daily progress reports to the prime contractor.
How does it work?
First, the contract sets the standard: 'Payment is due daily.' Then, the party must render that performance within 24 hours of the trigger event. Finally, failure to meet this daily cadence constitutes a material breach.
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Wikipedia
Daily
Daily or The Daily may refer to:
Open on Wikipedia →Knowledge graph
Where daily connects to real contract work
This layer links the term to nearby glossary entries, document use cases, and contract-risk guides so readers can move from definition to context without dead ends.
9nodes
Glossaryreporting requirementsreporting requirements often shapes similar contract language wording, negotiation leverage, and the plain-English meaning of the c...Glossarymaterial breachmaterial breach often shapes similar contract language wording, negotiation leverage, and the plain-English meaning of the clause a...Glossaryaccelerateaccelerate often shapes similar contract language wording, negotiation leverage, and the plain-English meaning of the clause around...
BGRisk context hubGlossary meaning, document paths, and adjacent risk pages connected around this clause.
Use caseMortgage AgreementReal Estate Contracts: Your mortgage is likely the largest contract you will ever sign. Read it.Use caseLease AgreementLegal & Corporate: Your lease is a 12-month financial commitment — read every line.Use caseDeed of TrustReal Estate Contracts: A Deed of Trust gives your lender the power to sell your home without going to court.RiskLate payment clause in freelance contractsPlain-English risk guide for late payment clause in freelance contracts.RiskBilling terms riskPlain-English risk guide for billing terms risk.RiskRecurring payment clause riskPlain-English risk guide for recurring payment clause risk.
Source & disclosure
This page is an AI-assisted plain-English explanation based on LexPredict Legal Dictionary context and contract-review patterns. It is not legal advice. Meaning may vary by jurisdiction, industry, and exact clause wording.
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