# terminate

URL: /business/nouns/agreement/terminate · Id: `verb:Agreement.terminate` · Call: `await $.Agreement.terminate({ … })` (SDK) or the `do` tool at `https://api.sb/mcp`. Inputs says what to pass, Outputs what returns, When it waits who approves.

> Terminate ends an Agreement under its own term, records the reason and the date, and keeps the signed record.

Terminate ends an [Agreement](/business/nouns/agreement) under its own term, records the reason and the date, and keeps the signed record.

## Inputs
| Input | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `agreement` | [Agreement](/business/nouns/agreement) | Yes | The Agreement in force. |
| `reason` | `text` | Yes | The term it ends under and why. |

## Outputs
| Output | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `agreement` | [Agreement](/business/nouns/agreement) | Yes | The terminated Agreement, kept forever. |

## Effects
- Emits [`Agreement.terminated`](/business/events/Agreement.terminated).
- Performed by the [Legal Lead](/agents/legal/legal-lead).
- One-way (money, customer): it waits out its delay window, and runs in the `send` and `do` modes.
- Notifies every bound Party.
- Ends the Entitlements and recurring charges that depend on it.

## Refuses when
| Check | Error | Fix | Then call |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The key is valid, but its scopes do not allow this operation. | [`forbidden`](/code/api/errors/forbidden) | Use a key whose scopes cover the operation, or ask an owner of the namespace to grant them. | [Agreement.terminate](/business/nouns/agreement/terminate) |
| The record changed since it was read, so the write would overwrite a newer version. | [`conflict`](/code/api/errors/conflict) | Read the record again, then retry the write against its current state. | [Agreement.terminate](/business/nouns/agreement/terminate) |
| The record is not in a state that allows this Verb, so the call is refused. | [`refused`](/code/api/errors/refused) | Read the record, run the Verb that moves it to an allowed state, then retry. | [Agreement.terminate](/business/nouns/agreement/terminate) |

## When it waits
| Gate | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Decision class | High: one-way, broad (money, customer) |
| [Delay window](/systems/trust-and-governance/controls/one-way-windows) | 1 business day, in which a watcher can pause, redirect or cancel it; then it runs. |
| Limit | The spend [Limit](/business/nouns/limit) of the [Permission](/business/nouns/permission) or [Mandate](/business/nouns/mandate) it runs under. |
| Over the Limit | It waits `pending` for an [Approval](/business/nouns/approval) from the [Founder](/agents/founding/founder). Approved, it runs; refused, it ends `refused` with [`limit-exceeded`](/code/api/errors/limit-exceeded); unanswered by its deadline, it ends `canceled`. |

## Example

**Ask**

```text
Terminate the latest agreement.
```

**API**

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.sb/shiftnote.app/agreements/agreement_1/terminate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"reason":"Example reason"}'
```

```json
{
  "api": "https://api.sb/shiftnote.app",
  "agreement": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/shiftnote.app/agreements/agreement_1",
    "$type": "Agreement",
    "status": "terminated"
  },
  "action": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/shiftnote.app/actions/action_1",
    "operation": "Agreement.terminate",
    "status": "done"
  },
  "links": {
    "self": "https://api.sb/shiftnote.app/actions/action_1"
  }
}
```

**SDK**

```ts
import { $ } from 'startup-builder'

const agreement = await $.Agreement.terminate({ agreement: 'agreement_1', reason: 'Example reason' })
```

**CLI**

```bash
npx startup-builder do Agreement.terminate --json '{"agreement":"agreement_1","reason":"Example reason"}'
```

**MCP**

```json
{
  "name": "do",
  "arguments": {
    "code": "return await $.Agreement.terminate({ agreement: 'agreement_1', reason: 'Example reason' })"
  }
}
```