This guide walks you through the full process of self-adopting the SEAL Safe Harbor Agreement for your protocol. The goal is to provide whitehats with legal clarity and confidence to rescue funds when it matters most.

To do this effectively, protocols should cover all public and legal bases: defining a clear scope, obtaining DAO approval (if applicable), registering on-chain, updating their terms of service, and making a public announcement.

1. Scope Definition

The first step is defining the scope. This information informs whitehats about how and when they can intervene. It includes which assets are covered, where to send rescued funds, how to contact your team, what bounties apply, and any identity requirements.

• Refer to the scope walkthrough: Scope Definitions & Tips
• DAO Template: DAO Scope Template
• Non-DAO Template: Non-DAO Scope Template

2. DAO Proposal (If applicable)

If you are a DAO, this is a critical step. It formalizes permission from the community and provides legitimacy to the adoption.

• DAOs do not need a legal entity. Safe Harbor was designed to allow on-chain communities to adopt the agreement natively.
• Use the DAO Proposal draft from Step 1 where you defined the scope. Feel free to edit the proposal to reflect your DAO’s tone and format.
• Push your proposal through governance, temp check → formal proposal → Snapshot/Tally/etc.
• (Optional) Include the on-chain adoption call in the proposal itself for a full end-to-end flow.

3. On-Chain Adoption

Whether you're a DAO or a centralized team, you'll need to publish your adoption on-chain. This ensures your terms are publicly visible and enforceable.

If you are NOT doing on-chain via DAO proposal:

• Follow the guide: SEAL Safe Harbor On-Chain Adoption