Find out how long your NDA really binds you
An NDA can have two clocks: the period during which information is exchanged, and the period during which the confidentiality duty lasts afterwards. Some NDAs set a fixed number of years, some last until the information becomes public, and some keep trade secrets protected for as long as they remain secret. Ask Search+ how long the obligations last and from what date, and read the cited term and survival wording.
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Last updated October 2026
How to check an NDA's term with Search+
- Upload the NDA
Add the agreement as a PDF or Word file. If the NDA was later extended or folded into a main agreement, add that document too.
- Ask about both periods
Ask "How long can information be disclosed under this NDA, and how long do the confidentiality obligations last after that?" The two answers often come from different clauses.
- Check what survives
Ask whether trade secrets or any other categories are protected for longer, and whether termination of the NDA ends the duty. Open the citations to compare the wording.
Questions about NDA duration
How many years does the confidentiality obligation last under this NDA?
Is the period measured from the effective date, from each disclosure, or from termination?
Are trade secrets protected for longer than other confidential information?
Can either party terminate the NDA, and do the obligations survive termination?
Has the term been extended by any later agreement in this workspace?
What to look for in the term clause
Many NDAs let information be shared for a set time and then protect it for a further set time. Mixing the two up is a common reading mistake.
Periods may run from signing, from each disclosure or from the end of discussions. The same number of years can mean very different end dates.
Some NDAs keep trade secrets confidential for as long as they qualify as trade secrets, even after the general period ends.
An NDA with no end date for confidentiality may bind you indefinitely, subject to how the governing law treats such terms. Ask a lawyer when that matters.
Search+ cites the term and survival sentences it relies on, with section references when the NDA has them, so you can check the dates yourself.
Duration wording and what it signals
| Wording you may see | What it usually signals | A follow-up question |
|---|---|---|
| "for a period of ... years from the Effective Date" | A fixed period from signing | Does it cover information disclosed late in the period? |
| "from the date of disclosure" | A rolling period per disclosure | How is the date of each disclosure recorded? |
| "shall survive termination" | Duties continue after the NDA ends | Which duties survive, and for how long? |
| "for so long as it remains a trade secret" | Longer protection for trade secrets | How does the NDA define trade secret? |
| "either party may terminate on notice" | The NDA can be ended | Does termination stop new disclosures only, or the duties too? |
What is the term of an NDA?
The term of an NDA is the period during which the agreement applies, and usually also the period after it ends during which the recipient must keep the information confidential.
Questions about NDA term and duration
Can Search+ tell me when my NDA expires?
Will it point out a separate period for trade secrets?
Does terminating the NDA end the duty?
Can I list the end dates of many NDAs?
Is this legal advice on whether my NDA has ended?
Know when your NDA stops binding you
Start a workspace, upload the NDA, and ask how long its obligations last.
Start a workspace